Megalithic-era menhir being studied at Sullia

Mangaluru: A team led by Prof Murugeshi, is studying a menhir belonging to the megalithic period, at Ninthikallu in Murulya village of Sullia taluk. Prof Murugeshi T, associate professor, department of ancient history and archaeology, MSRS College, Shirva, Udupi, said that megalithic culture is predominantly represented by different types of burials in coastal Karnataka. The menhir is located on the left side of Dayananda Gowda’s house, in an open courtyard. The lower half of the menhir is buried in the recently built round concrete platform, which is now called as Vanadurga Katte. Presently, a female deity is being worshipped here.
This menhir is about 10ft in height. It closely resembles the menhir found at Siddalingapura in Kodagu, and Nilskal in Shivamogga. Gowda said that while digging the area for construction, they found red pottery. “We suspect that Ninthikallu got its name from this menhir,’’ said Murugeshi.
He said that menhirs were known by various names like nilskal, ninthikallu, anekallu, rakkasakallu, garbinikallu, and so on, in South India. At Basrur, Nitturu and Subhashnagara in Udupi district, they are known as ‘garbiniyara kallu’. It is a free-standing stone, slightly leaning towards the north-west.
Dayananda Gowda Nintikallu, Nischith Golitadi, Shreyas Kolape, Vivek and students Pratheeka, Arun, Dishanth and Vishal Rai Puttur, assisted in the work. tnn