HERO STONE / Sati Stone / Nadukal / Veerakallu / நடுகற்கள் – Sri Nagareeswarar Temple / Nagareeswarar Koil, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu.

This hero stone / Sati Stone is at Sri Nagareeswarar Temple, on the north side of the Kanchipuram bus stand. This Hero Stone is on the east side of the Nandi Mandapa with a gap of about 10 to 12 inches.

The hero tries to kill the enemies with a sword sitting on the Horse, who are shown holding a shield and sword. On the left side, a person is holding an umbrella. On the right side, two persons are shown. In that one person is holding chowry/whisk and the horse tries to kick the other person. At the bottom of the Hero stone, a person with his horse is shown lying down. On the top A Shiva Linga with a garland and the hero with two ladies are shown in worshiping posture. The Shiva Linga may be identified as this temple’s Shiva Linga.

Since a person is holding an umbrella, the hero must be the Chieftain of a King or a Small regional King. Since Two ladies are shown on the top, this may indicate that they may be the hero’s wives, who took sati after the Hero’s death.

This hero stone was identified by S Krishnamurthy, District Archaeology officer in Chennai, and records that there is no inscription. But the Hero stone has 3 line inscription. The inscription reads as... 

1.மல்லண் சாநெ

2.ணி சிராகுத்தர்...

3.மகனார் வயிரவ....

Mallan Saneni installed this Hero stone for his Son Vayirava.. (the last line couldn't able to read ). As per Mr. S Krishnamurthy, this Hero stone belongs to the 14^th to 15^th Century and further records that this hero stone may indicate the progression of worshiping Village deities to the present-day deities.

LOCATION OF THE HERO STONE: CLICK HERE 

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---