Valari Hero Stones / வளரி வீரர் நடுகற்கள் and a 9th Century Hero Stone of Kolli Hills, Namakkal District, Tamil Nadu.

The Visit to this Valari Hero Stones at Kolli Hills was a part of Kolli Hills Heritage walk  - “வல்வில் ஒரி தேச மரபு நடை...”  organised by எண்திசை வரலாற்று மரபுநடை குழு, on 20^th and 21^st May 2023.

These hero stones, installed in-front of Sri Arappaleeswarar Temple, are brought from elsewhere. The weapons used on both of the Hero Stones are called as Valari, hence called as “Valari hero stones”. In the first Hero stone, the hero is cutting his head with Valari weapon. In the other Hero stone the Hero is in anjali hastam holding the Valari on the chest.

The History of Valari... The speciality of this weapon is, if it is thrown out pointing an object, it will hit and return back, which is very dangerous if not handled properly. Valari is used by the Tamils since sangam age. The sangam literature Purananooru mentions valari in 336, 4-5. This poem records that the hunter threw the Valari which hit a rabbit

குறுங் கோல் எறிந்த நெடுஞ் செவிக் குறு முயல்

நெடு நீர்ப் பரப்பின் வாளையொடு உகளுந்து"

( புறநானூறு 339 , 4 – 5 )

From the British records, Valari was used used as a weapon to fight with British Soldiers.  Colonel Jamesh Welsh 1790–1848 CE, who was an officer of the East India Company, records the Valari in his book Military Reminiscences. Valari was used as weapon popularly in Madurai, Pudukkottai regions. There was a separate group of Soldiers in the army, who are expert in Valari. The Chieftain Vaithiyalinga Thondaiman of Sivaganga Marudhu Pandyar’s army was an expert in Valari. In 1801, The British Govt, a law was passed aginst the use of Valari and about 15000 valari weapons were seized by Canal Agniu, of which part of them are sent to England Museums. Since the Valari has become a banned weapon, these are kept in temples and worshiped. Still we can see in many Temples around Madurai, these Valaris are under worship. Similar hero stones are found at Kilakuyilkudi, Madurai, who died in 1311 CE war during Malik Kafur, invasion. 

Ref: For further reading  https://www.tamilhistory.co.in/2020/05/valari-Ayuthangal-tamil-history.html

Valari .. PC - Web Site

LOCATION OF THE VALARI HERO STONES : CLICK HERE

9^th Century Hero Stone at Karaiyankattupatti, Kolli Hills.

This 9^th century hero stone is on the north side of the road in Karayankattupatti and a Stone tool temple is also near to this hero stone. This hero stone was identifies by the faculty members of Arignar Anna Government Arts College, Musiri, ie Assistant Professors in history, L. Chandrahasan and V. Palanisamy, while interacting with locals for their research on tribal studies.

The Hero stone measures 64 cm in height and 35 cm in breadth. The 4 line inscription is on the top portion of the Hero stone approximately a height of 20 CM. The inscription records the enmity among the people of Karainkattur, which leads an internal fight. In that two individuals lost their life. One of the deceased is Thallambi. The name of the other individual could not be identified due to damage of first line. The inscription reads as ….

 

1. .......... யு
2. ம் தள்ளம்பி யு
3. ம் கறைஞ்காட்டூர் ப
4. கைக்கு பட்டார்.

The Hero looks young holding a sword in the right raised hand. His left hand is in a tight fist. A half dress is shown below his waist with a dragger tied to his waist. His ears are with elongated lobes and the tuft is shown straight on the top of his head.

  

LOCATION OF THE HERO STONE : CLICK HERE

Stone tools are worshipped

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---