NILGIRIS: A team of researchers has identified two hero stones that they have dated to the Vijayanagara period at Kollatti Patti Bhoothanatham village, near the Moyar River in the Segur region of Nilgiris district. The site is located about 10 km from Masinagudi.
The two structures, located side by side, are of the dolmen type, featuring upright stones supporting a flat stone slab that forms a roof-like top. The researchers have dated the hero stones to the 15th or 16th century.
Dr C Chandrasekar, a historian and professor in the department of history at the Government Arts College, Dharmapuri, who led the research team, said the study aimed to document and preserve the cultural heritage of indigenous tribal communities.
One of the hero stones consists of three tiers depicting the warrior’s death and his journey to the afterlife. The bottom tier portrays a warrior thrusting a spear into a horse. The warrior is depicted with a topknot tilted to the right, with long earlobes adorned with earrings and a short sword or dagger at his waist.
The researchers described such memorials using the term ‘Kuthirai Kuthi Pattan’, referring to a warrior who died while attacking a horse. The spear is shown piercing the horse’s neck and emerging on the other side, symbolising the warrior’s exceptional strength.
The middle tier depicts two celestial maidens, known as deva kannis, escorting the warrior to Veera Swarga, or the hero’s heaven. The top portion portrays the warrior being presented before the divine. The researchers interpreted a small, tower-like finial atop the memorial as suggesting that the individual commemorated may have been a tribal or clan leader of the region.
The other hero stone that the team had identified nearby depicts a warrior on horseback. Chandrasekar said the precise historical circumstances surrounding the memorials require further investigation.
Local residents said that a route used by the army of Tipu Sultan once passed through the vicinity, pointing to the possibility that the area witnessed military movements and conflicts at different points in history.
K Kirubakaran, assistant conservator of forests, Masinagudi division, Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, who also took part in the expedition, stressed the importance of creating awareness among local communities about the historical and cultural value of such artefacts. The research team also included V Mathimaran of the Ooty Documentation Centre, C Elandhirayan of the Thonmam Historical Research Trust, P Tirupathi, V Seenan, and Ramesh.
