12th October 2019.
It was a practice to erect a hero
stone in memory of a Hero who was died in the process of Killing a Tiger in
Kongu regions as Pulikuthikal. But whereas this Tomb is little different. Mr
Poongundran, who was leading us in Kongu Heritage walk on 12th October 2019, showed us this memorial
Tomb built for a Madras Railway engine driver by name John Wilson, of Madras
Railway ( Which was formed in 1845 CE at Royapuram, Madras. The link with the west coast was first
established in 1862 CE with a line to Beypore, near Kozhikode in Kerala ).
He was killed by a Tiger at Walliar in Kerala on 10th April 1868 CE. A Cross is embossed on the Tomb
cover stone slab with inscription. This is a lone Tomb on the road side and not
in a church or in a Cemetery. The Inscription is given below.
SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF
JOHN WILSON
ENGINE DRIVER MADRAS RAILWAY
WHO WAS KILLED AT WALLIAR BY A TIGER
ON THE 10th APRIL 1868
AGED 29 YEARS.
It was told that the local Christians
used to clean the Tomb and do pray with lighting of candles on “All Soul’s day”
(கல்லரைத் திருநாள் )
which falls on November 2nd.
A Church built with laterite stone
---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---
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