Hero stones in Melur face threat from tourists

Hero stones at Melur village near Udhagamandalam.– Photo: M. Sathyamoorthy

Rare hero stones, mostly dating to a period between the 2nd and 14th century, are facing the threat of destruction from tourists, who park their vehicles near the stones and walk to the nearby Manjacombai Nagarajar Temple in Melur.

The hero stones and dolmens are the only ancient monolithic structures found in the upper plateau of The Nilgiris, and a few stones, carved more recently, even tell of the British’s arrival in The Nilgiris. Most other hero stones are found at lower altitudes, in areas bordering present-day Karnataka.

M. Kumaravelu, Field Officer, CPR Environmental Education Center, says that the more recent stones have images etched of British bayonets and arms, while the older ones may even date back to the 2nd century.

Period

“Most of the stones date back to the 11th and 14th century during the time of the Hoysala and Vijayanagara dynasties, whose militia, along with their families, settled here,” he added.

The older hero stones at the site, can only be further studied after carbon-dating, Mr. Kumaravelu said.

The carvings show the valour of those who died protecting their people and cattle from carnivores such as tigers and leopards.

The Kurumbar tribes, who are renowned for their stone-carving abilities, are believed to have a historical link to the site as well, and could have been the first settlers in this particular region to have carved the earliest hero stones.

Unfortunately, the picturesque location of the hero stones, surrounded by beautiful Shola forests, have also led to them being ignored and not being protected for their historical and cultural value.

Vehicles

On busy days at the temple, vehicles are usually parked near the stones, and some of the stones have even fallen over and shattered.

Venugopal Dharma lingam, director of the Nilgiris Documentation Center, which has been focusing on the neglect of heritage sites in The Nilgiris, said that the location could be developed for tourism into a “miniature stonehenge.” “The cromlechs and dolmens need to be protected by the local administration, who need to at least fence off the area. They are an important part of the local culture,” he said.