Monday, 9 December 2024

Pulikuthi Nadukal / Pulikuthi Hero Stone, Voipadi, ( Vadamugam ) Kangayapalayam, Kangayapalayam, Pongupalayam, Semba Gounden Palayam and Naduvacheri, Erode & Tirupur Districts, Tamil Nadu.


A Hero stone is erected for persons, to those lost their lives, in a war or to save people / cattle from wild animals, or to save the Village from the enemies. These types of acts will be considered as bravery and extraordinary. Some times after Hero’s death, his wife may took Sati by jumping in the funeral pyre and even separately by creating fire. This was mentioned in sangam literatures also. The sangam literatures gives the details of reasons for erecting a and process of erecting Hero stones.

As per the  Chozhan Poorva Pattayam, Chera and Chozha Kings created the Villages after clearing the forests. The continuation of the western Ghats, the forests spreads throughout Kongu region. When the forests are converted for habitation and cultivation the wild animals started intruding  these areas in search of food, especially the Tigers.  To save their cattle and people, from these Tigers, brave people has to fight with the tigers and in the process they will loose their lives. Most of the Hero stones found in the Kongu region is of Pulikuthi Hero stones. In this article we can see some of the hero stones erected in some Villages between Uthukuli to Avinashi.     

Pulikuthi Nadukal  / Hero Stone is in the premises of Sri Vakrakaliamman Temple at Voipadi.
The Nadukal is beautifully sculptured. The hero kills the tiger with katars holding in both hands. The katars are shown protruding on the tiger’s back. The tiger is shown on Hero’s left side keeping its front legs on the right hand thigh of the hero.  The Hero wears ornaments in his elongated earlobes, around neck and hands. A big mustache with a Vijayanagara style tuft is shown. He wears a half dress below his hip with a Kattar holder / Kattar.

The Inscription on the Pulikuthi Nadukal reads as…
  1. .. ஆடி ௨௰௫ 
  2. .....
  3. டிகண்
  4. யளன்(?)
  5. தருமன்
  6. மகன்
  7. பெரம
  8. ண்ட(?)
Shanmuga Sundaram Gurukkal  of this Vakrakaliamman temple  may be contacted on his mobile  +91 8637452856, if the temple is closed, for further details.

LOCATION OF THE HERO STONE : CLICK HERE




Pulikuthi Nadukal / Pulikuthi Hero Stones, 2 Nos, ( Vadamugam ) Kangayapalayam, Tiruppur District.
These two pulikuthi hero stones are installed on both sides of a memorial stone. In the memorial stone the person or the Hero is shown in worshiping posture with a big mustache.

One the left side pulikuthi nadukal / hero Stone, the hero kills the Tiger with a spear. A dog is shown between the hero and Tiger, biting the tiger. The tiger is shown on his right side, keeping its front legs on Hero’s right hand and hip. His tuft is shown on his left side and wears ornaments in the elongated earlobes and around neck. A big mustache is shown on his face. A half dress is also shown below his hip.

In the right side Pulikuthi Hero stone, the hero is shown killing the Tiger with a spear. The tiger is shown on his right side. The Tiger keeps its front legs on the hero’s shoulder and hip. His tuft is shown on the left and wears ornaments in his elongated earlobes and around neck. A big mustache is shown on his face. He wears a half dress below his hip and the hero is looking straight.

RE-INSTALLATION
There is an interesting story about the re-installation of these Pulikuthi hero stones. As per Mr Ponnusamy  of வீரராசேந்திரன் தொல்லியல் மற்றும் வரலாற்று ஆய்வு மையம், Tiruppur, These hero stones are worshiped by one Mr Eswaran of Avinashi. During Mr Ponnusamy’s visit these hero stones are dumped inside the bush and shrubs. When Ponnusamy Contacted Mr Eswaran, he told that they couldn’t take out of the bush, when they tried. Further told that, as per their Guru, these hero stones may come back to this world by the effort of only one person who has gap between the teeth. Since the said identification was matched with Mr Ponnusamy, he was involved in taking out these two hero stones out of the bush and erected on the same place. As per the Historians these Pulikuthi Hero stones belongs to 16th Century.

LOCATION OF THESE PULIKUTHI HERO STONES : CLICK HERE






Pulikuthi Nadukal / Hero Stone, Pongupalayam, Tiruppur District.
This pulikuthi Hero stone is on the opposite side of Mariamman Temple at Pongupalayam. A drainage is passing by the side of this Pulikuthi Hero Stone. It was told that this pulikuthi hero stone was lying in that area for a long time and the children were playing on it. The leg portion of the hero stone is found damaged.

புலிகுத்தி பட்டான் நடுகல்.
இந்த புலிகுத்தி பட்டான் வீர நடுகல் திருப்பூர் மாவட்டம் பொங்குபாளையம் கிராமத்தில்திருப்பூர் வீரராஜேந்திரன் தொல்லியல் மற்றும் வரலாற்று ஆய்வு மையத்தினரால் மீண்டும் இவ்வுலகிற்கு அடையாளப் படுத்தப்பட்டதுஇவ்வகையான நடுகற்கள் கல்வெட்டுக்களுடனும் கல்வெட்டு இன்றியும் கொங்கு மண்டலத்தில் அதிகமாகக் காணப்படுகின்றனஅதில் வட்டெழுத்து கல்வெட்டுடன் காணப்படுவது ஒரு சிறப்பு ஆகும்இந்த புலிகுத்திப்பட்டான் வீர நடுகல் சுமார் 1200 வருடங்களுக்கு முற்பட்டதாக ஆய்வாளர்களால் கருதப்படுகின்றது.

அக்காலத்தில் கொங்கு மண்டலம்காடுகளாகவும் மேச்சல் நிலமுமாகவே இருந்திருக்கின்றதுகாடுகளில் வேட்டைச் சமுதாயமாக வாழ்ந்த மக்கள்ஓரிடத்தில் தங்கி ஆடுமாடு வளர்த்தும் விவசாயம் செய்தும் வாழ்ந்தனர்அப்படி அவர்கள் வளர்க்கும் கால் நடைகளை வேட்டையாட வரும் புலிகளுடன் போரிட்டு இறந்துபட்ட வீரர்களுக்காக நடுகற்கள் எடுக்கப்பட்டன.    

தற்போது பொங்குபாளையத்தில் மீண்டும் அடையாளப்படுத்தப்பட்ட புலிகுத்தி பட்டான் வீரநடுகல் 65 செமீ அகலம், 120 செமீ உயரம் கொண்டது. வீரனின் தலை வலதுபுறம் சாய்ந்த நிலையில் உள்ளது. வலது கையில் உள்ள ஈட்டியால் புலியின் கழுத்துப் பகுதியைக் குத்தும் வகையிலும் இடது கையைதன்னைத் தாக்கும் புலியைத் தடுக்கும் வகையிலும் வீரநடுகல் வடிவமைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. வீரன் இடுப்பிற்கு கீழே அரையாடையுடனும்,  காதுகழுத்துப் பகுதிகளில் அணிகலன்களும்கையில் வீரக் காப்பும் அணிந்து காட்டப்பட்டு இருக்கின்றார்.

புலி பாயும் நிலையில் முன்னங்கால் இரண்டும் வீரனின் இடுப்புப் பகுதியிலும் பின்னங்கால்கள் இரண்டும் வீரனின் இடதுகால் அருகேயும் காட்டப்பட்டுள்ளன.     

இவ்வீரக்கல்லின் இடதுபுறம் மேலே வெற்றிடத்தில் வரிகளைக் கொண்ட வட்டெழுத்துக்கல்வெட்டு கானப்படுகின்றதுகல்வெட்டு முதல் இரண்டு வரிகள் அடையாளம் காண முடியாத அளவிற்கு மிகவும் சேதமடைந்த நிலையில்  காணப்படுகின்றதுமீதி இருக்கும் கல்வெட்டுகளில் தேவருலிகு, (த்)தி பட்டார்கல் போன்ற ஓரிரு வார்த்தைகள் மட்டுமே அடையாளப்படுத்த முடிகின்றது

தொல்லியல் துறை வரலாற்றுப் பேராசிரியர் எ.சுப்புராயலு உதவி இயக்குநர் (ஓய்வு) மற்றும் ர.பூங்குன்றன் ஆகியோரின் கூற்றுப்படி  தேவரு என்பவர் இப்பகுதியில் இருந்த கால்நடைச் செல்வங்களைப் புலியிடம் இருந்து காப்பாற்றியபோதுபுலி தாக்கி இருந்துவிட்டார். அவரது வீரத்தையும்தியாகத்தையும் போற்றி வழிபடும் வகையில் இவ்வீரநடுகல், 1200 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பு எடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.


PULIKUTHI HERO STONE
This Pulikuthi Pattan Hero stone was identified from the Village Pongupalayam near Tiruppur city, Tiruppur Veerarajendran Archaeology and History Research Centre. This type of Pulikuthi Hero Stone is found in many places in Kongu Mandalam. These Pulikuthi Hero Stones are with and without inscriptions. The speciality of this Hero stone is with Vattezhuthu inscription. As per the historians, this Hero stone maybe 1200 years old.

1200 years before the Kongu Mandalam was with forest and plain lands. The people, after hunting, settled in one place and cultivated lands and rear cattle.  People used to fight with wild animals like tigers to save their cattle. In the process, some people may be killed, and Hero stones will be erected in memory of the Heroes, who are killed. 

The Pongupalayam Pulikuthi Pattan Hero Stone measures 65 cm in width and is 120 cm tall. The Hero’s head is a little slanting position. Ornaments are shown over the neck, ears, and hands. A half dress is shown below his waist. The hero is killing the tiger with a spear in the right hand and the left hand near the tiger's mouth.

The Tiger is shown in a flowing /jumping position, keeping its front legs on the hip of the Hero.

On the top of the hero stone, a 6-line inscription is found. The first two lines are completely damaged. Only a few words like Thevaru, Liku, (th)thi, Pattar, and kal are identified. As per the Historians A Subbarayalu and R. Poongundran, the Hero Thevaru might have been killed by the tiger in the process of saving the cattle. In memory of the Hero, this Hero stone was erected about 1200 years before.

LOCATION OF THE HERO STONE: CLICK HERE




Maybe a Sati stone near the Pulikuthi Pattan Hero stone 

LOCATION OF THE PULIKUTHI HERO STONE : CLICK HERE

2021 Visit


Pulikuthi Padukal / Pulikuthi Hero Stone / Sati Stone, Semba Gounden Palayam, Tiruppur District.
This Pulikuthi Hero stone cum Sati stone is inside a Coconut palm tree farm. The style of carvings are very much similar to the Voipadi Pulikuthi Hero stone. His tuft is shown on his back with a big mustache. He wears ornaments in his elongated earlobes, around neck and hands. He wears half dress below his hip. A big mustache is shown below his nose. The hero Kills the tiger with Katars on both hands. The Tiger is keeping its front legs on his right hand.

His wife who took sati after his death is shown on his left side. She is holding a toddy pot in her right hand. She is shown wearing ornaments in her elongated earlobes, around neck and hands. Her left hand is holding her hip. Dress is shown up to her ankle.    

LOCATION OF THE PULIKUTHI HERO STONE     : CLICK HERE



Pulikuthi Kal / Hero Stone  at Vinayagar Temple, Naduvacheri, Tiruppur District.  
This Pulikuthi hero stone is installed inside a Vinayagar temple, just opposite to sri Angalamman Temple. This pulikuthi hero stone is made of mica rich stone and most of the details are eroded due to age. The Hero is killing the Tiger with kattars in both hands. He wears ornaments  in his elongated earlobes, hands and around the neck. He wears a half dress below his hip and the tuft is shown straight.

LOCATION OF THIS PULIKUTHI HERO STONE : CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Sunday, 1 December 2024

Chettinad Rajah Sir Annamalai Chettiar Aranmanai / Palace, Kanadukathan/Chettinad, Sivaganga District, Tamil Nadu

Kanadukathan is an important place for the Chettiars and usually Kanadukathan called as Chettinad. The Palace of Rajah Sir Annamalai Chettiar is in Kanadukathan. He was the founder of Annamalai University. I had the opportunity of visiting the Palace. Many Tamil films utilized this Palace for shooting. Some of the photographs taken are up loaded in this post.

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PALACE FROM A DISTANCEImage

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PORTICO VENTILATOR GLASS
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Extreme right -Dr MA Chidambaram, Chairman SPIC Ltd, Tuticorin

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KANADUKATHAN SHIVA TEMPLE WITH MATAOORANI
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KANADUKATHAN SHIVA TEMPLE
--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Saturday, 11 May 2024

Hero Stone, at Sri Ravimangalanathar Temple / ஸ்ரீ ரவிமங்கலநாதர் ஆலயம் / காளமேடு, Kaala Medu, and in a Amman Temple V P Puthur / Thathanaikenpatti, Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu

The visit to these Hero stones at Kaala Medu and V P Puthur near Palani in Dindigul District was a part of Visit to Rock arts, in Natural caves / Shelters, in Dindigul District near Palani on 3rd July 2024. Thanks to Thenkongu Sathasivam, who took us ( Mrs. Sakthi Prakash and Mr. Srinivasan ) to this location of the Hero stone.

Hero Stone with vattezhuthu Inscriptions at Sri RaviMangalanathar Temple, Kaala Medu, Near Palani, Dindigul District.

This Hero stone was once dumped on the road side. The same was brought inside the temple premises and installed. Thanks to Thenkongu Sathasivan for the efforts taken. This hero stone is in a highly eroded condition, both bas relief and the Vattezhuthu inscription. In this two persons are shown. What are the weapons they are carrying is not known. A small dog is shown between their legs.

LOCATION OF THE HERO STONE : CLICK HERE


 A small dog is shown between their legs

Arikanda Hero stone at an Amman Temple near Kaala Medu, V P Puthur, Thathanaikenpatti, Near Palani, Dindigul District.

Two Arikanda Hero stones with identical bas reliefs are installed in the premises of an Amman Temple. These two arikanda Hero stones are measuring 1.5 feet tall and one feet width. In these Ari kanda Hero stones Both heroes are shown cutting their heads with sword holding in both hands. The heroes are wearing ornaments around the neck and the tuft is shown above their head.

LOCATION OF THE HERO STONES       : CLICK HERE


--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Thursday, 9 May 2024

Chakkilichi Parai Rock Arts, A part of தேன்வரந்தை குகை பாறை ஓவியங்கள் / Thenvaranthai Cave Paintings, Palani region, Dindigul District Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this Chakkilichi Parai Rock Arts, was a part of Visit to Rock arts, in Natural caves, in Dindigul District near Palani on 3rd July 2024. Thanks to Thenkongu Sathasivam, who took us ( Mrs. Sakthi Prakash and Mr. Srinivasan ) to this Rock arts Caves.  

Normally rock art depicts the animals, human beings and their culture, important rituals, their habits, relation with the animals, etc,. We could find such rock arts in caves of various parts of the world. The rock paintings normally in white, red and Black ochre colours. As per the research and the red ochre paintings are more than 10 thousand years old, while the white colour is about 2000 to 3000 years old.

This Chakkilichi Parai Rock Arts are on a small hill, on the back side of the Thenvaranthai Caves – தேன்வரந்தை குகை பாறை ஓவியங்கள் ( Thenvaranthai Cave Paintings ), near Kallapuram / Mathakadiputhur. This Chakkilichi Parai Rock Arts are in two natural open caves of which one is on the Ground level.

These rock shelters has the group of white colour ( Combination of minerals like lime and vegetable colours )  rock arts depicting men, women, elephants, Tiger, snake, etc. In one group people are gathered for a rituals. In another group of art shows the capturing of elephant and taming for domestic purposes. We could see some of the paintings are less skilled, which means they are little older than the others.  Some of the arts are painted with thin lines, ( like using brushes ). Some of the painting are with white ochre and out lines are drawn with black. In addition to this some arts are done with black ochre, like trishul, Men, etc,.  The speciality of this Rock art is with numbers of dots. As per the experts, these dots may denotes the trees.






 

 Black ochre border arts


Similar painting are also seen in the second cave. In this the surface is not uniform, many pits are found on the surfaces. Rock arts are drawn in these Kuzhi குழி / pit areas too. As per the archaeologists these paintings are 2000 to 3000 years old and the shelter was continuously uses for more than 1000 years.

Black ochre border - Elephant
 Dots denotes the trees of the forest - Elephant in a forest
Black ochre rock art
 Lady 
 Whether the man is dancing..?


 Black ochre rock art - Trishul
 Black ochre rock art
Black ochre rock art
Black ochre rock art
Black ochre rock art
Black ochre rock art
Black ochre rock art - a Snake on the left and a Trishul on the right







 White ochre rock art in the pit
White ochre rock art in the pit

White ochre rock art in the pit
White ochre rock art in the pit

 Tiger



LOCATION OF THE CAVE : CLICK HERE 




 The pigment used for red ochre 
 The pits formed due to grinding of Neolithic period stone tools.
 The pits formed due to grinding of Neolithic period stone tools.


--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---