Hero Stone / Sati Stones / Veerakallu, Dolmens at Banagudi and Sholurmattam near Kotagiri in Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu.

17^th March 2019.

It was planned to visit some Hero & Sati stones with Dolmens near Kotagiri after visiting Karikkaiyur Rock Arts. It was too late when we returned after visiting the Rock Arts. We missed the hero stones of Melur near Coonoor, for want of time and the distance from Kotagiri. The posts written are not in the sequence of visits.

HERO STONES WITH DOLMENTS AT BANAGUDI.

Since the actual route was known we trekked a small hill and passed through a Tea estate. This group of about 15 Dolmens is under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India ( ASI ).  A big Dolmen houses 4 tier-two Hero stones. These hero stones are for a group of heroes. One of the Hero stones has the Shiva Linga on the top row.

It was said that these Hero stones are worshiped by the “Boyar” community people and Local people call this Pandi Kovil. Based on the Iconography these hero stones may belong to the 16^th Century.

LOCATION OF THE HERO STONES: CLICK HERE

HERO & SATI STONE AT SHOLURMATTAM.

The visit to this hero stone is not on our list and happened to see this, on the way to Karikkaiyur. In front, it was written as Spatha Kanniyar Temple at Selakal Hada. When we peeped inside and found this hero cum sati stone being worshiped as Saptakanniyar. The Nadukal is of 3 tiers and the bottom tier is partly visible outside the ground level. On the top the reliefs of the Sun and moon. Also, we found this Hero cum Sati stone was installed inside a dolmen, and side walls are constructed with brick at a later date. This Hero Cum sati stone may belong to the 16^th Century.

LOCATION OF THE HERO STONE: CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---