Know the Etymology: 69
Place Name of the Day: Thursday, 06 July 2017

Ittik-kaṇṭal, Karuvēlaṅ-kaṇṭal, Kaṇṭal-kāṭu, Kaṇṭal-kuṭā

இத்திக்கண்டல், கருவேலங்கண்டல், கண்டல்காடு, கண்டல்குடா
Ittik-kaṇṭal, Karuvēlaṅ-kaṇṭal, Kaṇṭal-kāṭu, Kaṇṭal-kuṭā

Itti+kaṇṭal
Karuvēl+am+kaṇṭal
Kaṇṭal+kāṭu
Kaṇṭal+kuṭā

The arid land found with Itti trees

The arid land found with Acacia trees

The mangrove jungle

The mangrove cove

Kaṇṭal1	(as suffix in place names) a dry land, arid land, scorched land, a flood plain that becomes dry in summer and found with scanty vegetation (Eezham Tamil usage confined to the arid region of Maṉṉār and parts of Vaṉṉi); from Kaṉṟal > Kaṇṭal; Kaṉṟu: (verb) to be scorched, sunburnt (Tamil, DED 1410); Kandu: (verb) to be scorched by the sun or by fire (Kannada, DED 1410); traced to Kaṉi: (verb) to be red hot (Tamil, DED 1406); Kaṉal: (verb) to be hot, be burn; (noun) fire (Tamil, DED 1406); Kāṇṭiyam: intensity of heat, heat as felt in the hot season (Tamil, MTL cites Winslow); Kāṇṭāvaṉam: the hottest days of a year, around 25 days in May-June, calculated from the transit of the sun (Eezham Tamil)
Kaṇṭal2	mangrove, Rhizophora mucronata; dichotomous mangrove, Kandelia rheedii (Tamil, DED 1171, Kuṟuntokai, 117: 2-3); Kaṇṇā: mangrove identifiable to Rhizophora mucronata (Eezham Tamil); Veṇ-kaṇṭal: white mangrove, Avicennia officinalis, papery-barked obtuse-leaved mangrove, Avicennia officinalis-typica (Tamil, MTL); Pūk-kaṇṭal: Kandelia rheedii (Tamil, MTL); Pēyk-kaṇṭal: a mangrove, Rizophora mangle (Tamil, Winslow); Kāṇḍelu: a kind of tree growing near saltwater (Tulu, DED 1171); Kaḍol, Mahā-kaḍol: a mangrove, Rhizophora mucronata (Sinhala, Clough). For etymology see Kaṇṇā-puṭṭi in column 37
Kaṇṭal3	screw pine, Pandanus odoratissimus, "Tāḻai" (Tamil, MTL, Kuṟuntokai, 117: 2-3); various plants having thorns, "Muḷḷi" such as, Hygrophila auriculata, Acanthus ilicifolius, Solanum indicum etc. (Tamil, MTL, Winslow, Cūṭāmaṇi, 4: 63); Kaṇṭal, Kaṇṭakam: = Nīr-muḷḷi: Hygrophila spinosa (Tamil, MTL); probably related to Kaṇṭa: thorn (Sanskrit, Pali, CDIAL 2668); Kaṇṭaka: thorn (Pali, CDIAL 2668); Ganḍeṅ: (verb) to prick (Kolami, DED 1178); Gaṇḍānā: (verb) to piece, of a thorn (Gondi, DED 1178); Kaḍu: (verb) to pierce through as arrows (Telugu, DED 1178); Kaṭu: (verb) to throb and pain as from sting, prick etc. (Tamil, DED 1135);
Itti	kinds of fig tree, Ficus virens, white fig, Ficus infectoria; stone fig, Ficus gibbosa parasitica; tailed oval-leaved fig, Ficus talboti (Tamil, DED 460, Winslow, Akanāṉūṟu, 77: 13)
Karuvēl	black babul, Acacia arabica (Tamil, MTL, DED 1278+5537); Karu+vēl; Karu: black (Tamil, DED 1278a); Vēl: babul tree, Acacia arabica, Mimosa arabica (Tamil, DED 5537, Naṟṟiṇai, 256: 9); dart, spear lance (Tamil, DED 5536, Kuṟuntokai, 11: 6); Vēlam: = Vēl, the Vēl tree (Tamil, Naṟṟiṇai, 302: 8); Karuvala: = Kaḷu-kihiri (Sinhala, Sorata); Kalu: black; Kihiri: Acacia catechu (Sinhala, Clough)

The term Kaṇṭal seems to have two different meanings in the Eezham Tamil place names of different regions.

Coming as suffix, exclusively in the Maṉṉār region and in adjacent Vaṉṉi, Kaṇṭal means an arid land, dry ground or a flood plain with scanty vegetation that becomes scorched in summer. Such grounds may have become cultivation fields through irrigation schemes, as in the example of Poṉtivu-kaṇṭal.

Coming as prefix in other Eezham Tamil examples in Trincomalee, Batticaloa and parts of Puttalam, Kaṇṭal means Kaṇṭal vegetation, i.e., coastal mangrove or thorny plants.

See box on Kaṇṭal 1 for the etymology of the term meaning arid ground corresponding to the verb Kaṉṟu, and see boxes on Kaṇṭal 2, Kaṇṭal 3 and column 37 on Kaṇṉā, for the etymology of Kaṇṭal meaning mangrove or thorny vegetation.

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Usage of the verb Kaṉṟu (corresponding to the colloquial verb Kaṇṭu and noun Kaṇṭal):

"அடு சினத்தால் கன்ற முகம்" (நம்மாழ்வார், 7: 105-107)

"Aṭu ciṉattāl kaṉṟa mukam" (Nammāḻvār, 7: 105-107)

The face that became red due to seething anger


"கனல் கதிர் கான்று" (பெருங்கதை, 53: 160)

"Kaṉal katir kāṉṟu" (Peruṅkatai, 53: 160)

The burning sun emitting its heat

* * *

Kaṇṭal meaning mangrove or screw pines:

"ஞெண்டு கண்டல் வேர் அளைச் செலீஇயர்" (குறுந்தொகை, 117: 2-3)

"Ñeṇṭu kaṇṭal vēr aḷaic celīiyar" (Kuṟuntokai, 117: 2-3)

Crab goes into the burrow it dug at the roots of the mangrove


Kaṇṭal meaning Muḷḷi:

"ஒள்ளிய கண்டல் முள்ளி" (சூடாமணி நிகண்டு, 4: 63)

"Oḷḷiya kaṇṭal muḷḷi" (Cūṭāmaṇi Nikaṇṭu, 4: 63)

Bright Kaṇṭal means Muḷḷi

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The Itti tree is also called Icci and a variety of it is known as Kallāla maram (Kal-āl).

Itti as a tree:

"புல் அரை இத்திப் புகர் படு நீழல்" (அகநானூறு, 77: 13)

"Pul arai ittip pukar paṭu nīḻal" (Akanāṉūṟu, 77: 13)

The chequered shade of the conglomerate-stemmed Itti tree [The context is an arid tract hamlet; Pul-arai: reference to aerial roots joining with the stem, as often seen in Itti trees; Pullu: to come together, embrace; Arai: stem]

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Karu-vēl is the black kind of the babul or Acacia arabica tree. Vēl/ Vēlam is the general term in Tamil for babul. The name comes from the dart-like thorns of the tree.

Vēl/ Vēlam as a tree:

"காழ் கொள் வேலத்து ஆழ் சினை" (நற்றிணை, 256: 9)

"Kāḻ koḷ vēlattu āḻ ciṉai" (Naṟṟiṇai, 256: 9)

The low branch of the hard-stemmed Vēl [The reference comes in the context of arid tract]


"வெளிறு இல் காழ வேலம்" (நற்றிணை, 302: 8)

"Veḷiṟu il kāḻa vēlam" (Naṟṟiṇai, 302: 8)

The Vēlam trees of hollow-less (solid) hard stem; or the Vēlam trees of not-young (matured) hard stem [The reference comes in the context of arid tract]


"ஆலும் வேலும் பல்லுக்குறுதி"

"Ālum vēlum pallukkuṟuti" (Saying in Tamil)

The banyan (its aerial roots) and acacia (its twigs) strengthen teeth (by their use as toothbrush)

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Ittik-kaṇṭal is a place in Manthai West division of Mannar district.

Karuvēlaṅ-kaṇṭal is in Oddusuddan division of Mullaiththeevu district.

Kaṇṭal-kāṭu is in the Māvali Kaṅkai estuary in Kinniya division of Trincomalee district. The place name has to be Kaṇṭaṟkāṭu in standard Tamil conjunction.

Kaṇṭal-kuṭā is in Kaṟpiṭṭi division of Puttalam district (Kalpitti OIS). The place has a marsh and a cove of the Puttalam Lagoon. The place name has to be Kaṇṭaṟkuṭā in standard Tamil conjunction.

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Some related place names:

Kaṇṭal: Manthai West, Mannar

Neṭuṅ-kaṇṭal: Manthai West, Mannar. Neṭu: long, big

Vaṭṭak-kaṇṭal: Manthai West, Mannar; Vannaththivillu, Puttalam

Mullik-kaṇṭal: Manthai West, Mannar. Muḷḷi: varieties of thorny plants

Pūvaracaṅ-kaṇṭal: Nanaddan, Mannar. Pūvaracu: Portia tree, see column 65

Vāḻkkaippaṭṭāṉ-kaṇṭal: Nanaddan, Mannar. Vāḻkkaippaṭṭāṉ: a personal name or title

Pon-tīvu-kaṇṭal: Nanaddan, Mannar. Poṉ-tīvu: The place name is spelt and pronounced without conjunction in local usage.

Pariyāri-kaṇṭal: Nanaddan, Mannar. Pariyāri: physician, barber. See Pariyāri-kuḷam in column 18

Parappāṅ-kaṇṭal: Manthai West, Mannar. The arid ground of the expanse; Parappu: expanse

Allik-kaṇṭal: Mannar Town, Mannar. Alli: water lily, a small kind of lotus

Kāttāṉ-kaṇṭal: Musali, Mannar. Kāttāṉ: a personal name, title meaning savior, the deity Kāttavarāyaṉ

Karuṅ-kaṇṭal: Manthai West, Mannar. Karu-nilam: barren land, scorched land. See column 273

Ceṭṭiyār-kaṇṭal: Māntai, Mannar, (Mantai OIS): Ceṭṭiyār: a member of the trading community or guild

Ciṟu-muḷḷik-kaṇṭal: near Neṭuṅkaṇṭal, Mannar, (Mantai OIS). Note the place name Muḷḷik-kaṇṭal

Kiṭā-veṭṭik-kaṇṭal: Aṭampaṉ, Mannar, (Mantai OIS). The place has an abandoned tank bund and open land. Veṭṭi: wasteland, open place; Kiṭā: buffalo, wild buffalo; note another place name, Kiṭā-veṭṭit-tōppu

Naṭṭāṅ-kaṇṭal: Manthai East, Mullaiththeevu. Probably, Nāṭṭāṉ: a member of a trade guild, agricultural guild etc.

Ciṟu-kaṇṭal: Karaithuraippattu, Mullaiththeevu. Ciṟu: small

Nocci-mōṭṭaik-kaṇṭal: Karaithuraippattu, Mullaiththeevu. Nocci-mōṭṭai: see columns 1 and 57

Viḷāṅ-kaṇṭal: Puthukkudiyiruppu, Mullaiththeevu. Viḷā: wood apple

Tērāṅ-kaṇṭal: Thunukkai, Mullaiththeevu. Note the place name Tērā-vil

Maṇṇā-kaṇṭal: Puthukkudiyiruppu, Mullaiththeevu. Maṇ: sand

Veḷik-kaṇṭal: Kandavalai, Kilinochchi. Veḷi: open place

Cellak-kaṇṭal: Puttalam, Puttalam. Noted as Sellankandal in Puttalam OIS

Pallak-kaṇṭal: near Pomparippu, Puttalam (Kalpitti OIS). Pallam: grazing land

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Kaṇṭal-kuḻi: Kaṟpiṭṭi, Puttalam (Kalpitti OIS). Kuḻi: pond, pit

Kaṇṭalaṭi-ūṟṟu: north of Kaṇṭalkāṭu, Kinniya, Trincomalee (Trincomalee OIS). Ūṟṟu: spring

Kaṇṭalaṭi: Kaṇṭal+aṭi: Koralaippattu, Batticaloa. Aṭi: locality

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Itti:

Ittik-kuḷam: Musali, Mannar; Moothoor, Trincomalee. Kuḷam: tank, pond

Periya-itti-maṭu: Oddusuddan, Mullaiththeevu. Maṭu: deep pond. See Ciṉṉa-itti-maṭu

Ciṉṉa-itti-maṭu: Oddusuddan, Mullaiththeevu. Maṭu: deep pond, see Periya-itti-maṭu

* * *

Itti: (Sinhala)

Itti-kulama: Nochchiyagama, Anuradhapura. Kulama: = Kuḷam

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Notes on Itti: Iththi, Ficus virens of the Moraceae family, is one of the 'Traditional Four' (Nāṟ-pāl- maram: the four milky trees) of the Fig group, i.e., Āl (Ficus indica), Aracu (Ficus religiosa), Atti (Ficus recemosa) and Itti (Ficus virens).It is also traditionally grouped under the 'Ten Astringents' (Pattu Tuvar) mentioned in the lexicons, i.e., the four figs plus Nāval, Kaṭukkāy, Nellikkāy, Tāṉṟikkāy, Muttakkācu and Māntaḷir.It is one of the nine trees or plants used in the Brahmanical ritual of sacrificial fire (Samittu, Ōma-viṟaku): the four figs plus Mā, Palācu, Vaṉṉi, Nāyuruvi and Karuṅkāli.Itti in religious literature is better known by the term 'Kallāl' (Kal-āl). In religious literature and in iconographic texts, Siva in the form of teacher (Taṭcaṇā-mūrtti: the god facing the South) is seated under this tree, along with four disciples.

As a sacred tree, along with the other figs, it is prohibited for domestic use such as construction, furniture, firewood etc. According to traditional texts on architecture, great misfortune would befall on those who use them for building houses.Itti usually starts growing as an epiphyte and gradually envelops the host. It becomes a large spreading tree, sending down aerial roots. The fruits are pungent and astringent in taste. * * *



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Revised: Thursday, 06 July 2017, 18:30

First published: Sunday, 16 September 2007, 01:00