Valluvar Kottam is a very well-known monument in Chennai that was erected in honor of the classical Tamil philosopher, scholar and poet, Thiruvalluvar. Aside from these, Thiruvalluvar was also a saint who influenced the way of life of numerous Indians by setting them on the path to righteousness. Believed to have lived during the 1st century B.C., Thiruvalluvar was originally a weaver. It is assumed that he was born in Mylapore, part of the city of Madras, known today as Chennai.
Thiruvalluvar wrote his renowned epic Thirukkural, which is one of the highest-valued ancient literary works written in the Tamil language. Although it was written 2,000 years ago, the Thirukkural is regarded as a common article of faith, serving as a guidebook for moral principles and life improvement for Indians of today. The book has been very significant to the Indian people and has proven to be very insightful and inspirational for them.
The epic poem itself comprises of 1,330 couplets segregated into 133 chapters with each chapter containing 10 couplets each. There is a chapter each on virtue, wealth and love. The Thirukkural discusses all about proper behavior, with sections on honor and conscience, the proper conduct of affairs and relationships between men and women. Emphasis is given on the practice of moral principles in public life and social thought and social order in an attempt to maintain order in society.
Thiruvalluvar’s invaluable literary contribution has gained international recognition, due partly to its translation into more than sixty other languages.
Thiruvalluvar was such an important figure in Indian history that a monument, the Valluvar Kottam, was erected in his honor in the heart of Chennai City. The monument, Valluvar Kottam, was commissioned by M. Karunanidhi who was the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu from 1975–1976, under the competent direction of the architect V. Ganapati Sthapati. The chief minister devoted extreme commitment to the project, supervising the construction day and night and even inhabiting a tent at the site for the duration of the construction.
Valluvar Kottam, consists of a temple car memorial that was carved from three huge granite blocks with a shallow pond adjoining a huge auditorium. With architecture that is reminiscent of Dravidian temples of old, Valluvar Kottam stands on reclaimed land right at the junction of the Village Road and Kodambakkam High Road. This exact spot where Valluvar Kottam stands was, at one time, the deepest spot of an unused lake that was then filled with garbage and debris from the city.
Valluvar Kottam resembles a 39-meter high temple chariot such as the one depicted in Thiruvarur in Tamil Nadu. A life-size effigy of the saint is contained in the chariot. It is claimed that more than three thousand stone blocks were utilized in the construction of this historic memorial. All three levels of the memorial represent ancient Tamil architecture.
An impressive auditorium adjoins the temple chariot, capable of seating 4,000 people and said to be the largest auditorium in Asia. Granite pillars surround the auditorium, on which all 133 chapters comprising of 1330 couplets of the Thirukkural are engraved.
Valluvar Kottam is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Chennai, a definite must-see in order to possess a deeper and richer understanding of Indian culture.