M.G.R. and Amma Memorial, officially Bharat Ratna Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G.R. and Puratchi Thalaivi Amma Selvi J. Jayalalithaa Memorial, is a memorial complex dedicated to the former chief ministers of Tamil Nadu

M. G. Ramachandran Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran (17 January 1917 – 24 December 1987), popularly known by his initialism M.G.R. and as Makkal Thilagam/Puratchi Thalaivar, was an Indian actor, politician, and philanthropist who served as the chief minister of ...

(M.G.R.) and J. Jayalalithaa (Amma), where a black marble platform was raised on the spot of M.G.R.'s cremation on 25 December 1987 and on the spot of Jayalalithaa's on 6 December 2016. An

eternal flame An eternal flame is a flame, lamp or torch that burns for an indefinite time. Most eternal flames are ignited and tended intentionally, but some are natural phenomena caused by natural gas leaks, peat fires and coal seam fires, all of which ca ...

illuminates both cemeteries, with a portrait of each individual placed at one end. A stone footpath leads to the lotus-shaped wall enclosure that houses the M.G.R. Memorial, with the sword pillar topped with a spherical-shaped dome light, and a stone footpath leads to the phoenix-shaped wall enclosure that houses the memorial of M.G.R.'s protégé and the former chief minister of Tamil Nadu Jayalalithaa. The memorial complex is located on Kamarajar Promenade, adjacent to the

Anna Memorial Anna Memorial, officially Perarignar Anna Memorial, is a memorial dedicated to the former chief minister of Tamil Nadu C. N. Annadurai (Anna), where a black marble platform was raised on the spot of Anna's cremation in February 1969. The m ...

Marina Beach Marina Beach, or simply the Marina, is a natural urban beach in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, along the Bay of Bengal. The beach runs from near Fort St. George in the north to Foreshore Estate in the south, a distance of , making it the second longest ...

Chennai Chennai, also known as Madras (List of renamed places in India#Tamil Nadu, its official name until 1996), is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Tamil Nadu by population, largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost states and ...

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

History

M.G.R. Memorial

The memorial was built in the memory of the former

chief minister of Tamil Nadu The chief minister of Tamil Nadu is the head of government, chief executive of the Indian Federated state, state of Tamil Nadu. In accordance with the Constitution of India, the Governor (India), governor is a state's ''de jure'' head, but ''de ...

, the first actor to become the

chief minister A chief minister is an elected or appointed head of government of – in most instances – a sub-national entity, for instance an administrative subdivision or federal constituent entity. Examples include a state (and sometimes a union ter ...

in the

Republic of India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area; the most populous country since 2023; and, since its independence in 1947, the world's most populous democracy. Bounded by ...

, and that too by winning three consecutive legislative assembly elections and continuing to be in the position until his death. Considered one of the greatest political leaders and actors of the state, his followers idolise him as "Puratchi Thalaivar" ''(Revolutionary Leader)''. He was posthumously awarded the

Bharat Ratna The Bharat Ratna (; ) is the highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conferred in recognition of "exceptional service/performance of the highest order", without distin ...

, the highest civilian award of the Republic of India. On 24 December 1987, after his prolonged illness, he suffered cardiac arrest at 1:00 a.m. and was declared dead at 3:30 a.m. in his ''M.G.R. Thottam'' residence in

Ramapuram, Chennai Ramapuram is a neighbourhood in the western part of Chennai, India. It is situated on the Mount-Poonamallee Road at a distance of 3 kilometres from Guindy. Ramapuram forms a part of Maduravoyal taluk, Chennai district. Ramapuram is located at an ...

. He was 70 years old, just a month away from his 71st birthday on 17 January 1988. His death sparked a frenzy of looting and rioting all over the state. Shops, cinemas, buses, and other public and private property became the targets of violence. The police had to resort to issuing shoot-at-sight orders. Schools and colleges immediately announced holidays until the situation was under control. Violence during the funeral alone left 129 people dead and 47 police personnel badly wounded. Young and married women allegedly shaved their heads bald and dressed like widows. Men whipped themselves until they bled to death. There were some extreme instances where people burnt themselves to death and burnt villages down. His body was kept

in state Lying in state is the tradition in which the body of a deceased official, such as a head of state, is placed in a state building, either outside or inside a coffin, to allow the public to pay their respects. It traditionally takes place in a m ...

at Rajaji Hall for the public to pay their tribute for two days. On 25 December 1987, his remains were buried at the northern end of

, proximate to his mentor and the former

C. N. Annadurai Conjeevaram Natarajan Annadurai (15 September 19093 February 1969), also known as Perarignar, was an Indian politician who was the founder and first general-secretary of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). He served as the fourth and last chi ...

's memorial, named the

Amma Memorial

The memorial was built in the memory of the former

J. Jayalalithaa, the second actress to become the

in the

after M.G.R.'s wife, V. N. Janaki Ramachandran. Jayalalithaa served as the

general secretary Secretary is a title often used in organizations to indicate a person having a certain amount of authority, Power (social and political), power, or importance in the organization. Secretaries announce important events and communicate to the org ...

of the

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (; AIADMK, also abbreviated as ADMK), also shortened to Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, is an Indian Regionalism (politics), regional political party with great influence in the Federated state, sta ...

from 1988 to 2016 and has the second-longest tenure of chief ministership in

, having served multiple terms and continuing to hold the position until her death. Considered one of the greatest political leaders and actresses of the state, her followers idolise her as "Puratchi Thalaivi" (Revolutionary Leader). She was the first and only woman to serve as the

leader of the opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly The leader of the opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly is an elected member of the Legislative Assembly who leads the official opposition party in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. The leader of the opposition serves as the legi ...

. On 22 September 2016, Jayalalithaa was admitted to

Apollo Hospitals Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited is an Indian multinational healthcare group headquartered in Chennai. It is the largest for-profit private hospital network in India, with a network of 71 owned and managed hospitals. Along with the eponym ...

as she was suffering from an infection and acute

dehydration In physiology, dehydration is a lack of total body water that disrupts metabolic processes. It occurs when free water loss exceeds intake, often resulting from excessive sweating, health conditions, or inadequate consumption of water. Mild deh ...

. On 12 October 2016, she was also said to be suffering from a severe pulmonary infection and

septicaemia Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening condition that arises when the body's response to infection causes injury to its own tissues and organs. This initial stage of sepsis is followed by suppression of the immune system. Common signs and s ...

, which were cured. On 4 December 2016, she was re-admitted to the

intensive care unit An intensive care unit (ICU), also known as an intensive therapy unit or intensive treatment unit (ITU) or critical care unit (CCU), is a special department of a hospital or health care facility that provides intensive care medicine. An inten ...

after suffering a

cardiac arrest Cardiac arrest (also known as sudden cardiac arrest CA is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. When the heart stops beating, blood cannot properly Circulatory system, circulate around the body and the blood flow to the ...

around 4:45 p.m. The hospital released a press statement stating that her condition was "very critical" and that she was on life support. On 5 December 2016, the hospital announced her death around 11:30 p.m., and she became the first female chief minister to die in office in the Republic of India. She was 68 years old, just two months away from her 69th birthday on 24 February 2017. Her body was kept

at her residence, ''Veda Nilayam'' in Poes Garden, Chennai, until the wee hours of 6 December 2016 and later at Rajaji Hall for the public to pay their tribute. Her

last rites The last rites, also known as the Commendation of the Dying, are the last prayers and ministrations given to an individual of Christian faith, when possible, shortly before death. The Commendation of the Dying is practiced in liturgical Chri ...

were performed on the evening of 6 December 2016, and her remains were buried at the northern end of

in a sandalwood casket engraved with "Puratchi Thalaivi Selvi J Jayalalithaa", adjacent to the grave of her mentor and the former

's memorial, named the M.G.R. Memorial.

Construction and Renovation

The memorial complex spreads over 8.25 acres and has the highest number of visitors along the seafront. The M.G.R. memorial started its construction work in 1988 and was inaugurated by

's wife and the former

V. N. Janaki Ramachandran in May 1990. In 1992, the memorial complex was remodelled and laid with marble by the

government of Tamil Nadu The Government of Tamil Nadu () is the administrative body responsible for the governance of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Chennai is the capital of the state and houses the state executive, legislature and head of judiciary. Under the Const ...

led by chief minister J. Jayalalithaa. Between 1996 and 1998, the mausoleum was again renovated at a cost of about 2.75 crore. When the

Indian Ocean tsunami On 26 December 2004, at 07:58:53 local time (UTC+7), a major earthquake with a magnitude of 9.2–9.3 struck with an epicentre off the west coast of Aceh in northern Sumatra, Indonesia. The undersea megathrust earthquake, known in the scient ...

struck the seafront in December 2004, the memorial was damaged. Repair works cost approximately 1.33 crore. In 2012, the memorial was again renovated at a cost of 4.3 crore, including 3.4 crore for remodelling the facade and the surrounding wall. This renovation included a new entrance with the Two Leaves, the electoral symbol of the

, and

Pegasus Pegasus (; ) is a winged horse in Greek mythology, usually depicted as a white stallion. He was sired by Poseidon, in his role as horse-god, and foaled by the Gorgon Medusa. Pegasus was the brother of Chrysaor, both born from Medusa's blood w ...

, the horse from

Greek mythology Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the Ancient Greece, ancient Greeks, and a genre of ancient Greek folklore, today absorbed alongside Roman mythology into the broader designation of classical mythology. These stories conc ...

; landscaping of the open area around the memorial using Korean grass; and the planting of exotic, decorative plants such as palmyra alpha,

date palm ''Phoenix dactylifera'', commonly known as the date palm, is a flowering-plant species in the palm family Arecaceae, cultivated for its edible sweet #Fruits, fruit called dates. The species is widely cultivated across North Africa, northern A ...

, spider lily, and

adenium ''Adenium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Apocynaceae first described as a genus in 1819. It is native to Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Cultivation and uses ''Adenium obesum'' is grown as a houseplant in temperate and tropic ...

. Also included were a granite pathway shaped like a guitar, stainless steel handles around the memorial, a fountain in the middle, a waterfall at the rear, decorative lamps, and an overhead tower with lights both at the entrance and on the arch. Two 18-metre-wide pergolas were also constructed, in addition to ramps for the physically challenged. The erection of the two leaves insignia at the façade of the entrance as an arch was opposed by the

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (; ; DMK) is an Indian political party based in the state of Tamil Nadu, where it is currently the ruling party, and the union territory of Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry, where it is currently the main ...

. A public interest petition was filed in the

Madras High Court The High Court of Judicature at Madras is a High Courts of India, High Court located in Chennai, India. It has appellate jurisdiction over the state of Tamil Nadu and the union territory of Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry. It is one of ...

in October 2012 against the erection of that insignia, but it was dismissed by the court. In 2016, when M.G.R.'s protégé and the former

J. Jayalalithaa, died, she was buried behind her mentor in the memorial complex. A new memorial was built for her at a cost of 50 crore. The memorial is planned to be built in the shape of a phoenix, covering the cemetery of Jayalalithaa. On 7 May 2018, the foundation stone was laid for the construction of the memorial by the chief minister of Tamil Nadu Edappadi K. Palaniswami, in the presence of prominent members of the

. The memorial is named ''Amma Memorial'', as Jayalalithaa is fondly called Amma by her followers and party cadres. On 27 January 2021, the memorial and the museum of J. Jayalalithaa, named Amma Memorial and Amma Museum, respectively, were inaugurated by the

Edappadi K. Palaniswami, in the memorial complex.

Entrance

The facade of the memorial complex was a tall entry arch with a concrete replica of the Two Leaves, the electoral symbol of the

, founded by the former

. The facade was also given a Grecian touch with the erection of a 12-foot-high bronze sculpture of

, the winged horse of

. The 3.75-

tonne The tonne ( or ; symbol: t) is a unit of mass equal to 1,000 kilograms. It is a non-SI unit accepted for use with SI. It is also referred to as a metric ton in the United States to distinguish it from the non-metric units of the s ...

sculpture, by architect R. Ravindran, a sthapathi from

Mamallapuram Mamallapuram (also known as Mahabalipuram), is a town in Chengalpattu district in the southeastern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, best known for the UNESCO World Heritage Site of 7th- and 8th-century Hindu Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram. It ...

, is set on a 4.5-meter-high pedestal. Two 15.9-metre-high columns serving as the entrance were built with reinforced concrete. The elevated structure of the two leaves is supported by a 6-metre-high beam serving as the stem. The leaf structure, with a span of 10.2 metres for each leaf, is a metre higher than the towering columns. The leaves have a slight resemblance to a honeycomb and are visible from both the front and the rear.

Gallery

File:MGRMemorial Pegasus Closeup.jpg, Bronze Pegasus at the entrance to the memorial File:MGRMemorialCorridor.jpg, Main corridor of the memorial File:MGR Memorial 9 December 2007.jpg, Lotus-shaped wall houses the M.G.R. Memorial File:A panoramic view, MGR Memorial.jpg, A panoramic view of the M.G.R. Memorial File:The ever-burning lamp at the MGR Memorial.jpg, An eternal flame near the cemetery of M.G.R. File:MGRMemorial Museum.jpg, Dr. M.G.R. Museum inside the memorial complex File:Image Gallery at MGR museum, Marina Beach, Chennai.jpg, Photo gallery inside the Dr. M.G.R. Museum File:Amma memorial.jpg, Amma Memorial on the next day of cremation File:MGR Memorial, Chennai aerial view.png, An aerial view of the M.G.R. and Amma Memorial Complex File:Jayalalitha Memorial.jpg, Phoenix-shaped wall houses the Amma Memorial File:MGR Memorial 2.jpg, Amma Museum inside the memorial complex

References

{{Chennai Topics 1988 establishments in Tamil Nadu 2021 establishments in Tamil Nadu Buildings and structures completed in 1988 Buildings and structures completed in 2021 Memorials to M G Ramachandran Monuments and memorials in Chennai Outdoor sculptures in Chennai Tourist attractions in Chennai