Tirupur: 17th century hero stones found in the village of Periya Molarapi near Kundadam here is a testimony for the practice of worship of the hero who is common in the region from the Sangam era.
Tall stones 195cm and 95cm high that struggle with tigers and a wild pork worshiped as vettaikarasamy (god hunting).
Virarajendran Director of Archaeological Research Center and History of Ravi Kumar, who described the inscription on the stone, said it was installed in the 17th century.
“According to the Inscription, the Granite Pillar was established in Sukla Year on the 18th day of the Tamil Aadi by Andiawmal, Venkatannicker’s daughter of Molarapi, and his children.
They made a shelter using the leaf (millet) for the roof and worship rocks,” said Ravi.
“This stone is a testimony of the fact that the worship of the Hero of Stone after establishing a prevalent shelter for more than 2,000 years since the era of Sangam.” Purananaru, Sangam poetry collection, has a reference about how Hero’s stone was established for those who lay their lives while protecting livestock and plants from wild animals.
The shelter was established on the rock with an upright pole that supports the roof and worshiped with flowers.
“This hero stone is unique to the fact that it describes two heroes.
Most of them only have one,” said K Ponnusamy, a member of Entre.
The hero on the left side of the stone was seen holding the mouth of the wild boar with his left hand and attacked him with a spear.
He has a bow on his left shoulder and has a Quiver on the right shoulder.
The hero on the right attacked the tiger with a spear and held the right leg of the animal with his left hand.
The heroes wore ornaments.
“A woman looks among those people, who are rare in hero Stones.
He holds flowers in his right hand.
The small pot is also visible.
There are two places to turn on the lights for worship,” said C M M Rameshkumar, central member.