VALOR AND SACRIFICE: HEROIC DEEDS REFLECTED IN KANNADA HERO STONE INSCRIPTIONS
Authors: Dr Manjula Poyil
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19222019
Page No: 73-86
Abstract
Heroes, heroism, and veneration are universal phenomena. A person dedicated his life to a noble cause. They are remembered through oral songs, folk songs, folk tales, literature, iconography, inscriptions, and different types of memorials. Karnataka, the South Western part of India, is a land of abundant Hero stones in various varieties. The Archaeological Survey of Karnataka has brought to light many hero stones, both inscribed and uninscribed. The most important among the hero-stones in Karnataka are Viragals. These memorial stones in Karnataka are believed to have been erected from the 5th century, during the reign of the Kadambas, to the 19th century, during the reign of the Wodeyars. This practice appears to have reached its climax during the 10th -13th Century. The present article undertakes a systematic study of Kannada hero stones (Viragal) inscriptions recorded by the Epigraphic Department of Karnataka. It also involves field verification of their present locations and conditions, and examination of their iconography, historical significance, and cultural context with local communities.
