CHENNAI: An extraordinary 75cm-tall 14th century stone with the picture of a hero preserving the top of a rival warrior has been present in Singanallur close to Coimbatore.
Members of the Virarajendran Archaeological and Historical Research Centre found the stone deserted while undertaking a survey.
The stone depicts a hero with a raised sword in his proper hand. A bow is noticed on his left shoulder. Interestingly, the hero's tuft is on the left. He wears adorns on his ears and neck, while a finely adorned get dressed is noticed on the lower part of the frame. "The figure of a woman is seen on the left of the hero. She may be have been saved by him during battle," stated S Ravikumar, who led the staff. To display her gratitude to the hero, the girl is noticed in a posture of worship. She also wears adorns on the neck and ears. A child is noticed to the girl's left.
"The presence of the woman and child shows the hero may have killed the rival mainly to save the two. Normally, hero stones are erected in the name of heroes for saving cattle from wild animals. But this one shows how women and children were protected by men in those days," stated Ravikumar.
"It's a rare find. Initially, I thought it was a religious one, but careful examination helped me understand that it has the basic features of a hero stone. This one must have been erected following the death of a hero during a fight with another person," stated Sugavana Murugan, a hero stone professional who has documented such buildings in Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts.
A hero stone is a memorial paying tribute to a hero. Typically, such stones are erected in memory of native chieftains, who give a contribution to the welfare of or sacrifice their existence for the village or neighborhood. Stones depicting a hero preserving the top of his rival are rare in Tamil Nadu. A few years ago, a identical memorial was once discovered in Krishnagiri.
Members of the Virarajendran Archaeological and Historical Research Centre found the stone deserted while undertaking a survey.
The stone depicts a hero with a raised sword in his proper hand. A bow is noticed on his left shoulder. Interestingly, the hero's tuft is on the left. He wears adorns on his ears and neck, while a finely adorned get dressed is noticed on the lower part of the frame. "The figure of a woman is seen on the left of the hero. She may be have been saved by him during battle," stated S Ravikumar, who led the staff. To display her gratitude to the hero, the girl is noticed in a posture of worship. She also wears adorns on the neck and ears. A child is noticed to the girl's left.
"The presence of the woman and child shows the hero may have killed the rival mainly to save the two. Normally, hero stones are erected in the name of heroes for saving cattle from wild animals. But this one shows how women and children were protected by men in those days," stated Ravikumar.
"It's a rare find. Initially, I thought it was a religious one, but careful examination helped me understand that it has the basic features of a hero stone. This one must have been erected following the death of a hero during a fight with another person," stated Sugavana Murugan, a hero stone professional who has documented such buildings in Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts.
A hero stone is a memorial paying tribute to a hero. Typically, such stones are erected in memory of native chieftains, who give a contribution to the welfare of or sacrifice their existence for the village or neighborhood. Stones depicting a hero preserving the top of his rival are rare in Tamil Nadu. A few years ago, a identical memorial was once discovered in Krishnagiri.
Unique 14th century hero stone found in Coimbatore
![Unique 14th century hero stone found in Coimbatore]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
February 27, 2019
Rating:
