Hero Stones

S Balakrishnan *

The practice of erecting hero stones had been in vogue in Tamil Nadu since 3rd/ 4th BCE. The earliest hero stones in India, therefore, have been found in Tamil Nadu, dating back to the Iron Age. Hero stone is called `nadu kal' in Tamil (nadu=erect, kal=stone).

However, the most number of hero stones have been found in Karnataka where it is called viragallu (vira=valour, gallu=stone). The practice of erecting nadukal was in vogue till the 19. century.

These monument stones included `menhirs' that are .11 monolithic stone slabs erected in honour/ memory ofthe dead. In Tamil Nadu such nadu kal' are found more in Dharmapuri and Chengam areas, i.e., in the northern districts.

A hero stone could be in honour of a soldier who fought valiantly and died in the battle to save his mother land. In other cases it is also in memory of a person who fought to save his cattle from livestock thieves, cattle was counted as one's wealth in old times. The livestock thief could either be a human or tiger, as is depicted in many hero stones.

In many such hero stones, human's best friend, the dog, is invariably depicted boldly fighting the tiger along with the master. It is evident from such stones that tigers thrived in those times.

Now it has come to the stage of being protected!

From the nadu kals and the inscriptions that go along with them, we learn so much about those periods — the language, valour, the ornaments & dress, items used by them, how they protected their cattle, their hounds, etc. In some hero stones, the wife of the soldier/person is also depicted alongside.

In one such stone, the wife is seen holding a pitcher. The nadu kals are classified as hero/valour stone, memorial kal, el-ephant/tiger fight stone, etc., depending on the cause of the death of the person.

Such hero stones were erected only if the death was unnatural, not for age-/sickness-related deaths; hence the name hero stones. While the Tamil Nadu nadu kals are big and not too decorative, the veeragallu of Karnataka are embellished with minute carvings.

Let us preserve the nadu kals and listen to the stories of the past. After all, they are real-life stories of real heroes, not that of our filmi heroes who we adore like gods.