Hero Stones (Nadukal), Devikapuram
Hero Stones
are generally denoted as Nadukal meaning erected stone and
this memorial stone was erected to commemorate some memorable event. The
stones were erected to commemorate the death of heroes in Vetchi
battles (Tamil chieftains and soldiers wear Vetchi flower (Ixora coccinea)
while invading a country and the soldiers will go in to the border areas and
steal the cattle.) and Karanthai battle (Tamil chieftains and
soldiers wear Karanthai flower (Sphaeranthus indicus/ Sphaeranthus
hirstus) and defend against invasion and cattle raid.
Hero
stone is a memorial commemorating the honorable death of a hero in
battle of Tamil People. A hero stone can display a variety of adornments,
including bas relief panels, statues, and figures of carved
stone. Usually they are in the form of a stone monument and may have an
inscription at the bottom with a narrative of the battle.
Hero
Stones are considered as a variant of menhirs. The distinctions of hero stones
are its size when compared with menhirs. Tamil Sangam literature refers hero
stones as Nadukal or Veerakkal in Tamil. Hero stones were erected as a memorial
for heroes, who showed extreme bravery to defend their territory and lost their
life for the sake of their country and countrymen and the stones may or may
show figurines and inscriptions about the hero, name of the king and the battle
and the name of the person who erected hero stones.
The
Sangam Tamil grammar work, Tholkappium as well as another Sangam Tamil literary
work 'Puraporul Venpa Malai' details the procedure, rules and stages of
erecting hero tones. The well-known Sangam literature ‘Purananuru’ refers
'Nadukal' in its poems.
‘இல்லடுகள்ளின்
சில்குடிச் சீறூர்ப்
புடைநடு கல்லின் நாட்பலியூட்டி
நன்னீராட்டி நெய்நறை கொளீஇய
மங்குல் மாப்புகை மறுகுடன் கமழும்’ - Purananuru (புறநானூறு) (306)
புடைநடு கல்லின் நாட்பலியூட்டி
நன்னீராட்டி நெய்நறை கொளீஇய
மங்குல் மாப்புகை மறுகுடன் கமழும்’ - Purananuru (புறநானூறு) (306)
(Meaning: The hero stones were implanted near the houses
of families engaged in extracting toddy. During the dawn people performed
ablution to the hero stone and lit the ghee lamp and offered food items. The
fragrant smoke from ghee lamp spread across the street.)
The
Tamil Nadu Department of Archeology found several hundred hero stones that
had been erected in the memory of warriors who sacrificed their lives defending
their community or region. Those that are carved with inscriptions detail the
acts of the hero, the battle involved, and the name of king in whose name the
battle was fought. The stones are found alone or in groups, usually near an
irrigation tank or lake outside a village.
The monolithic
hero stone monuments mostly bear inscriptions displaying a
variety of embellishments, including bas relief panels, statues,
and figurines of carved stone. The inscriptions may bear some data about
the hero stone: 1. name of the hero; 2. his chieftain; 3. name
of the war; and 4. the name of the person who erected the hero stone. Till
date there are five hero stones with Tamil Brahmi inscriptions.
About 20
hero stones found in and around Devikapuram village ranging from 12th century
to 18 century. It denotes that the village Devikapuram was an important center
in medieval period.
Several
types of Nadukal found in various places in Devikapuram, They are;
1.
Vediappan,
2.
Satikal,
3.
Ayyanar,
4.
Thoru,
5.
Navakandam etc.
