CHENNAI: The renovated memorial for former chief minister M Karunanidhi has many modern features, including an underground museum, 7D screens, touchscreen displays, selfie points, library, highlights of the leader’s life, etc. It is being inaugurated by CM MK Stalin on Monday.
Marbles used in some portions of the memorial have been brought from Rajasthan and Vietnam. In front of the memorial, the letter of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi to Karunanidhi, written on November 8, 2005, when Tamil was declared as a classical language is on display. When visitors move on, they enter the underground digital museum called Kalaignar Ulagam (The word of Kalaignar). On the pathway, the statue of Tiruvalluvar, and achievements of successive tenures of Karunanidhi as CM are on display.
Turning right, visitors can view the Thamizh Thai Vazhthu (invocation to Mother Tamil) on the opposite wall, and the G.O. issued in 1970 mandating the recital of this invocation at the beginning of government functions is displayed. Also, the G.O. issued by Stalin on December 17, 2021, declared this invocation as the state verse of Tamil Nadu.
People can take selfies with the statue of Karunanidhi designed as sitting in his Gopalapuram residence. On the touchscreens, one can find information about eight important works of Karunanidhi — including his autobiography, commentary on Tirukkural and his key novels.
There is a static train surrounded by 7D screens. Visitors will feel as if they are travelling on a train from Tiruvarur to Chennai. Photographs of important junctures in the life of Karunanidhi, the struggles he took part and schemes he implemented are also on display.