19th Century, John Wilson Tomb near Signal and Telecommunication Zonal Training Centre at Podanur / Pothanur, Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu.

12^th 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 10^th 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 2^nd.

A Church built with laterite stone 

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Menhirs at Jagathab, Guddapatti Mandu, near Kaveripattinam, Krishnagiri District, Tamil Nadu.

25^th August 2019.

The Visit to these menhirs are part of  Kaveripattinam Heritage Visit. Even-though the two days visit was focused on Rock arts in the natural caves around Kaveripattinam and Krishnagiri, we came across menhirs at Jagathab and Guddapatti.  These menhirs  usually have Cairn circles ( irregular or globe shaped  tones ) around it. These menhirs are more than 2500 years old and erected close to the prehistoric people buried. The size and height of the stone depends on the social status of the person buried.

JAGATHAB MENHIR.

This menhir is found on a lake bed ( Lake may be a man made ). The menhir is of 10 feet high and 4 feet wide at the base and conical in shape. Cairn circle is not found around the Menhir perhaps it might have been disturbed.

GUDDAPATTI  MENHIRS.

There are 5 menhirs installed in a common place of the Village of which 3 nos are about 3 to 4 feet high. ( Now they are used to tie the cattle). The Taller one is the oldest and more than 2500 years old. This menhir is about 10 feet high and 2 feet wide and about ¾ feet thickness.  The other tallest menhir was erected during 20^th Century. The Inscription on that says that it was erected for “Opulli Venkatappan 1938”. This indicates that practice of  erecting menhir for the dead is continued in recent years too.

   2500 years old menhir 

20th Century Menhirs

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Hero Stone / Veerakallu, Sati Stone / Nadukarkal, Dolmens and Menhirs at Betalada near Kotagiri, in Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu.

17^th March 2019.

It was planned to visit some Hero & Sati stones with Dolmens near Kotagiri after visiting Karikkaiyur Rock Arts. It was too late when we returned after visiting the Rock Arts. We missed the hero stones of Melur near Coonoor, for want of time and the distance from Kotagiri. The posts written are not in the sequence of visit.

HERO, SATI STONES/ VEERAKALLU & DOLMENS & MENHIR AT BETALADA.

These hero and sati stone group are available in an Amman Temple and initially admission was denied to the ladies and latter allowed after washing their legs. The group consists of 3 hero & sati stones of 4 tier and 2 tier and a Pulikuthi Sati stone. In the 4 tier and two tier hero & sati  stones are not installed for individuals, but for a group. Some hero has two wives. The wives are holding lemon ( like Karnataka Sati “ondikai Masti” ) in their right hand and liquor pot in their left hand. In one of the Hero Cum Sati stone a bas-relief of  “Madu kuthi pattan” is there. The heros are holding sword, spear and Valari ( It was told this type of weapon is the specialty of this region to fight with the Britishers ). In addition to this there is a  Dolmen. It was told that the above three Hero cum sati stones are in dolmens, latter they were dismantled and brick structure was built.  As per the experts these Hero & Sati stones belongs to 16^th to 17^th Century.  There is a medium height  Menhir at the entrance of the temple. This temple is being maintained by the Villagers.

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

 Pulikuthi Satikal

 Dolmen

  Menhir

 Amman Temple

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA--- 

Hero Stones / Veeragallu / வீரகற்கள் /Memorial, Donor Stones / Thai Nadukal / Cairn Circles , Dolmens at Malayapalayam, Erode District, Tamil Nadu.

3^rd February 2019.

It was planned to Visit the Kongu Chozha and Pandya period temples in Erode and Tiruppur District as a part of Kongu Temples Heritage Visit on 3rd February 2019. Mr Ramamurti and his daughter along with his Teacher friend Mr Ramalingam of Malayapalayam, took us to all the heritage sites in and around Malayapalayam with a great enthusiasm. We are very much thankful to them for sparing their valuable time in the midst of their Sunday Schedule. The top of all was the Kongu Hospitality extended to us, by providing breakfast, no words to express our feeling and speechless. 

DOLMEN

A Dolmen was on the west side of Sri Velayutha Swamy temple in the midst of field and we had seen the same during our  previous Visit.

CAIRN  CIRCLE

As per the plan, we first visited the Cairn Circle. This was a prehistoric burial site. Mr Ramamurti told that, he had seen many such circles during his younger days. But now, except one, the rest are disturbed in the process of developing the land for cultivation. The cairn circle was formed by using granite stones / boulders and are big in size. The diameter of the cairn circle was approximately 21 feet.

LOCATION: CLICK HERE (CLICK HERE)

INSCRIPTION STONE ( நிவந்தக் கல்வெட்டு )
Our next visit was to the inscription stone installed at Vinayagar Temple at the foot hills of Sri Muthu Velayutha Swami Temple, under a peepal tree.  ( Sri Muthu Velayutha Swamy Temple details are recorded in my blog ). On the top portion of the stone, the reliefs of Shivalinga, Nandhi, Sun and Moon are carved. From the style of inscription, this inscription stone belongs to 16^th Century. The inscription mentions about donation made to Udayagiri Sri Muthu Velayutha Swamy temple. The Sun and moon represents that this donation should continue till the Sun and Moon exists.

LOCATION: CLICK HERE 

DONAR STONES
Next we had seen a donor stone in which a lady and a man are in worshiping posture. The statue may belongs to 16^th to 17^th Century. The statue is half buried inside the weekly market. Initially it was told that this was a sati stone.  On seeing the details it was confirmed that it is a donor stone. Might have donated for construction of a temple or a structure to the nearby Perumal temple or the Hill top Sri Muthu Velayutha Swamy temple.

LOCATION: CLICK HERE

INSCRIPTION STONE
Next we had been to a inscription stone half buried, near Chellandi Amman Temple.   This inscription stone belongs to 14th Century Hoysala King  Veera Vallalabha -III, period.  The inscription mentions this place as Erumapalayam of Vada Parisara Nadu ( one of the 24 Nadus of  Kongu region ) and a tank was excavated to store rain water for agriculture.  The locals previously worshiped this stone as Vatha kal and the paralysis attack will be get cured if one worships, this stone.

LOCATION: CLICK HERE ( 11.275840, 77.333111 )

HERO STONE.

A hero stone  and a Soola kal are installed in side the premises of Malayapalayam High School.  In the hero stone the Hero is shown in standing posture with head looking straight. The hero holds a bow in his left hand and a dagger in his right hand.  Dress with frills is shown below his waist. The hero might have died in the process of  recovering the cattle (தொறு பூசல் - ஆநிரை கவர்தல் அல்லது மீட்டல் ) or a fight between two groups. From the hair style, this hero stone may belongs to 16^th to 17^th century.

LOCATION: CLICK HERE

VINAYAGAR TEMPLE

On the way back to Malayapalayam Village had seen  two temples. One was a Nayak period Vinayagar temple with Garuda Sthambam or a deepa sthambam. The Pillar has the donar’s relief.

LOCATION: CLICK HERE

HERDS WOMAN MEMORIAL STONE ( THAI NADUKAL )
Next to the Vinayagar temple, there is a small shrine, and the main deity seemed to be of an interesting one. The bas-relief was carved on a flat stone.  A lady with a child on her hip is shown. Below cattle are shown. As per the experts this is a memorial stone erected for a lady, from the Idayar ( herdsmen ) community.  The Lady herds woman might have done some brave acts or might have been attacked by the wild animals and died while herding cattle.

LOCATION: CLICK HERE  

SRI THILLAI ESWARAR TEMPLE.

Our final visit in and around Malayapalayam was to this temple which is about 2 KM from Malayapalayam. The temple is facing east with a sanctum and a small artha mandapam. Rishabam and Palipedam are under the asbestos sheet mandapa. There is no vimana over the sanctum. The adhisthana is a simple  with jagathy and Kumudam. The sanctum walls has the Koshta niches without any images. No inscriptions are found. The temple was built in Kongu Chozha style architecture and may belongs to 13^th to 14^th century Kongu Chozha period. The Moolavar Thillai Eswarar is under worship.

LOCATION: CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

A Prehistoric Megalithic Period Burial Site at Sengalur and & Sittannavasal Dolmen – A Pudukkottai Heritage Visit., Pudukkottai District, Tamil Nadu.

29^th September 2018.

We came across this megalithic burial site at Sengalur, when we are travelling from Malayadipatti to Visalur, a part of Pudukottai Heritage Visit. This Burial site is under the control of Archaeological Survey of India ( ASI ), under archaeological Monument with out any protection fence, but with a warning sign board.  This burial site spreads over a large area of more than 20 acres dating back to 500 to 300 BCE. One of the largest and more than 500 cairn circles and urns are found in this burial site.

A large number of pottery wares in red and black, ring stand with pots, terracotta wares, toy objects, bowl, lids, decorative pieces made by clay, hundred of glass beads of precious stones, Topaz, Gold?, Copper article, Iron knifes, swords  are un earthed by the archaeological department.  A variety of sepulchral  monuments like, Burial urns, cairn circles with cist, are found. The cairn circle stones are laterite  of large stones. The rectangular cist side and covering are made of granite  stones.  Cairn circles in groups are found, which may be considered for one family. In addition to this burial urns are found on the open ground. Some of the big urns contains two to three smaller pots inside. Which shows that complete body was not kept in the urns, may be bones of the dead.

From the materials un-earthed indicates that the stone age people are experts in making of ornaments, articles in metals and clay. Also they lived in the area at least more than 500 years and experts of the opinion that the people lived up to 11^th century at Sengalur.

HOW TO REACH:

Sengalur is on the way between Malayadipatti and Visalur.

Sengalur is 32 Km from Trichy and  50 KM from Pudukkottai.

LOCATION: GPS Co ordinate : 10°40'11"N   78°53'38"E - CLICK HERE

The exposed urn 

A Pot inside the urn

Cairn Circles with cist 

Cairn Circles 

Cairn Circles with cist 

Cairn Circles with cist (Downloaded from the web site- thanks to the un known photographer )

A lone  dolmen at Sittannavasal Hill

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Palaeolithic period Hand Axes / Tools and Menhirs, Chinnamattarapalli, Krishnagiri District, Tamil Nadu.

22^nd August 2018.

On the way to Krishnagiri after completing our Kolar Heritage visit, it was told that prehistoric period stone age menhirs erected in memory of dead are available at Chinnamattarapalli. There are two menhirs,  of one is under worship. Usually these menhirs will be erected near the Dolmens, Cairn circles with cist. Nothing is found now, except the Menhirs,  The menhirs  available are about 5 to 6 feet tall.

  

It was told that a palaeolithic tools factory functioned here in the hills of Chinnamattarapalli, where prehistoric palaeolithic period human settlement was exists. The stones used for making the tools are not belonged to this hill and are brought from  river beds or near by rock hills. During our visit, had seen, some semi finished axes / tools and stones used for making the tools.

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Menhirs / குத்துக்கற்கள் / The land of Menhirs, Kongu Mandalam, Erode District, Tamil Nadu.

31^st July 2018.

The practice of erecting these type of menhirs - குத்துக்கற்கள் - in remembrance of the dead was followed since Sangam period. This was mentioned in one of the Sangam literature as “நட்டாபோலும் நடாஅ நெடுங்கல்” (அகம் 269). The size of the menhirs ( depends on the availability of Stone ) shows the social status and the reason for the death of the person. The reason may be died in the process of recovering the cattle or may be died in war between two groups. Since there are no inscriptions found ( may be erected before the evolution of scripts), we do not know for what purpose it was erected. Usually these menhirs are adjacent to Cairn circles, cist and Dolmens. This is the continuation process after erecting Cairn circles and Dolmens. More than one Menhir on the same place will be erected for the group of people, which we had seen at Kodumanal, Panchalinga Puram and Mukkudi Velampalayam. These menhirs are worshiped, poojas are also performed daily in addition to the annual functions.

In this post, I will be posting the menhirs of Kongu region. Many of the menhirs available are between the  banks of river Noyyal and Amaravati, till they joins with river Cauvery. This indicates that ancient human settlement was between the banks of river Noyyal and Amaravati in Kongu region. As per Pulavar Se  Rasu, Former head of Epigraphy and Archaeological department of Thanjavur Tamil University, Kongu Nadu has the maximum number of menhirs. 

MENHIR AT KUDUMIYAMPALAYAM (RR THOTTAM).

This single menhir stands to a height of 11 feet in the midst of coconut farm belongs to R R Constructions of Erode. easily not visible from out side. Width is about 4 feet and thickness is 3/4^th feet. Cracks are noticed at the center. A cist’s side stones are found in front of the menhir.

LOCATION: Lat 11deg 11’ 34.14” & Long 77deg 41’ 33.61”

MENHIRS AT RETTAPALIVALASU.

This Rettaipalivalasu is very near to Tindal. There are two menhirs of one  stands to a height of 25 feet with a width of 8 feet and thickness 1 feet. The other one is very short of about 4 feet ( might have broken ). The disturbed cairn circle stones are found near. The vegetation growth obstructs the view of the Menhirs. The area  was made in to real estate plots and it may disappear very soon.

LOCATION: Lat 11deg 18’ 28.61” and Long 77deg 41’ 31.16:

disturbed Cairn Circles

MENHIRS AT PANCHALINGAPURAM.

There are 4 menhirs of which 2 are broken and visible up to the base. These menhirs are in worship and people calls as “Nattukal”- நாட்டுக்கல். During Adi month special poojas are conducted to these menhirs. This is on the way  from Erode to Karur route and difficult to notice from the main road due to obstruction of coconut trees.   

LOCATION: Lat 11deg 15’ 25.53” and Long 77deg 48’ 0.37

MENHIRS AT MUKKUDI VELAMPALAYAM

This Mukkudi Velampalayam is a part of Pasur, This place is on the Erode to Karur bus route near Cholanka Palayam.  There are two menhirs standing to a height of about 20 to 25 feet. Had seen the broken pieces of stone slabs found near the menhirs, may be some more menhirs existed in the same place, These menhirs are under worship. People used to these menhirs as “Vedan kal” வேடன்கல், higher one is Male and the shorter one is female. During the celebration of annual festival in the 1^st week of February at Mariamman Temple, pooja is being conducted first to these menhirs and Brinjal with கருவாடு/ dry fish is offered. This food will be prepared from a Nadar ( moopanar ) community.

LOCATION: Lat 11deg 13' 55.9 and Long 77deg 51' 18.3"

 

MENHIRS & CAIRN CIRCLES AT JAGATHABI.

With a great difficulty we could able to visit this place. This place is called as “Kurangu Pattarai” குரங்கு பட்டறை, by the locals. More than 50 cairn circles with Cist are there around these menhirs. Some Cairn circles has the small menhirs also. These menhir is unique in nature. Stone slabs to a height of about 7-8 feet are erected like walls to form a square. Only four are standing now, the rest had fallen down. At the center of the Square we could find a triangular stone, experts of the opinion that it must be a cist. Near to this menhirs,  we found another square shaped structure, but here no menhirs are standing.

When we found to very difficult to locate the menhirs the Villagers came to our rescue and showed us the menhirs and Cairn circles. ( Krishnan 9943710593)

LOCATION: Lat 10deg 50' 58.60" and Long 78deg 11' 27.31" 

MENHIR AT ANJUR.

This single menhir is standing at the entrance of a private farm. This menhir measures to a height of 8 feet with a width of 4 feet and 1 feet thickness.

LOCATION: Lat 11deg 4' 4.05" and long 77deg 48' 24.82" 

MENHIR BETWEEN THALIAPATTY & MANAVADI.

After Jagathabi, while we are travelling towards Thukkachi ( Rajendra Chozha’s period Hero Stone ) happened to see this menhir. Up to 2 feet only remains above the ground level. As per the experts this is also a menhir.

LOCATION: Lat 10deg 52’ 5.88” and Long  78deg 6’ 43.53”

 ---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---