A serene memorial now stands to mark the spot where there was once gruesome bloodshed…

The date was May 21st, 1991.
The place was Sriperumbudur, near Chennai.

This date was since written in blood in the annals of history as perhaps one of the most gruesome assassinations in the world. A memorial was built to mark the spot where Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated. Manicured lawns with tree-lined pathways exude complete serenity, as you walk towards the memorial. A circular raised platform in pale lemon yellow (crafted in marble brought from Jaisalmer) rests on a square platform of size 40'x 40'.

A picture of the young leader, a mural in pink granite rests on an elevated platform to mark the site of the blast. Seven granite pillars surround the place where the Prime Minister succumbed to the human bomb. These pillars represent the concepts of Satya, Dharma, Vigyan, Nyaya, Shanti, Tyaga and Smiridhi. They also symbolically represent the seven sacred rivers of our country namely, Yamuna, Ganga, Brahmaputra, Godavari, Sindhu, Narmada and Kaveri.

“The path of light” at the memorial highlights the last few steps taken by Rajiv Gandhi, just before he was assassinated. Sayings of Rajiv Gandhi are etched on the base of the pillars. The pillars are each carved in different patterns.  On the southern side of the memorial, relief work on a stone wall of grey granite depicts the journey of the Indian civilization through the ages, from the time it began to modern times. Barely 42 km from Chennai, Sriperumbudur is easily accessible and is located on the Chennai-Bangalore highway. The closest airport is Chennai Airport.

The memorial was dedicated to the nation in 2003, by the then Indian President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. The paradox is apparent: it is hard to imagine that this isolated, lush and serene memorial was where a human bomb caused grotesque bloodshed. The memorial stands as testimony to history, a silent spectator to a truly monumental historical tragedy ….

Rajiv Gandhi Memorial
Sriperumbudur
Tamilnadu