Know the Etymology: 265
Place Name of the Day: Friday, 14 June 2013

Vanni, Vanniyan-madu, Vanniyanaar-madu

வன்னி, வன்னியன் மடு, வன்னியனார் மடு
Vaṉṉi
Vaṉṉiyaṉ Maṭu
Vaṉṉiyaṉār Maṭu

Vanni
Vanniyan+madu
Vanniyanaar+madu

The territory of the commander-chieftains
The tank of the commander-chieftain

Vanni-1	The territory or districts ruled by Vanniyar (commander) chieftains (Eezham Tamil); Vanniyar: Commanders (Tamil, Kallaadam 38:15); Vanniyap-pattu: The land assigned to or belonging to soldiers (Tamil, inscriptions, 1190 CE, SII.vii, 90); Vannimaar: Soldiers (Tamil, inscriptions, 1191 CE, SII, xvii, 245); Vanniyar: A caste or guild of soldiers (Tamil, inscriptions, 1258 CE, SII, vii, 118); A caste (Tamil, Old Thiruvi’laiyaadal 58:1); Vanniya-vari: A tax paid by soldiers (Tamil, inscriptions, 1405 CE, SII, v, app. 45); Vanniyan: A caste, caste title (Tamil, DED 5331); Feudatory prince, commander (Tamil, MTL); Vanni: A person of the Vanniya caste (Tamil, DED 5331); Vannimai: Petty chieftainship (Tamil, MTL); Vannik-kavu’ndar or Padai-aadchik-kavu’ndar; Vanni-valayar: Sub-caste names for soldier groups among land-owning cultivators and hunters/ fishermen (Tamil); Vanniyanaar: A commander-chieftain (Eezham Tamil, honorific form); Vannichchi: Feminine form of Vanniyan, chieftainess (Eezham Tamil); Vanni-naaychchi: Chieftainess (Eezham Tamil, honorific form); Vannipam: Chieftainship (Eezham Tamil, copper plate, 1722 CE); In the above senses of meanings the etymology of Vanni and related words could be traced to Val, Van, Vanpu, Vanmai: Strong, hard, ability, strength, valour etc. (Tamil, DED 5276, 5328); Van-kai: A strong hand, a soldier’s hand (Tamil, Pu’ra:naa’noo’ru: 90:11); Van-pattu: Martial annexation of a land (Tamil, inscription, 1213 CE, AVNM, 7, pp 52-53)
Vanni-2	Jungle (Tamil, Thirumoolar 1036); Vana: Single tree, forest, timber (Sanskrit, CDIAL 11258); Forest (Pali, CDIAL, 11258); Vanam: Forest (Tamil, Chilappathikaaram, 11:198); Grove (Tamil, Ma’nmeakalai, 3: 80-81); Ven, Vene: Grove, forest (Sinhala, CDIAL 11258); Vanya: (adjective) forest, savage, wild (Sinhala); Van-paal, Van-pulam: Forest, arid jungle, hill-land (Tamil, Pu’ranaanoo’ru, 384:4; Natti’nai 59:6); From Val, Van: Strong, hard (Tamil, DED 5276, 5328); Vallai: Extensive thicket, big forest (Tamil, DED 5289); Vanni 3: Fire (Tamil, Thirumoolar, 477); Vahni: Fire (Sanskrit, CDIAL 11463a); Vanhi: Fire (Prakrit, CDIAL 11463a); Vanaagni: Forest fire (Sanskrit, CDIAL 11268); Vanni 4: A tree, Prosopis spicigera (Tamil, Malayalam, Pu’ranaanoo’ru, 372:7, DED 5330); Banni: Prosopis spicigera (Kannada, DED 5330); Vani-mranu: Prosopis spicigera (Telugu, ins. DED 5330)
Madu	Pond, pool, deep place in a river or channel (Tamil, DED 4658); Deep place, pool (Malayalam, DED 4658); Madu, Mada, Maduvu, Maduhu: Deep water, deep place in a river, pool (Kannada, DED 4658); Madoogu: Pond, tank, basin, lake pool or collection of any liquid in a pit or hollow (Telugu, DED 4658)

Vanni has become an internationally known toponym in the island today.

Traditionally the term meant the territories of the Northern Province except Jaffna Peninsula, and parts of the North Central, North Western and some parts of the Eastern Province, which were divided into chieftaincies and were ruled by the Tamil Vanniyar chieftains. Hence the territories were called Vannimai or Vannipam and thus became Vanni. Often the name is written as Wanni in the Sinhala and English renderings.

The word Vanniyar, originally meaning commanders and soldiers, derived from the Tamil/ Dravidian root Van, meaning strength, ability, valour etc. (DED 5276, 5328)

Even though there is a caste identity called Vanniyar in Tamil Nadu today, perhaps originating from an umbrella identity of soldier guilds and communities, the Eezham Tamil Vanniyar were associated only with the original meaning of the term, commander-chieftains, and not with the caste identity evolved in Tamil Nadu.

From the known evidences, most of those who held the Eezham Tamil Vanniyar chieftainship, given to them by the Portuguese and the Dutch, at a later time after the original warlords, were Ve'l'laa'la chieftains.

In all probability, the Tamil term Vanniyar has not originated from Vanam > Vanni, meaning jungle, or Vahni > Vanni, meaning fire, as claimed by some myths.

The Vanniyar identity in its origins was not connected to jungle, even though the Vanniyar territories in the island were jungle tracts.

In the meaning of social identity, Vanniyan and Vanni are taken as words of Dravidian etymology by DED (entry number 5331).

A historical linguistic perusal of the origin and usage developments of the term in Tamil, with the help of literature and inscriptions, would show the martial origins of the identity and connections between Vanniyar and the Tamil/ Dravidian terms Van, Vanpu, Vanmai etc:

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The root-word ‘Van' meaning strong, able, valorous etc., and its use in the context of soldiers:

“Vazhu il van kai mazhavar peruma,” (Pu'ra:naanoo'ru 90: 11)

“வழு இல் வன் கை மழவர் பெரும,” (புறநானூறு 90: 11)

The lord of the blamelessly strong-handed soldiers


Vanniyar meaning commanders:

“Naal padai vanniyar aakkiya perumaan” (Kallaadam 38:15, c. 9-10 century CE)

“நால் படை வன்னியர் ஆக்கிய பெருமான்” (கல்லாடம் 38:15, c. 9-10 century CE)

The god who made (them) commanders of the four forces


Vanniyap-pattu meaning landholdings or enclave of Vanniyar:

“Thiruvidaiyaaddam akarap pattum thi'rappum vanniyap pattum udpada” (1190 CE, South Indian Inscriptions, VII, 18)

“திருவிடையாட்டம் அகரப் பற்றும் திறப்பும் வன்னியப் பற்றும் உட்பட” (1190 CE, South Indian Inscriptions, VII, 18)

Including the Vish'nu temple Brahmin landholdings, lands that have been reverted from free endowment to taxation, and the landholdings of the Vanniyar


Van-pattu meaning martial takeover of a territory:

"Nilaththai naam vanpattaakap patti" (1213 CE, Aava'nam No 7, pp 52-53)

"நிலத்தை நாம் வன்பற்றாகப் பற்றி" (1213 CE, ஆவணம் No 7, pp 52-53)

We took the land by martial action


Oddai Vannimaar meaning low-ranking soldiers:

“Ippadikku pizhaiththoam aakil engka'l oddai vannimaarkkuch cheruppung kalasap paanaiyum edukkak kadavoamaakavum” (1191 CE, South Indian Inscriptions, XVII, 245)

“இப்படிக்கு பிழைத்தோம் ஆகில் எங்கள் ஒட்டை வன்னிமார்க்குச் செருப்புங் கலசப் பானையும் எடுக்கக் கடவோமாகவும்” (1191 CE, South Indian Inscriptions, XVII, 245)

If we fail in the undertaking, let us carry footwear and pot (probably the vessel to spit chewed betel juice) for our servant soldiers


Vanniyar meaning high-ranking soldiers:

“Asal vanniyar kuthiraikkup pullup pa'rikki'ra pa'rayatku” (1213 CE, South Indian Inscriptions, VII, 118)

“அசல் வன்னியர் குதிரைக்குப் புல்லுப் பறிக்கிற பறயற்கு” (1213 CE, South Indian Inscriptions, VII, 118)

To the Pa'raiyar who pluck grass for the horses of the true Vanniyar


Vanniyar meaning a caste, guild or community:

“Vanniyar thalaivan thoan'ri” (Thiruvaalavaayudaiyaar Thiruvi'laiyaadat Puraa'nam 58:1, c. 13th century CE)

“வன்னியர் தலைவன் தோன்றி” (திருவாலவாயுடையார் திருவிளையாடற் புராணம் 58:1, c. 13th century CE)

The chief of the Vanniyar community came


Vanniya-vari meaning a tax paid by the soldier guild or community:

“Vinivoahangka'lum vanniya vari aa'laamagnchiyum” (1405 CE, ARE, 1913, 25)

“வினிவோகங்களும் வன்னிய வரி ஆளாமஞ்சியும்” (1405 CE, ARE, 1913, 25)

General expenditure tax, Vanniyar tax and compulsory free labour for the maintenance of tanks


Vannipam meaning chieftainship and Vanniyanaar meaning chieftain in Eezham Tamil:

“…Karikkaddu Moolaip paththuth Thennamaravadip paththu vannipam Puvi Nalla Maappaa'na Vanniyanaar avarka'lum Pu'n'niyapi'l'lai Vanniyanaar avarka'lum….thangka'l Kayilaippi'l'lai Vanniyanaar avarka'l mada tharmaththukkuth tharma chaathanap paddayam koduththapadi…” (Kayilaaya Vanniyan Madam, Chithamparam, copper plate grant, 1722 CE)

“…கரிக்கட்டு மூலைப் பத்துத் தென்னமரவடிப் பத்து வன்னிபம் புவி நல்ல மாப்பாண வன்னியனார் அவர்களும் புண்ணியபிள்ளை வன்னியனார் அவர்களும்….தங்கள் கயிலைப்பிள்ளை வன்னியனார் அவர்கள் மட தர்மத்துக்குத் தர்ம சாதனப் பட்டயம் கொடுத்தபடி…” (கயிலாய வன்னியன் மடம், சிதம்பரம், copper plate grant, 1722 CE)

As per the copper plate charity endowment given by […] Karikkaddu Moolai division chieftainship and Thennamaravadi division chieftainship, i.e., Puvi Nalla Maappaa'na Vanniyanaar Esq and Pu'n'nyapi'l'lai Vanniyanaar Esq and [there are other chieftainships and chieftains in the list] to the charity of their Mutt (built by) Kayilaippi'l'lai Vanniyanaar Esq… (Note the term Pattu becoming Paththu in the copper plate)

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Currently Vanni means the Ki'linochchi, Mullaith-theevu, Mannaar and Vavuniyaa districts of the Northern Province. Traditionally the region also included the adjacent parts of North Central, North Western and Eastern Provinces.

Vanniyan-madu is a place in Karaithu'raippattu division of Mullaiththeevu district

Vanniyanaar-madu is in Ki'n'niyaa division of Trincomalee district



Some related place names:

Vanni:

Vanni-vi'laang-ku'lam: The tank of wood apple trees in Vanni (the name differentiates the place from another Vi'laang-ku'lam); Maanthai East division, Mullaiththeevu district

Pokkara-vanni: Probably, the sink-hole part of the Vannimai; The Madu division, Mannaar district

Pa'ndaara-vanni: The part of the chief or the princely Vanniyan; Oddusuddaan division, Mullaiththeevu district

Vanni-nakar: The urban centre of the Vanni part or the Vanni chief; Vellaave'li division, Batticaloa district. The suffix seems to be a recent one, as Nakar doesn't come in old place names.

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Wanni:

Wanniyan-ku'lama Kotasa 1–6: The 6 parts of the Vanniyan-ku'lam (the tank of the Vanniyan chieftain village); N. Palatha East division, Anuradhapura district. The recently carved out six parts have become separate administrative villages. The original name of the village, Vanniyan-ku'lam in Tamil, is Sinhalicised into Wanniyan-ku'lama in the last century with demographic changes in the district. Kotasa, meaning a part, is a recent addition.

Wanni-kuda-wewa: The little tank that is in the Vanni part; Giribawa division, Kurunegala district

Wanni-gama: The village of the chieftain; Kobeigane division, Kurunegala district

Wanni Mundalama: The Munthal part that comes under a Vanni chieftaincy; Kalpitiya division, Puththa'lam district. Munthal is a Tamil place name Sinhalicised into Mundalama recently.

Wanni-thammannewa: The Thammana-wewa village in the Vanni chieftaincy part; N. Palatha division, Anuradhapura district

Wanniya-watta: The chieftain's garden; Nivithigala division, Ratnapura district

First published: Friday, 14 June 2013, 07:51