Hero Stone / Sati Stone / Satikal / Kuppayamman Temple, Pongupalayam, Naduvachery, Vadugapalayam, Ravuthampalayam, Tiruppur District, Tamil Nadu.

A Hero stone is erected for persons, who lost their lives in a war to save people/cattle from wild animals, or to save the Village from the enemies. These types of acts will be considered extraordinary and brave. Sometimes after Hero’s death, his wife may have taken Sati by jumping into the funeral pyre and even separately by creating fire. This was mentioned in Sangam literature. The Sangam literature gives the details of the purpose and the process of erecting Hero stones. In this article, we can see some of the Hero Stones/Sati Stones and Memorial Stones.

Hero stone/Sati stone  at Kuppayamman Temple, Pongupalayam

This Hero/sati stone is installed in a temple called Kuppayamman Temple near a granite quarry at Pongupalayam. The Hero and his wife are decorated with Glass/stone and mala. The Hero is shown with a big mustache and a Vijayanagara Nayak-style tuft. His right hand is holding a sword in a raised position and his left hand is on his thigh. He wears ornaments on his elongated earlobes, around his neck with Sannaveeram (…?), and hands. A half dress is shown with frills,

The hero’s wife who took sati is shown on his right side. She is shown with a big tuft on her right side ( decorated like a face with eyes, and wears ornaments on her elongated earlobes and around her neck. She holds a flower in her right and what she is holding in her left hand is not known. Her dress below her hip is shown beautifully.

LOCATION OF THE HERO/SATI STONE: CLICK HERE

Hero and Sati stones at Sri Arulmigu Sivalapuri Amman Temple/அருள்தரும் ஸ்ரீ சிவளாபுரி அம்மன் திருக்கோவில், நடுவச்சேரி/ Naduvachery/Naduvacheri

There are Hero, sati and memorial stones are installed in this temple. The details are given below.

Under the Sthala Vruksha Kilamaram, a memorial stone of a person and sati stones are installed. In the memorial stone, the person is in a worshiping posture. The person has a big mustache and Vijayanagara / Nayakas-style tuft. He wears ornaments in his elongated earlobes and around the neck.

The other one is a Sati stone. Both the hero and his wife are shown in worshiping posture. A sword is shown on the hero’s left side and a shield is shown between the hero and his wife. The hero is shown with elongated earlobes and Vijayanagara Nayak’s style tuft. A sun and a moon are shown at the top. Some Mangala symbols are also seen by the side of the Hero’s wife, which is not clearly seen.

On the back side of the Amman temple, there are some memorials and 4 sati stones. In that, all the heroes and their wives are shown in worshiping posture except in one Sati stone. In that, the hero’s wife is shown holding a toddy pot in her right hand. A spear is shown on the right side of the hero.   In another sati stone, a Trishul is shown between the hero and his wife. Apart from Sati stones individual ladies' memorial stones are there. A Lady memorial stone with a musical instrument is also installed in this group. All the memorials and sati stones belong to the 16^th to 17^th Centuries. 

LOCATION OF THESE HERO STONES: CLICK HERE

Hero Stone with Bow (Two Numbers), Vadugapalayam, Tiruppur District.

Two Hero stones are installed in a temple at Vadugapalayam. These two hero stones are very similar, but one is shorter and the other one is taller. Both are holding a bow in the left hand and the right hand is on the hip. Both heroes are wearing ornaments in their elongated earlobes and around their necks. A Vijayanagara/Nayakas-style tuft is also shown on the right side of the head.

LOCATION OF THE HERO STONES: CLICK HERE

Hero Stones / Ravuthampalayam, Avinashi.

This place was named Ravuthampalayam during the Mughal/Muslim (Tippu/Hyder Ali) period. There are two Hero stones in the midst of a field. The Hero Stones are buried up to Chest level and only heads are visible. The Left side is a male Hero stone Holding a spear in the right hand and the right (maybe sati) Lady with a big tuft Nadukal. The rest of the details are not known.

LOCATION OF THE HERO STONES: CLICK HERE

Hero Stones/Nadu Karkal, (Annalaxmi Rice Mill), Naduvachery/Naduvacheri, Avinashi.

There are 3 Hero stones found before the AnnaLaxmi Rice Mill on the roadside. All three hero stones are buried up to the Hip level. Since these Hero stones are highly eroded, couldn’t identify the details. All three hero stones belong to the 16^th to 17^th Century. It was learned that the Rice mill owner takes care of these hero stones and worships them.

LOCATION OF THE HERO STONES: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---