A Hero Stone (Veergal, Veeragallu) is a memorial commemorating the honorable death of a hero, usually in battle. Most of these stones were erected between the 3rd century BC and the 18th century AD, and can be found all over India, although a higher concentration occurs in the south. Karnataka has over 2,500 examples. The hero stone was usually divided into 3 panels, although this was no fixed rule and depending on the event 4 or 5 panels can occur. The carvings appear on one side of the upright stone, in the case of the more typical three panel layout, the narrative is : Upper Panel – The hero worshiping a deity, often a linga, with an attendant/priest. Middle Panel – The hero is usually being lifted to the heavens by nymphs (apsaras). Lower Panel – How the hero died. Battle scenes are often shown but occasionally there is something a little different. In the accompanying image, the first stone shows our hero being killed by a tiger attack, the second stone appears to depict a suicide scene. Hero stones can be found in groups or isolated settings, often near tanks or lakes outside a village. The scholarly tradition maintains that a hero stone was raised on the spot where the hero fell, where his remains were buried, or alternatively in his native village. However, it is highly likely that many stones have been displaced over the centuries as the landscape is reshaped (for farming, new roads), or moved to protect them into museums or to local temples. Studies on the death scene/panel has found they broadly fall into 7 reasons: *Protecting livestock from theft, or while retrieving it after an attack *Involved themselves in cattle raiding *Defending a community or ruler from external attack *Defending women/children *Devoured by wild animals (commonly tigers) while defending a village from wild animal attack *Died after snake bite *Committed religious suicide *Died in pregnancy/childbirth Hero Stones are often found near ancient temples, tucked away in a corner with no particular attention paid to them. Armed with a little knowledge you can “read” the stories these stones have to tell. #swiggywala #localguides @googlemaps #veergal #herostone #archaeology https://www.instagram.com/p/CcKypUUvXbn/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
