The Photographs Of Shri Kamaraj
The Black and White photographs that adorn the walls of the dining hall cover Kamaraj’s life across all stages – Kamaraj at the age of five, in his youth, in middle age and in the final years. Notable among the collection are pictures of his 1954 swearing-in as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, the first Kamaraj Ministry of 1954, the second of 1957 and the third of 1962.
Photographs of Kamaraj’s public life show him rubbing shoulders with stalwarts like Jawarharlal Nehru, Sarojini Naidu, Sathyamurthy, Dr S. Radhakrishnan, Rajendra Prasad, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Periyar, M.G Ramachandran, Govind Vallabh Pant, Martin Luther King and Queen Elizabeth.
A Unique Collection
Several pictures showcase the leader in different moods: playing Cricket, hauling the rope in at a ‘Tug of War’ for the Legislator’s Sports Meet, drenched under the Courtallam falls, supervising relief work for flood victims, chairing meetings, etc. Among the personal effects of Kamaraj that are on display are his spectacles, pens, a spool tape player and even a Gillette Shaving set used by him!
The second floor has displays of Kamaraj’s several luxuriant Felicitation Shawls. In marked contrast are the displays of his own simple attire, his suitcases, timepiece, pens and utensils. Of special mention is the prison coat worn by him while serving term in prison in 1942.
Photographs on the second floor show several personalities paying homage to the dead leader. Among those pictured are Late Prime Minister Mrs Indira Gandhi and veteran actor Shivaji Ganeshan. Especially impressive is the bird’s eye view of the multitude, on Mount Road (Anna Salai), who accompanied the body of their leader on his last journey.