Madurai (Tamil Nadu): A 400-year old hero stone has been discovered near Nelpettai.
It has been an ancient tradition to erect memorial hero stones for those who died at war. The people of Nelpettai, the central part of Madurai, have been worshipping one such hero stone as their idol. This 400-year-old hero stone has now been discovered by Devi Arivuchelvam, an architect, and Sasikala, an archaeologist.
The hero stone was discovered at Munisalai, Madurai when researchers were studying the sculptures and inscriptions of temples in the city.
In ancient times, it was customary to erect hero stones in memory of those who died at war or sacrificed their lives for the clan or the country. This particular hero stone is in memory of a man who died at war and his wife who sacrificed her life by committing Sati.
Design of the hero stone
The embossed sculptures of two figures have been engraved on a rectangular slab of stone. On studying the costumes and headgears of the sculpture, it was found that the stone is 400 years old and belonged to the Nayak dynasty. The warrior, who died battling, is shown with a raised sword in his right hand.
The warrior’s left hand is placed on the left thigh and is holding a dagger. His legs are shown to be in motion and his face is in a damaged condition. His wife is shown dead beside him. Both are shown to have a side bun on the left side and are wearing earrings and bangles.
While hero stones had been discovered in various parts of Madurai, this is the first time that it has been found in the heart of the city.
