With upcoming Kollur visit, CM Vijay channels his inner MGR once again

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay's planned visit to the Kollur Sri Mookambika Temple on June 12 is many things at once — a personal act of devotion, a public gesture of humility, and, for those watching closely, another carefully placed signal in an ongoing political performance.

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Vijay, who had visited temples and churches before becoming the CM, has now planned another temple visit after becoming the CM. As he will be travelling on road from the airport, fans are expected to gather at many junctions along the route. While Vijay has Z Plus Security, the Tamil Nadu CID Security Division has requested the Karnataka Police to provide the required security and measure for the superstar.

Subtle signalling

The Kollur visit carries weight beyond the religious. Previous Chief Ministers M G Ramachandran, Janaki Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa had all made the pilgrimage to the Karnataka temple after assuming office. By choosing the same path, Vijay, who took charge in May after his party TVK's stunning 2026 election sweep, is consciously aligning himself with a tradition that Tamil Nadu's most iconic political figures have observed.

Echoes from his film days

The parallel with MGR did not begin in politics. As far back as 2003, Vijay's film Vaseegara carried a song that served as a quiet tribute to the late AIADMK founder — a wink to fans who saw in the young actor a spiritual successor to the original superstar-politician. Vijay and Sneha danced like MGR and Sarojadevi, emulating their movements and body language.

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Style, symbolism, a familiar script

The signals have only grown louder since. Like MGR, Vijay has cultivated a distinctive personal style, his wardrobe, public appearances and even his relationship with his security personnel carry echoes of his predecessor. His decision to bring bodyguard Nayeem Moosa into the public eye mirrors MGR's well-known habit of keeping his trusted guards visibly close, a detail that die-hard fans have not missed.

On the campaign trail last year, Vijay openly invoked MGR and Jayalalithaa, borrowing their famous phrase that the DMK was an "evil force", a deliberate act of political inheritance designed to draw anti-DMK voters away from a rudderless AIADMK and toward TVK.

Kollur temple

Nestled at the foot of the Western Ghats in Karnataka's Udupi district, the Kollur Sri Mookambika Temple is one of South India's most revered pilgrimage sites, drawing devotees from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. Believed to be around 1,200 years old, the temple was established by Adi Shankaracharya and is dedicated to the goddess of speech, knowledge and art. It is also counted among the seven sacred abodes of salvation, Muktisthala, created by Parashurama.