Valluvar Kottam in Nungambakkam reopened on 21 June 2025 after a renovation estimated at ₹80 crore, IANS reported. The headline change is a 1,548-seat air-conditioned hall, but the part most visitors come for is the old one: the stone chariot carrying Thiruvalluvar’s statue, now fitted with sound-and-light effects.
The monument had been poorly maintained for about 15 years before the work, and many Chennai residents remember it as a dusty stop on school trips. Here is what is new, what stayed the same, and what to check before you go.
What the renovation added
Reports at the reopening, from IANS and Zee News Tamil, list these facilities:
| Facility | Details reported |
|---|---|
| Ayyan Valluvar Kalaiyarangam | About 20,000 sq ft, 1,548 seats, air-conditioned |
| Kural Manimandapam | All 1,330 kurals on display boards with explanations and paintings |
| Thirukkural research hall and library | Seats 100 |
| Parking, ground and underground | About 27,000 sq ft, up to 162 cars |
| Restaurant | 3,336 sq ft; 72 dining seats and 24 in the coffee area |
| Souvenir shop and covered walkway | Walkway (Veya Maadam) leads to the statue |
Musical fountains were also added. The 1,330 couplets are shown with explanatory texts written by former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.
The Thirukkural chariot
The centrepiece is a stone chariot modelled on the temple car of Thiruvarur. Reports at the reopening put its height at 106 feet. Its carvings illustrate ideas from the Thirukkural, and the new lighting brings them out after dark.
The construction history explains its heft. About 3,000 granite blocks were brought from a quarry in Tiruvannamalai, adding up to roughly 27,000 tons, with the largest stone weighing 40 tons, according to a DT Next history column. The chariot’s wheels stand 11 feet high. The traditional architect was Vaidyanatha Ganapathy, and the site was a filled-in lake bed.
The monument was built between 1971 and 1975 under Karunanidhi’s government, IANS says, and UNI dates its establishment to 1976. The opening was overshadowed by politics: Karunanidhi’s government was dismissed shortly before the function and he was not invited, according to DT Next.
Timings, tickets and getting there
None of the reports we checked gave visiting hours or an entry fee after the renovation, and we could not find them on an official page. Call ahead or check at the gate before planning a group visit, particularly if you want to see the chariot lit up in the evening.
Practical points we can confirm:
- The complex is in Nungambakkam. Underground parking is now available for up to 162 cars, which eases the old problem of parking on the road.
- The large hall is rented out for literary and cultural events, so check whether a function is on. Big events can mean crowds.
- The restaurant and covered walkway make a weekday afternoon visit with elderly relatives easier than before.
When the monument is busiest
Thiruvalluvar Day, the second day of Pongal in January, is the main occasion. On 16 January 2026 the Chief Minister and cabinet members paid floral tribute to Thiruvalluvar’s statue at Valluvar Kottam, All India Radio reported. Expect security arrangements and restricted entry on such days.
What to look for on a first visit
Allow at least an hour. A sensible route starts at the covered walkway, which leads to the statue and the chariot, then continues into the Kural Manimandapam before you finish at the restaurant.
- The chariot carvings. Walk all the way round. The panels illustrate Thirukkural ideas, and the scale of the granite work is easier to take in up close than from the road.
- The kural boards. All 1,330 couplets are displayed, grouped by chapter. Pick one chapter, such as friendship or hospitality, and read its ten kurals together. It is a good introduction for children who know only the couplets in their textbooks.
- The paintings. The kural gallery pairs the texts with paintings, which helps visitors who read little Tamil follow the themes.
- Evening light. The sound-and-light effects on the chariot are the main reason to come after sunset rather than at midday, when the stone also gets very hot.
Families visiting from outside Chennai often combine the monument with other stops in Nungambakkam and T. Nagar. With parking now on site, that is far easier than it used to be.
The research library is the least known part of the new complex. If you are studying the Thirukkural or writing about it, it is worth asking whether the library is open to readers on a given day.
Quick answers
When did the renovated Valluvar Kottam open?
On 21 June 2025, after work estimated at ₹80 crore.
How tall is the stone chariot?
Reports at the reopening put it at 106 feet. It is modelled on the Thiruvarur temple car.
Is there parking now?
Yes. Ground and underground parking holds up to 162 cars.
What are the timings and ticket price?
We could not confirm them from an official source. Check at the monument or by phone before you go.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- CM Stalin to inaugurate renovated Valluvar Kottam (IANS via Investment Guru India)
- Renovated Valluvar Kottam worth ₹80 crore to be inaugurated (Zee News Tamil)
- Stalin inaugurates refurbished Valluvar Kottam (UNI)
- Those were the days: a monument for the saint-poet (DT Next)
- Tamil Nadu observes birth anniversary of Thiruvalluvar (All India Radio News)
