Ethnographic Insights into Appropriation of Megalithic Tombs for Worship

Koyu Rajan

This paper is based on field studies in some of the highly rich megalithic centres of south India where dolmens, stone circles, menhirs, umbrella stones (kudakkal) etc have been converted into centres of worship. The author has done extensive field work for documenting the popular perceptions on megalithic structures including urn burials. Data thus gathered indicate that the animistic trait of the Indian society has been a major reason for appropriating the ancient stone-built structures for ritual purposes. The trend has been noticed in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. In Kerala, laterite-built menhirs and umbrella stones have been perceived as abodes of some supernatural powers. In the areas on both sides of the states, stone circles, dolmens, and menhirs were found to be used as cult spots. It is the social groups which have not been Sanskritised that tend to treat the megalithic tombs as abodes of local deities. They make offerings and prayers to the `deities’ on some occasions. Some stone objects representing their deities have also been placed in some of the dolmens after scooping out the interred grave goods. People gather there in large numbers. There is also the curious case of a big granite menhirbeing used for regular worship in a village near Pollachi in Tamil Nadu. The paper also looks at the transitions in the history of animistic practices in non-Semitic part of the world, especially the regions including Southeast Asia.