A Hero Stone can be understood as a memorial to pay homage to the death of a hero, in any battle. It’s called Viragal in Karnataka. Hero stones have been found all over India. They are stone monuments with inscriptions with a narrative of the battle. And according to historians largest number of such hero stones are found in Karnataka. More than 2650 such stones have been found in Karnataka. Most of them dated back to the 4th and 5th centuries.
Once such hero stone is in close proximity to Red Earth Kabini, our resort in Kabini.
The Hero stone has a carving of a hero slaying a large animal, something resembling a Tiger. You can find the Hero stone by following a cattle path that goes down the river near the village of Beerambali on the side of the road
The carvings depict the brave man and the circumstance of his death. They graphically potray the incident as a tough fight which led to the death of the hero. The men have weapons like swords, spears and also shields. Sometimes we can find them seated on horseback while fighting. These stones have inscriptions describing the event and the name of the hero. Based on the archeological understandings, the date and the alphabets have been noted. These stone are important records for understanding the culture of the ancient Southern India.
There was a well formed procedure for establishing these Hero Stones. The first step was selecting a suitable stone. The people would find a rock from a nearby site. As it was a plateau region, rocks would be available. After selecting the rock, the rock would be cleaned with water while a prayer was recited by villagers to ensure that all the spirits that had been inhabiting the place may depart so that the stone could be acquired for the memorial.
The second step required offering flowers, incense and praying and praising the stone. The stone was inhabiting the soul of the Hero and would carry the name and fame. After all the rituals the stone would be transported to the village accompanied with music and dance.
In the third step, the stone is soaked in clean water for a specific period of time since the stone has been exposed to changing weather. It was desirable according to the beliefs of the villagers to immerse the stone in water.
After taking out the stone, the Hero’s figure was inscribed on the stone along with his exploits and then placed in an appropriate place which is usually on the outskirts of the village. And then a feast is celebrated with the village community along with the prayers. The villagers would also pray to the soul of the Hero to take care of the village after his demise and bestow prosperity.
The later Hindu temples were also built with the same concept. From selecting the stone, to carving the image of God, the consecration and other rituals are same as those for the memorial of Hero Stones.
The Hero Stones are approximately five feet tall granite. Karnataka is dotted with these stones that are a unique combination of poetries, art, and historical facts that give us details about the fascinating tie our ancestors have lived. The stone has three stages. The lower area has the fighting scene, the mid one has the martyr being carried to heaven and the top part carrying the soul to Kailasa. One leaves wondering why people don’t pay sufficient attention to whatever is left of a glorious heritage. The hero stone normally found has sculptures in three panels – a man fighting with a tiger, the man being taken to heaven by a few ladies after death and the man appearing in the abode of God. The Hero Stone in Kabini conforms to the above description. Stay at Red Earth Kabini, our resort in Kabini and get to know the history closely.
