Kamaraj Memorial House

As the name suggests, the monument is dedicated to Shri Kamaraj, the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu who led the state of Tamil Nadu, thrice. Shri Kamaraj was not only an inspiration among the Tamils but he set an example for most of the Indians that no hardships can stop an individual from achieving success. The Kamaraj Memorial House exemplifies the intense simplicity Kamaraj lived with. The House was inaugurated in 1978 by the then Chief Minister, M. G. Ramchandaran and the house opened for public exhibition.

The memorial, spread on the two floors of the building, showcases the personal photographs and items related to Shri Kamaraj, providing an insight into his life. The ground floor has a bedroom which was once the personal den of this well-regarded personality. The room is adorned with plain furniture, symbolizing the plain and simple life Shri Kamaraj led. There is also a well stocked library in the house, occupied by the books like volumes of 'Lok Sabha Debates', '100 Modern Lives', 'Churchill' and 'Doctor Zhivago'. Though Shri Kamaraj had to put an end to his formal education in his early days, he became a well-read man, fond of reading several books.

The Memorial House also exhibits a rare collection of his photographs; the walls of the dining hall are covered with many black and white photographs of Kamaraj. These photographs will take you to a virtual journey of the different phases of Shri Kamaraj's life, depicting his childhood to the later years. The pictures capturing his 1954 swearing-in as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, the first Kamaraj Ministry of 1954, the second of 1957 and the third of 1962 are some of the most interesting pictures stocked in the house. In many other photos, he is seen mingling with the known personalities like Pt. Nehru, Sarojini Naidu, Rajendra Prasad, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, M.G Ramachandran, Martin Luther King, Queen Elizabeth, etc. The building has exceptionally unique collection of the pictures of showing the leader in different moods: playing cricket, hauling the rope in the Tug of War' for the Legislator's Sports Meet, getting wet under the Courtallum Falls, heading the meetings, extending aid to the victims of flood, and many others.

The second floor of the house displays a number of his belongings, like luxuriant Felicitation Shawls along with his simple attire, his suitcases, timepiece, pens and utensils. One of the prized possessions of this exhibition is the prison coat, which he wore during his term in prison in the year 1942. The displayed personal effects of Kamaraj include his spectacles, a spool tape player and even a Gillette shaving set. Another spectacular collection of photos exhibits number of eminent personalities including Late Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi and veteran actor Shivaji Ganeshan, paying homage to the leader after his demise. The entire building reflects series of events sufficient to portray him as an epitome of simplicity, gracefulness, honesty and prosperity. Visit Kamaraj Memorial House on your trip to Chennai and embrace the manifestations of this ecstatic monument.