Valluvar Kottam Chennai – Timings, History & Tips
A Free-to-Visit 40 foot tall Monument in Chennai dedicated to the great Tamil Poet Thiruvalluvar
Overview
Opened in 1976 in Chennai, Valluvar Kottam honours the poet Thiruvalluvar with a massive stone chariot (~40 metres tall) modeled after temple chariots in TamilNadu.
A life sized statue of Thiruvalluvar is present inside the chariot.
All 1330 couplets or verses of Thiruvalluvar’s most famous work, Thirukkural are inscribed in slabs with explanations in a gallery.
The gallery also consists of 100+ fascinating paintings corresponding to major verses of Thirukkural.
The monument complex is very famous for its daily evening light and musical shows.
The monument complex includes one of the Asia’s largest auditoriums, frequently used for cultural events.
Tickets and Timings
Timings: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Closed Days: Some Public Holidays*
Ticket Price: Free
Parking: No Parking Available (Park in the Street near the Back Gate)
* If it is a public holiday, do check directly with the monument authorities to confirm if it is open.
Know Before You Go
It is highly recommended to visit in the evening to also experience the daily evening musical fountain and light shows (which are in Tamil).
Almost everything in the monument complex (including the Thirukural verses) is written in Tamil. If you do not know Tamil, you can still enjoy the sight of the Monument, the monument complex, the art work in the gallery and the light show.
The entrance to the gallery displaying paintings and the 1,330 Thirukkural verses is located on the left while walking up the stairs to the top of the monument complex, from where visitors can access the interior of the monument and the Thiruvalluvar statue.
Location
Valluvar Kottam High Rd, Nungambakkam
