Madurai: A hero stone depicting a man in the middle of a battle that dates back to 16 century AD and a stone inscription from the 18th century, which speaks of a donated well have been found at Gujiliamparai in Dindigul district.
Dindigul Varalatru Aivu Kuzhu members including researcher N T Visvanathadas, Thalir Chandrasekhar and M R R Muralithar, 25, a student of history, found the stone on the bank of a tank off the Ramagiri-Ammapatti diversion in Gujiliamparai.
The hero carved on the stone is seen seated on a charging horse, and he has a sword in his right hand held above his head and is holding the reins of the horse in the left hand. A spear is seen jutting out of the hip of the hero, pointing towards the head of the horse. He is seen wearing a headgear, and ears rings. Another smaller dagger is also seen dangling from his hip. There is a circular structure, which may represent the sun above the shoulder of the hero. Visvanathadas said that the sculpture pertains to the 16th century AD.
During the reign of the first Nayak king Vivanatha Naicker in Madurai, the region Palayapattu was divided and Kadavur Palayam was formed. Later in 1625 AD, Kadavur palayam was further divided and a new region was formed with Ramagiri as its headquarters. There was a war during this division and hence, this hero stone may dates back to the period. He said that the lifting of the sword specified that the hero had died in war, and the sun in the backdrop depicts that it happened during the afternoon. People of this region now worship this hero stone, he said.
About two hundred feet away from the hero stone is a stone inscription that dates back to 1814, which speaks of the Bommi Naicker from the village digging a well for a woman named Pottu Chinnamma in the month of Chittirai. Besides the well, he also provided a small stone tub to help cattle drink water, it states.
Dindigul Varalatru Aivu Kuzhu members including researcher N T Visvanathadas, Thalir Chandrasekhar and M R R Muralithar, 25, a student of history, found the stone on the bank of a tank off the Ramagiri-Ammapatti diversion in Gujiliamparai.
The hero carved on the stone is seen seated on a charging horse, and he has a sword in his right hand held above his head and is holding the reins of the horse in the left hand. A spear is seen jutting out of the hip of the hero, pointing towards the head of the horse. He is seen wearing a headgear, and ears rings. Another smaller dagger is also seen dangling from his hip. There is a circular structure, which may represent the sun above the shoulder of the hero. Visvanathadas said that the sculpture pertains to the 16th century AD.
During the reign of the first Nayak king Vivanatha Naicker in Madurai, the region Palayapattu was divided and Kadavur Palayam was formed. Later in 1625 AD, Kadavur palayam was further divided and a new region was formed with Ramagiri as its headquarters. There was a war during this division and hence, this hero stone may dates back to the period. He said that the lifting of the sword specified that the hero had died in war, and the sun in the backdrop depicts that it happened during the afternoon. People of this region now worship this hero stone, he said.
About two hundred feet away from the hero stone is a stone inscription that dates back to 1814, which speaks of the Bommi Naicker from the village digging a well for a woman named Pottu Chinnamma in the month of Chittirai. Besides the well, he also provided a small stone tub to help cattle drink water, it states.
