PRESIDENT TO DEDICATE THE RAJIV GANDHI
MEMORIAL TO THE NATION
The Rajiv Gandhi
Memorial at Sriperumbudur will be dedicated to the Nation on 10th
October, 2003 by the President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
Sriperumbudur,
located at a distance of 42 Km. from Chennai on the Chennai-Bangalore-Mumbai
National Highway, is a historically important town. It is the
birth place of Saint Ramanujar, who gave the Visishtadvida Philosophy
to the world and the First Alwar of the 12 Alwars of Vaishnavaita
sect.
Former Prime
Minister of India, Shri Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on 21.5.1991
at Sriperumbudur. It was decided by the Government of India to
erect a Memorial at this place for the departed leader. Accordingly,
the work was taken up in June, 1994. The Government of Tamil Nadu
gave 12.19 acres of land free of cost. The Memorial has been developed
by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) at a cost of Rs.21.15
crores.
The Central spot
of the memorial is the place where Rajiv Gandhi laid down his
life. In a square platform of 40’x40’ size, a raised platform
of 21’ diameter has been constructed, finished with Jaisalmer
yellow marble flooring inlaid with while marble depicting scattered
flowers. The portrait of Rajiv Gandhi, created by fine marble
inlay work (pietra dura), is embedded in a pink granite stone
block which has been erected on this circular platform.
The central feature
is circumscribed by seven massive granite pillars of 1.2 meter
diameter, 15 meter high, having bronze capital on top, each weighing
approx. 1.5 tonnes. These pillars represent seven concepts namely,
Dharma, Satya, Nyaya, Vigyan, Tyaga, Shanti and Smiridhi. These
pillars also represent seven sacred rivers of our country, viz.
Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Brahamputra, Narmada, Sindhu & Kaveri.
Various quotations of Rajiv Gandhi have been carved at the base
of each pillar depicting Secularism, Truth, Social Justice, Modernization,
Freedom Movement, World Peace and Progress and Development. Each
pillar has different carving patterns and unique capitol design
symbolizing each concept.
On the southern
side of the memorial, Base relief work has been done on a grey
granite stonewall 4.80 m high and 45 m long which depicts the
transformation of Indian Civilization from primitive stage to
modern times with the carving of Rajiv Gandhi in the middle.
The path last
taken by the departed leader has been symbolized by construction
of a historic path with pink granite stone pavement from the main
pathway to the central spot.
The complex as
a whole has been beautiful with landscaping, pathways, sprinkler
system, etc. and subdued lighting. Three Xenon lamp fittings provide
high powered collimated beams forming a three dimensional triangle,
meeting at a height 150 meter above the central spot.
