Palye’s hero stone sheds light on ancient local traditions

Keri: Recently, archaeology enthusiasts came across a unique hero stone in Palye that displays the socio-cultural aspects of the area nestled at the mouth of the Terekhol river.
Throughout India, memorials have been erected for ancestors who contributed to the betterment of society by sacrificing their lives.
At the Vateram Kulpurush shrine, there are numerous hero stones showcasing the tradition of warriors sacrificing for a noble cause. The stones are worshipped by the families of Parab from Palye.
However, the hero stone that has been discovered by the archaeologists is a unique specimen of the history and heritage of the area.
Varad Sabnis, a doctorate and conservation archaeologist, said, “This memorial has a unique feature portraying a dead person on the bed. Generally such memorials show the cause of the hero’s death.”
In Goa, we have memorials of heroes who have lost their lives in saving cattle from the raiders while hunting wild animals. Sometimes, hero stones show decapitation of the head and, more commonly, the battle (on the ground as well as in the waters).
The memorial near Mahadev temple is known as Gupteshwar. "As per the local tradition, it is associated with the Tilve families of Palye," said Dhiraj Parab, a local.
Palye, a village situated on the border of Goa-Maharashtra, was well connected through the waterways to Redi, known as Revatidwip, the regional capital of the Badami Chalukya kingdom. Various archaeological and heritage assets throw light on the history of the bygone days.
This hero stone will certainly help in unearthing socio-cultural traditions of Palye, Vithoba Gawade, a student of archaeology, said.