Pulikuthi Nadukal / Pulikuthi Hero Stone, Voipadi, ( Vadamugam ) Kangayapalayam, Kangayapalayam, Pongupalayam, Semba Gounden Palayam and Naduvacheri, Erode & Tirupur Districts, Tamil Nadu.

A Hero stone is erected for persons, to those lost their lives, in a war or to save people / cattle from wild animals, or to save the Village from the enemies. These types of acts will be considered as bravery and extraordinary. Some times after Hero’s death, his wife may took Sati by jumping in the funeral pyre and even separately by creating fire. This was mentioned in sangam literatures also. The sangam literatures gives the details of reasons for erecting a and process of erecting Hero stones.

As per the  Chozhan Poorva Pattayam, Chera and Chozha Kings created the Villages after clearing the forests. The continuation of the western Ghats, the forests spreads throughout Kongu region. When the forests are converted for habitation and cultivation the wild animals started intruding  these areas in search of food, especially the Tigers.  To save their cattle and people, from these Tigers, brave people has to fight with the tigers and in the process they will loose their lives. Most of the Hero stones found in the Kongu region is of Pulikuthi Hero stones. In this article we can see some of the hero stones erected in some Villages between Uthukuli to Avinashi.     

Pulikuthi Nadukal  / Hero Stone is in the premises of Sri Vakrakaliamman Temple at Voipadi.

The Nadukal is beautifully sculptured. The hero kills the tiger with katars holding in both hands. The katars are shown protruding on the tiger’s back. The tiger is shown on Hero’s left side keeping its front legs on the right hand thigh of the hero.  The Hero wears ornaments in his elongated earlobes, around neck and hands. A big mustache with a Vijayanagara style tuft is shown. He wears a half dress below his hip with a Kattar holder / Kattar.

The Inscription on the Pulikuthi Nadukal reads as…

1. ..௵ ஆடி ௨௰௫ ௳
2. வ.....
3. டிகண்
4. யளன்(?)
5. தருமன்
6. மகன்
7. பெரம
8. ண்ட(?)

Shanmuga Sundaram Gurukkal  of this Vakrakaliamman temple  may be contacted on his mobile  +91 8637452856, if the temple is closed, for further details.

LOCATION OF THE HERO STONE : CLICK HERE

Pulikuthi Nadukal / Pulikuthi Hero Stones, 2 Nos, ( Vadamugam ) Kangayapalayam, Tiruppur District.

These two pulikuthi hero stones are installed on both sides of a memorial stone. In the memorial stone the person or the Hero is shown in worshiping posture with a big mustache.

One the left side pulikuthi nadukal / hero Stone, the hero kills the Tiger with a spear. A dog is shown between the hero and Tiger, biting the tiger. The tiger is shown on his right side, keeping its front legs on Hero’s right hand and hip. His tuft is shown on his left side and wears ornaments in the elongated earlobes and around neck. A big mustache is shown on his face. A half dress is also shown below his hip.

In the right side Pulikuthi Hero stone, the hero is shown killing the Tiger with a spear. The tiger is shown on his right side. The Tiger keeps its front legs on the hero’s shoulder and hip. His tuft is shown on the left and wears ornaments in his elongated earlobes and around neck. A big mustache is shown on his face. He wears a half dress below his hip and the hero is looking straight.

RE-INSTALLATION

There is an interesting story about the re-installation of these Pulikuthi hero stones. As per Mr Ponnusamy  of வீரராசேந்திரன் தொல்லியல் மற்றும் வரலாற்று ஆய்வு மையம், Tiruppur, These hero stones are worshiped by one Mr Eswaran of Avinashi. During Mr Ponnusamy’s visit these hero stones are dumped inside the bush and shrubs. When Ponnusamy Contacted Mr Eswaran, he told that they couldn’t take out of the bush, when they tried. Further told that, as per their Guru, these hero stones may come back to this world by the effort of only one person who has gap between the teeth. Since the said identification was matched with Mr Ponnusamy, he was involved in taking out these two hero stones out of the bush and erected on the same place. As per the Historians these Pulikuthi Hero stones belongs to 16^th Century.

LOCATION OF THESE PULIKUTHI HERO STONES : CLICK HERE

Pulikuthi Nadukal / Hero Stone, Pongupalayam, Tiruppur District.

This pulikuthi Hero stone is on the opposite side of Mariamman Temple at Pongupalayam. A drainage is passing by the side of this Pulikuthi Hero Stone. It was told that this pulikuthi hero stone was lying in that area for a long time and the children were playing on it. The leg portion of the hero stone is found damaged.

In this Pulikuthi Nadukal / Hero Stone, the hero is shown killing the Tiger with a Kattar in the left hand. Right hand is shown in raised position holding a weapon. What he is holding in his right hand is not known, may be a kattar. The Tiger is shown on the left side of the hero. The tiger keeps its front legs on the hip and shoulder of the Hero. The tiger is small in size compared to the Hero. The hero is wearing ornaments in his elongated earlobes and around the neck. His tuft is shown straight.

LOCATION OF THE PULIKUTHI HERO STONE : CLICK HERE

Pulikuthi Padukal / Pulikuthi Hero Stone / Sati Stone, Semba Gounden Palayam, Tiruppur District.

This Pulikuthi Hero stone cum Sati stone is inside a Coconut palm tree farm. The style of carvings are very much similar to the Voipadi Pulikuthi Hero stone. His tuft is shown on his back with a big mustache. He wears ornaments in his elongated earlobes, around neck and hands. He wears half dress below his hip. A big mustache is shown below his nose. The hero Kills the tiger with Katars on both hands. The Tiger is keeping its front legs on his right hand.

His wife who took sati after his death is shown on his left side. She is holding a toddy pot in her right hand. She is shown wearing ornaments in her elongated earlobes, around neck and hands. Her left hand is holding her hip. Dress is shown up to her ankle.    

LOCATION OF THE PULIKUTHI HERO STONE     : CLICK HERE

Pulikuthi Kal / Hero Stone  at Vinayagar Temple, Naduvacheri, Tiruppur District.  

This Pulikuthi hero stone is installed inside a Vinayagar temple, just opposite to sri Angalamman Temple. This pulikuthi hero stone is made of mica rich stone and most of the details are eroded due to age. The Hero is killing the Tiger with kattars in both hands. He wears ornaments  in his elongated earlobes, hands and around the neck. He wears a half dress below his hip and the tuft is shown straight.

LOCATION OF THIS PULIKUTHI HERO STONE : CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---