Class 5 girl uncovers centuries-old hero stone off Karnataka's Belagavi village temple

BELAGAVI: A 11-year-old schoolgirl from Mallammana Belawadi village in Bailhongal taluk unearthed a centuries-old hero stone that villagers long worshipped as a local deity.

The stone, found near the Hanuman temple in the village, was for decades worshipped as an idol of Shani. However, Lakshmi Prakash Humbi, a class 5 student, noticed unusual carvings on the stone and pointed them out to elders, leading to the realisation that it was, in fact, a historical hero stone.

The hero stone is divided into three panels. The first depicts a warrior fighting enemies to protect cattle. The second panel shows celestial nymphs escorting the fallen hero to Kailash, symbolising his passage to the divine realm. The third panel portrays the hero reaching heaven, where a Shivalinga and Nandi are depicted, with two celestial beings worshipping the Shivalinga.

Lakshmi said, "I often heard stories about Veera Rani Belawadi Mallamma, who fought bravely to rescue cattle allegedly taken away during conflicts involving the forces of Shivaji Maharaj. When I looked closely at the stone near the temple recently, I noticed carvings of a warrior protecting cow," she said.

Researcher Balappa Irappa Chinagudi believes the sculpture may be a 'Turugol Veeragallu' - a hero stone commemorating someone who died protecting cattle.

He suggested stylistically, the stone could date back to 12th or 13th century, indicating that it may predate the era associated with the legend of Belawadi Mallamma.