Valluvar Kottam

Valluvar Kottam
Valluvar Kottam
வள்ளுவர் கோட்டம்
General information
Type	Monument
Town or city	Chennai
Country	India
Coordinates	13°3′15.88″N 80°14′30.3″E / 13.0544111°N 80.241750°E
Completed	1976
Inaugurated	April 15
Height	39 metres (128 ft)
Design and construction
Architecture firm	East Coast Constructions and Industries

Valluvar Kottam (Tamil: வள்ளுவர் கோட்டம்) is a popular monument in Chennai, dedicated to the classical Tamil poet, philosopher, and saint, Thiruvalluvar. It is located at the intersection of the Kodambakkam High road and the Village road. The monument now stands at what was once the deepest point of a local lake.

Valluvar Kottam was constructed in 1976 in the memory of Thiruvalluvar, who wrote his famous Thirukkural some 2,000 years ago. All 133 chapters and 1330 verses of the Thirukkural are inscribed on bas-relief in the front-hall's corridors.

The construction of Valluvar Kottam is similar to a temple chariot, like a replica of the temple chariot in Thiruvarur. A life-size statue of Thiruvalluvar has been installed in the 39-m-high chariot.

The auditorium of Valluvar Kottam can accommodate around 4,000 people.

The architect of the memorial is South Indian traditional architect V. Ganapati Sthapati, who is also the architect of the Thiruvalluvar Statue at Kanyakumari.^[1]

Incidentally, the original Tiruvarur chariot was burnt in 1922 in an accident caused by Justice Party members during the anti-Brahmin agitation under EV Ramasamy Naiker. This version of events is highly disputed and suspected to be propaganda from right-wing Hindutva elements.