DHARMAPURI: A unique hero stone, dating back to the 17th- 18th century, depicting a dance routine of a prominent between was unearthed in Papparapatti. History enthusiasts filed a petition with the Tamil Nadu Archeology Department to protect the hero stone.
Over the past few weeks, a team of researchers and history enthusiasts have been studying hero stones in part of Papparapatti. During the study, the team discovered a hero stone which depicts two people putting up a dance routine, while one person is seen using a percussion instrument and another person is seen dancing at an extremely fast pace. Usually, hero stones depict the heroic sacrifice of a warrior.
Speaking to TNIE, History Professor at the Dharmapuri Arts College, C Chandrasekhar said, “It is extremely rare to see a hero stone depicting a dance. The details carved are extremely vivid and detailed.”
Based on the depictions of the clothing and other cultural aspects, the stone can be from the 17th - 18th century period. Moreover, the hero stone shows a pillar, which could mean that this was held on a large stage with a lot of people. From the depiction we can speculate that this might have belonged to the ‘Kurumans’ tribe which is still prominent in the area, he added.
C Illandirayan, a researcher said, “Usually weapons such as swords, shields, spears or even bows are represented in hero stone. But here, a figure is seen holding a ‘Thappattai’ and playing it. The archaeology department should protect these hero stones.” They also filed a petition with the department requesting the same.