Udupi : A unique Veera sthamba (pillar of Hero), was found infront of Nandikeshwara temple at Chitteri in Ulturu Mudubettu village of Kundapura taluk of the Udupi district.

It about 6 feet in height and has four faces and on each face there are three panels with war scenes. Each panel is about 2feet in length with beautiful carvings. Veera Sthamba is a rarest type of Hero-Stone found in very little number in India says Prof. T. Murugeshi (Rtd), Associate professor in Ancient History and Archaeology, MSRS College, Shirva, in his press note here today.

On the lower panel of the eastern face A hero is shown in attacking position  and the rider on  horse is shown cut into two pieces, in second panel a hero is riding on a war elephant holding ankush in his right hand, on the top panel fighting of two heros with sword and shield is shown and at the centre a fallen hero is also found.

The panels on the western face, depicts sword fighting, horse fighting with a lance and at the top again sword fighting of the two heros is found.

On the Southern panels lower one depicte sowrd fighting with a torso and departed head, second panel depicts sowrd fighting and at the top three heros standing side by side, two of them holding sword in their left hand, third one in folding his palms posture.

On northern face in lower panel two apsaras coming from the heaven their legs flying upward in the air and they holds shoulders of a deceased hero, in the second panel apsaras locking the shoulders and legs of the deceased hero and their two hands on either side rised upward which was indicates their upward journey to the heaven. On the top deceased hero shown sitting infront of a Shivalingam.

Similar Veera Sthambas found at Kudlu in Kasaragodu, Ammunje in Mangalore

Significence of Veera Sthambha :

Erection of Hero-stones was a common practice found everywhere but, erection of a pillar is an uncommon practice, found rarely. different types of wars in which deceased hero had been participated vividley pictured till his end. The pillar erected in honor of a hero indicated his higher rank then a common soldier. stylistically it belongs to the early 14th century.  It is worshipped as Kshetrapala stone by the people.

This beautiful Veera Sthambha brought to light in a recent archaeological exploration conducted in and around Gulladi on the request of Dr. Raghram Shetty Gulladi, hereditary trustee of Nandikeshwara temple, Chitteri Sri M. Rajiv Shetty and cooperated by Jayasheel Shetty, Ramesh Shetty, Pradeep Basrur and my students, my thanks due to them.