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Voykit pocket guide · India
Sriperumbudur
திருப்பெரும்புதூர்
Half a day is enough: see the Rajiv Gandhi Memorial and the Adikesava Perumal temple, then move on to Kanchipuram or Chennai. Not a base.
Sriperumbudur is a town in Kanchipuram district, northern Tamil Nadu, known as the site where Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated during a political campaign on 21 May 1991; the spot was turned into a memorial in 2003. The other sight is the Adikesava Perumal temple, held to be the birthplace of Ramanuja, the exponent of Vishishtadvaita philosophy. Distance to Chennai, the town's other draws and how much else there is for visitors: check.
- Country
- India
- Local name
- திருப்பெரும்புதூர்
- Best months
- check
- Avoid
- check
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- INR
- Money
- Indian rupees (INR, ₹) in small notes for autos, street food, tips and entry tickets.
- Daily spend
- Budget check · Mid check · High check (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Jio, Airtel and Vi sell tourist SIMs at airport counters and their shops; passport, visa and a photo needed; activation can take a few hours.
- Emergency
- Police 100 · Fire and ambulance 101 · All emergencies (India) 112
- Plugs
- Types C, D, M · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin C plugs fit most sockets; D (three round pins) is the common wall socket; hotels often have universal sockets. UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Street food and dhabas: Nothing.; Restaurant: 5–10% if no service charge is on the bill.; Car and driver: ₹300–500 a day at the end of the trip.; Guide: ₹300–500 for a half day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₹50–100.; Auto or Uber: Round up.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Buy sealed bottles (check the cap), or use RO-filtered refill stations in hotels and cafés; avoid ice from street stalls.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and airports; squat toilets with a water jug or hose in stations and villages. Carry tissue and sanitiser; paid public toilets (Sulabh) cost ₹5–10.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Bottle of water (1 L) | check |
| Idli or dosa at a roadside stall | check |
| Auto-rickshaw (town centre to memorial) | check |
| Taxi (Sriperumbudur to Kanchipuram) | check |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- MAA · Chennai International Airport
- check
Typical fares
- Chennai airport → Sriperumbudur, taxi
- check
- Sriperumbudur → Kanchipuram, bus
- check
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Auto-rickshaws and taxis are the usual way around; whether the two main sights are walkable from each other, and which buses serve the town: check.
See and do
Known for
- Rajiv Gandhi Memorial
- Adikesava Perumal temple (Ramanuja's birthplace)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kanchipuram | check | check |
| Chennai | check | check |
| Mahabalipuram | check | check |
Sleep
- Sriperumbudur town centre
- Accommodation options: check. Many visitors stay in Chennai or Kanchipuram instead.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Namaste | வணக்கம்vanakkam |
| Thank you | நன்றிnandri |
| How much? | எவ்வளவு?evvalavu |
| Where is the memorial? | நினைவிடம் எங்கே?ninaividam engay |
| I need a taxi | எனக்கு டாக்சி வேண்டும்enakku taxi vendum |
| Can I pay by card? | கார்டு மூலம் செலுத்தலாமா?card moolam seluthalama |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Namaste (palms together) or a handshake between men; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging or kissing strangers
- Hands and feet: Give and eat with the right hand; apologise if your foot touches someone; avoid: Pointing feet at people or shrines; touching books or food with your feet
- Temples: Shoes off, walk clockwise around shrines, accept prasad (blessed food) with the right hand; avoid: Leather in Jain temples; entering sanctums that say Hindus only
- Home visit: Bring sweets or fruit; accept tea at least once; avoid: Refusing all food; wearing shoes inside
- Questions: Expect personal questions (married? job? salary?) as friendliness; avoid: Taking offence; answer vaguely if you prefer
- Saying no: A firm, polite 'nahi, dhanyavaad' (no, thank you) and keep walking; avoid: Long explanations to touts
- Dress: Loose clothes covering shoulders and knees; kurta tops are cheap and cool; avoid: Swimwear or shorts away from Goa beaches
Scams and watch-outs
- The memorial is a solemn site; dress and behave respectfully.
- Temple opening hours, including any midday closure: check locally.
- ATM availability near the memorial: check before you go.
Safe for daytime visits. The memorial area is quiet; keep valuables out of sight. Traffic on NH48 can be chaotic; cross carefully.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Sriperumbudur yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Rajiv Gandhi Memorial
- Adikesava Perumal temple (Ramanuja's birthplace)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Tamil Nadu Tourism: www.tamilnadutourism.tn.gov.in/
- Wikivoyage: Sriperumbudur, revision 5303181 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5303181
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Sriperumbudurதிருப்பெரும்புதூர்
இந்த முகவரிக்கு, தயவு செய்து
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
The US Consulate General is in Chennai; most other countries have consulates in Chennai or embassies in New Delhi.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/sriperumbudur). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.