Kundani, a Capital City Hoysala Dynasty Under Veera Ramanathan's Rule, near Hosur near Hosur, Krishnagiri District, Tamil Nadu.

A continuation Post to krishnagiri Heritage Visit Dolmens, Cairn circles and Rock Arts at Mallachandram 

11^th March 2018.

 

"Kundani" a part of Krishnagiri District was once the Head Quarters of the Hoysala king 'Veera Ramanathan' who ruled the Hoysala dynasty ( 1935 to 1954 CE) in 13th Century CE under the control of Pandyas. He was not a so popular king of Hoysala dynasty. He was the great grand son of  Veera Ballala-II and son of Veera  Someshwara ( 1235–63 CE ) who ruled Hoysala under Chozhas.  The power of Krishnagiri was shuffled between Chozhas and Pandyas who ever  in power in Tamil Nadu. It is presumed that  Veera Someshwara, the grand son of Veera Ballala-II and his son Veera Ramanathan ruled Hoysala dynasty during the same period keeping their head quarters in different places near Krishnagiri. 

During his rule Veera Ramanathan, renovated the Kailasanathar temple of Tharamangalam, which was originally built by the Ketti Mudali kings. During his  rule a well called as “MARBIDIGU KINARU” at Thiruvellarai near Srirangam, Tiruchirappalli,  was reconstructed, by one  Kudanthai ( Kumbakonam ) vanikan ( Merchant ) Uyyaneri kaattinaan. And an inscription  at Aragalur,  Sri Kamanatheswarar Temple  speaks about donation of a Village Nattarmangalam near Salem to this temple. He was known for the punishing of offenders to the maximum extend. In one of the inscription at the Panneswara Nayanar Temple at Panneswararmada, near Kaveripattinam ( Temple was built by the Kulothunga Chozha -II 1133 - 1150 CE ) says that a govt official, who accepts the bribe and the officer failed to restrict was punished to death. Veera Ramanathan Died at Kundani (the Present Hosur) on 19th Dec 1295.

As a Capital of Hoysala Dynasty Kundani might have buzzing with activities now bears a desert look. Only the ruined temples reminds the glory of Hoysala dynasty. The stones with inscriptions of the temples strewn around.  The Shiva temple is in dilapidated condition, but still under worship,  will be covered separately and Kundani Lakkamma temple was renovated keeping the base structure. New Anjaneyar and Renganathar temple were  also built on the same site.  

 

A dilapidated Mandapam of Shiva temple

A dilapidated Mandapam 

 A dilapidated Mandapam 

 A dilapidated Mandapam of Vishnu temple

 A dilapidated Mandapam 

 A dilapidated Vishnu temple inscription stone 

 A dilapidated Vishnu temple 

 Vishnu in a dilapidated temple – waiting for whom? 

 Anjaneyar temple 

Ranganathar temple 

   Kundani Lakkamma temple  

 Kundani Lakkamma temple  

 Kundani Lakkamma temple  

Kundani Lakkamma temple  

  Hero  stone in front of Kundani Lakkamma temple  

  Hero / sati stone in front of Kundani Lakkamma temple  

  Hero stone in front of Kundani Lakkamma temple  

 Hero / sati stone in front of Kundani Lakkamma temple  

sati stone at Kundani Lakkamma Temple 

 Hero / sati stones dumped 

Hero / sati stones dumped 

 The remains of the ruined Temples  and mandapams

 The remains of the ruined Temples  and mandapams

  The remains of the ruined Temples  and mandapams

 Sambal medu once occupied during megalithic period

      Iron slag and the spout for pouring molten metal The evidence of human’s settlement 

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

... to be ContinuedA Shiva temple at Kundani, the ruined Capital of Hoysala Dynasty.

Dolmens, Cairn Circles and Rock Arts at Mallachandram / Mallasandiram, Krishnagiri District, Tamil Nadu.

A continuation Post to krishnagiri Heritage Visit Pallipadai temple and Sati stone  

11^th March, 2018.

It was a great day, 11^th March 2018. We, Mrs Sakthi Prakash, Mr Srinivasan, Mr Sadanandam Krishnakumar and Mr Saravanan traveled to past, to visit the Dolmens erected  for the ancestors at Mallachandram. These dolmens are erected during stone age may be 5000 years before. There are many such prehistoric megalithic sites in Tamil Nadu, especially in Krishnagiri district.  Mallachandram is one such hill were we could see some prehistoric, natural caves, caves with rock arts and Dolmens of different types.

These different types of dolmens are the evident that  Mallachandram was once a  prehistoric settlement used continuously for several thousand years. The prehistoric  megalithic dolmens are used for burials to the dead. The basic dolmen structures usually comprises of  four vertically standing flat stones about 5 to 6 feet high, floor stone to cover the cist and a cap stone to form a room area of about 6 to 7 feet square. These structures will be added with cairn circles, double walled vertical flat stones depends on the social status of the deceased like group leader / King, queen, important persons, general citizen, etc,. Some of the dolmens has the menhirs  of flat stone slabs top finished with semi circular shape. The four  flat vertical stone slabs which holds the cover stone erected in such a way that they extends on the side either to form right side swasthik or left side swasthik. The east side vertical stone slab has the round holes. It was believed that, the spirit of the  deceased buried  used come out  through this hole. It was told that the position of these hole opening depends on the period/ time when the person died.  It is interesting to note that dolmens with holes available are facing only the east direction. It was also told that the special shaped Dolmens with menhirs  with two or three passages  are the example for the construction of temples with prakaras of the historic period.

There are more than 200 Dolmens  on the two hills of Mallachandram. 90% of the dolmens are disturbed during the recent years by the miscreants in search of gold or silvers buried along with the deceased. It was requested by the public that this megalithic site should be preserved  to show the culture of our ancestors to our younger generations.

HOW TO REACH:

Beerahalli Village is about 25 KM from Hosur  towards Krishnagiri and  33.7 KM from Krishnagiri about 3.5 KM off National High way.

From the Beerahalli main road, we have to walk through a rain water paths with thorny bushes on both sides, up to base of the hill.

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

 Dolmen for a group leader

 This dolmens may be  for general citizens 

 Trekking on the path

ROCK ARTS:

Some of the Dolmen side walls has the white ochre paintings done during prehistoric periods. Some paintings had done with fingers and some are with brush, since the lines drawn are thin. The paintings depicts the scene of fighting between men, houses, Pandil lamps, rituals,  fields with crops etc,.

 A man riding on a tiger 

 Do not know the animal may be like yazhi of dinosaur  

 It is observed that this paintings are done in two different periods with hands and brush ( on the right top Pandil lamp )

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

... to be Continued Kundani The ruined capital City of Hoysala Dynasty. 

Pallipadai and Sati Stone at Kaveripattinam near Krishnagiri, Krishnagiri District, Tamil Nadu.

A continuation Post to krishnagiri Heritage Visit Hero and Sati stones

11^th March 2018.

PALLIPADAI TEMPLE

This is a continuation post of our Krishnagiri Heritage Visit on 11^th March 2018. After breakfast at  Kaveripattinam, we continued our journey to Krishnagiri. At the end of  Kaveripattinam before Thenpennai river had seen a small Vinayagar temple, by the side of the road. On the back side of Vinayagar thiruvasi a relief panel was erected  with a shiva Linga at the centre and two Rishabas on both sides. Umbrella and mirror? are shown above the Shiva lingam. The top is like a Vimana and yazhi thorana. Also shown Sun on the left and moon  on the right, which means this should exist till sun and moon exists. It was told that this is  a pallipadai temple, a memorial built for a great person with his remains  on this place. The Vinayagar might have installed at a latter stage.

SATI STONE

After crossing the river Thenpennai, had been to Sri Rajarajeswari  Matriculation School, in Tapovanam. The sati stone was lying by the side of a play ground and it was learnt that action has been taken to erect in a safe place in side the premises.

In the sati stone  the hero is holding  a sword on his right hand and a shield on his left.  Katar is shown on his waist. The Hero and his wife are  shown  with dress from hip to foot. The hero’s wife ornaments and hair twisting  are also clearly shown.   Speciality in this Sati stone is the pot with high neck and a hookah like long spout  arrangement.   It was told that this sati stone may belongs to 16^th to 17^th century.

A beautiful hair style

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

... to be Continued Dolmens, Rock arts - Mallachandram

Hero and Sati Stones / Nadukal / Veerakallu at Pakala Halli and Molankuttai / Kurumbar Mandu, Dharmapuri District, Tamil Nadu.

11^th March 2018

We 5,  heritage enthusiasts  undertook this heritage visit  around Krishnagiri, a treasure for the dolmens, Rock arts and Hero stones. It was originally planned for two days, due to official commitment, this Visit was shortened to one day.   While travelling on the Highway from Salem to Krishnagiri, happened to notice  Hero & Sati stones  erected near Sri Sendraya Perumal Kovil, at Pagalahalli  after Omalur. It was told these hero and Sati stones belongs to 16th to 17th century. These Hero and Sati stones are in worship.   

Of the 5, 2 numbers are Hero stones and the rest three are sati stones.  The details with Photos are as follows.

This is a sati stone. The hero might have died in the process of fighting, see the The Hero holds Katar in left hand and a sword in the right hand.

This is a Sati stone. The hero died in the process of killing the pig. His wife might had taken sati after her husband’s death.

This is also a Hero stone and this hero died in the process of saving his cattle. The Hero holds a sickle in his right hand 

The first one is a Hero stone and second one is a Sati stone.The Hero holds a sword and a shield 

Still further towards Krishnagiri,   we happened to  see a small Sri Veerabathrara temple  with stucco image of 2 goats on the top under a banyan tree.  In front of the  Temple, there are about  11 memory/ Hero / Sati stones. It was told that this temple belongs Kurumbar community, who are  associated with cattle  from ancient days.  It was learnt that, they used to erect these memory/Hero / Sati stones for the persons died elsewhere  and erect  in their memory at a common place like this temple.

 Veerabathirar

 seems to be a Dog? 

  Stucco images of goats on the top of the temple 

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

... to be Continued Pallipadai temple and Sati Stone.