ONGOLE: A 14th-century hero stone inscription in Telugu has been discovered in Vemavaram village, Marripudi mandal, in the combined Prakasam district.
The inscription, dated Saka 1306 (1384 CE), records the deaths of three local heroes—Annaya Veera, Tipurayya Veera, and Mummayya Veera, sons of Bhokkana of Veera gotra—who sacrificed their lives while rescuing cattle from danger. Local historian Thurimella Srinivasa Prasad and
Vadapalli Akhil’s team from Darsi rediscovered the stone and referred it to the Mysore Directorate of Epigraphy, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), for study.
K Munirathnam Reddy, Director of Epigraphy at the Mysore ASI office, confirmed the inscription belongs to the 14th century.
Historians noted that the script’s language and characters highlight the region’s rich heritage and cultural significance. They urged the public to preserve such monuments as vital testaments to history.