CHENNAI: Within a year from now, a grand memorial in the shape of a phoenix bird will be in place on the Marina for the late Chief Minister, J Jayalalithaa, behind the memorial of her mentor MG Ramachandran. The memorial coming up over a total area of 50,422 square feet will have a museum and a knowledge park and the State government has sanctioned `50.80 crore on this count.
The Vedic rituals which started around 6.40 am on Monday lasted for two hours and Chief Minister K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam took part in it. Later Palaniswami placed the first brick followed by Panneerselvam. More bricks placed in the yagna were kept in a rectangular pit and both leaders applied cement on it. Vedic pundits from Sri Kapaleeswarar temple performed the yagna and poured holy water on the pit meant for laying foundation.
Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai, ministers, MPs and MLAs and a large number of AIADMK cadre were present on the occasion. After laying the foundation stone, Palaniswami also opened a plaque to mark the foundation laying ceremony. Later, Palaniswami, Panneerselvam and all functionaries offered prayers at the mausoleum of Jayalalithaa, which was decked up with flowers.
Jayaalithaa died on December 5, 2016 and was laid to rest behind the memorial of MGR on December 6, 2016. On that day, the name of the memorial was changed as Dr MGR-J Jayalalithaa memorial. Later, global tenders were called for building the memorial and the GO for constructing the memorial was issued on January 10, 2018.
Information Minister Kadambur Raju, Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan, MPs, MLAs and senior officials took part in the foundation ceremony.