Know the Etymology: 77
Place Name of the Day: Sunday, 23 July 2017

Tirāyk-kēṇi, Paṉiccaṅ-kēṇi, Veṟṟilaik-kēṇi, Cuṅkaṉ-kēṇi, Tumpaṅ-kēṇi, Taṉmak-kēṇi, Maṇal-kēṇi/ Maṇaṟ-kēṇi

திராய்க்கேணி, பனிச்சங்கேணி, வெற்றிலைக்கேணி, சுங்கன்கேணி, தும்பங்கேணி, தன்மக்கேணி, மணல்கேணி/ மணற்கேணி
Tirāyk-kēṇi, Paṉiccaṅ-kēṇi, Veṟṟilaik-kēṇi, Cuṅkaṉ-kēṇi, Tumpaṅ-kēṇi, Taṉmak-kēṇi, Maṇal-kēṇi/ Maṇaṟ-kēṇi

Tirāy+kēṇi
Paṉiccai+am+kēṇi
Veṟṟilai+kēṇi
Cuṅkaṉ+kēṇi
Tumpaṉ+kēṇi
Taṉmam+kēṇi
Maṇal+kēṇi

The excavated pond in the locality of Tirāy herbs

The excavated pond by the side of a Paṉiccai tree or trees

The excavated pond found with a betel garden

The excavated pond found with Cuṅkaṉ fish

The excavated pond found with Tumpaṉ fish, or found by the side of Tumpai plants/ trees

The excavated pond meant as charity for the public

The pond excavated in sand

Kēṇi	a small excavated pond tapping underground water, usually constructed and lined with stones on the sides. It my be found only with steps, if used exclusively by people; steps on one side and ramp on the other side, if used separately by people and cattle, and only ramp, if the entrance is shared by both people and cattle (Eezham Tamil model of Kēṇi); small tank, well, ditch, trench (Tamil, DED 1998); a kind of well for the drinking-water use of a village or public (Tamil, Caṅkam diction, Kuṟuntokai, 399: 1-2); a public water source (Tamil, Caṅkam diction, Puṟanānūṟu, 393: 13); constructed pond, tapping underground water (Tamil, Maṇimēkalai, 19: 104; inscription, 550 CE, TASSI 195859, p. 41-83); small pond dug in sand (Tamil, Tirukkuṟaḷ, 40: 6; Kallāṭam, 75: 31); ditch (Tamil, lexicons); temporary well or tank, hole dug in a river's bed, a mine (Malayalam, DED 1998); temporary well or tank, hole dug in a river's bed (Kannada, DED 1998); related to Kiṇaṟu: well (Tamil, DED 1998); both Kiṇaṟu and Kēṇi are related to, Kiṇṭu: (verb) to dig up, to burrow in (Tamil, DED 1542); Keṇṭu: (verb) to dig (Tamil, DED 1542, Naṟṟiṇai, 21: 10; Kuṟuntokai, 233: 1). See column 98 on Kiṇaṟu
Tirāy	a profusely branching prostrate herb, Mollugo spergula (Tamil, MTL); a bitter edible green, "Kacappāṉa kīrai" (Tamil, Kathiraiverpillai); a kind of edible but bitter herb or plant, the root of which is sweetish (Tamil, Winslow); Kampan-tirāy, Kuttut-tirāy, Kaiccaṟ-tirāy, Paṉan-tirāy, Muḷḷan-tirāy, Muḷḷait-tirāy are the varieties noted (Tamil, Winslow); red and white varieties, Cen-tirāy and Veṇ-tirāy are commonly recognized (Eezham Tamil, Batticaloa usage); Tirāyanti: a kind of wild chickweed, equated to Kampan-tirāy (Tamil, MTL); Turā: = Tirāy (Tamil, MTL); Turāay: a profusely branching prostrate grass, "Aṟuku", Cynodon dactylon (Tamil, Caṅkam diction, Glossary of Historical Tamil Literature, Porunarāṟṟuppaṭai, 103)
Paṉiccai	also Paṉiccik-kāy, Paṉiccaṅ-kāy: a tree, Gaub, species of Diospyros (Tamil, DED 4036, Peruṅkatai, 50: 29); Panicci: Diospyros embryopteris (Malayalam DED 4036); Paṉiccai is equated to Kāṭṭatti, Tumpilik-kāy, Tumpi: Diospyros embryopteris (Tamil, MTL); Tumpili, Tumpi: various species of Diospyros (Tamil, DED 3329, cognates in 8 Dravidian languages); Tumpili-related place names are also found in Eezham Tamil, as in Tumpaḷai, Tumpalañ-cōlai etc. Tiṁbiri is the cognate in Sinhala. See columns 54 and 182 for alternative terms of Paṉiccai found in Eezham Tamil and Sinhala place names
Veṟṟilai	also in colloquial Vettilai: betel leaf, Piper betle (Tamil, DED 5515); from Veṟu+iṟṟu(empty morpheme)+ilai: literally meaning bare leaf, i.e., without other ingredients to chew (Tamil, DED 5513+497); Veṟu: empty, bare (Tamil, DED 5513); Ilai: leaf (Tamil, DED 497); Battale, Bettale: bareness (Kannada, DED 5513). See column 61 on Bulat in Sinhala
Cuṅkaṉ	a kind of fish (Tamil, MTL cites Jaffna diction, Winslow, Kathiraiverpillai); a small freshwater fish found in tanks (Eezham Tamil, especially noticed in Batticaloa); Suňgā: a sort of sheat fish, Silurus pungentissimus (Sinhala, Clough); Huňgā: small sort of prickly fish found in rivers (Sinhala, Clough); probably from small size; Suńgat: small (Sinhala, Clough); Cuṅkuṭu, Cuṅkaṭi, Cukku, Cukkal for small bit in Tamil/ Dravidian (DED 2649)
Tumpaṉ1	a freshwater or brackish water fish, noted as Tumpaiyaṉ: a fish coming into paddy fields during floods (Eezham Tamil, MTL, Paṟāḷai Vināyakar Paḷḷu, 77); Tumpi, Tumpai: a fish, Pterois (Tamil, MTL, Winslow, Kathiraiverpillai); Tuṁbu: a fish, "Matsyayek" (Sinhala, Sorata notes with a question mark, citing Dharmapradipikāva); Pterois identified by MTL is a small venomous marine fish having fibre-like tentacles on its body. Species of it could also be found in estuarine freshwater; probably from Tumpu: frayed ends, fibre (Tamil, DED 3333, MTL)
Tumpaṉ2	probably from Tumpai: 1. certain kinds of weed-like flowering plants that grow in abundance: white dead nettle, Leucas; bitter toombay, Leucas aspera; garden balsam, Impatiens balsamina; flower tumbai, Cucas linifolia (Tamil, DED 3334, MTL, Kuṟiñcippāṭṭu, 90; cognates in Malayalam, Kannada, Tulu and Telugu); the garland of the flowers of Tumpai was worn to signify war with enemies in Caṅkam times (Tamil, Puṟanāṉūṟu, 2: 14-15); etymology probably related to Tumpai meaning assembly or crowd (Tamil, DED 3331, cognates in 7 Dravidian languages); 2. a tree, Diospyros tomentosa (Tamil, MTL, see box on Paṉiccai)
Taṉmam	virtuous deed, charity (Tamil, MTL, Piṅkalam, 3621); the word-form is seen since post-Caṅkam times and has been used in various shades of meanings (Tamil, Maṇimēkalai, 29: 282-283; Campantar Tēvaram, 2: 43: 6); from Dharma: what is established, law, duty, right (Sanskrit, Atharva Vedic, CDIAL 6753)
Maṇal	sand (Tamil, DED 4666a). See column 305

The word Kēṇi in Tamil commonly means a small excavated pond tapping underground water, usually lined with stones on the sides and provided with steps or ramp or both.

The term, listed as Dravidian, corresponds to the verbs Keṇṭu and Kiṇṭu in Tamil, meaning to dig. Kiṉaṟu meaning a well is a related term of Kēṇi (see column 98).

* * *

Kēṇi as a constructed pond for a village or public to get potable water:

"ஊர் உண் கேணி உண் துறைத் தொக்க பாசி (குறுந்தொகை, 399: 1-2)

"Ūr uṇ kēṇi uṇ tuṟait tokka pāci (Kuṟuntokai, 399: 1-2)

The collection of moss at the water-drawing side of the drinking-water pond of the village


Kēṇi as a dugout pond of underground water: 

"பரப்பு நீர்ப் பொய்கையும் கரப்பு நீர்க் கேணியும்" (மணிமேகலை, 19: 104)

"Parappu nīrp poykaiyum karappu nīrk kēṇiyum" (Maṇimēkalai, 19: 104)

The Poykai type of pond of surface water and the Kēṇi type of pond of hidden water (underground water)


Kēṇi in sand (Maṇaṟkēṇi):

"தொட்டனைத்து ஊறும் மணற் கேணி" (திருக்குறள், 40: 6)

"Toṭṭaṉaittu ūṟum maṇaṟ kēṇi" (Tirukkuṟaḷ, 40: 6)

A Kēṇi in sand would ooze out water when it is scooped


The verb Keṇṭu meaning to dig:

"ஈர் மணல் மலிரக் கெண்டி" (நற்றிணை, 21: 10)

"Īr maṇal malirak keṇṭi" (Naṟṟiṇai, 21: 10)

Dug into the wet sand in such a way that water was oozing out; or dug intensely into the wet sand


The verb Keṇṭu meaning to dig out:

"கவலை கெண்டிய கல் வாய்ச் சிறு குழி" (குறுந்தொகை, 233: 1)

"Kavalai keṇṭiya kal vāyc ciṟu kuḻi" (Kuṟuntokai, 233: 1)

The wide-mouthed little pits where the Kavalai yam was dug out

* * *

Tirāy is the Tamil name of a profusely branching prostrate herb that is seen in sandy areas. The term is commonly in use in Jaffna and Batticaloa. MTL identifies the herb with Mollugo spergula and also notes that Turā is a variation of the term. Etymology couldn't be ascertained, but a term Turāy was in use in Caṅkam diction to mean a kind of profusely branching prostrate grass called Aṟuku.

Turāy as a grass:

"துராஅய் துற்றிய துருவை" (பொருநராற்றுப்படை, 103)

"Turāay tuṟṟiya turuvai" (Porunarāṟṟuppaṭai, 103)

The sheep that was well fed by grazing Turāy


* * *

Usage of Paṉiccai in literature:

"பால் வெண் கோட்டமும் பனிச்சையும் திலகமும்" (பெருங்கதை, 50: 29)

"Pāl veṇ kōṭṭamum paṉiccaiyum tilakamum" (Peruṅkatai, 50: 29)

The milk-white flowered Kōṭṭam (Webera corymbosa), Paṉiccai (tree, Diospyros embryopteris) and Tilakam (tree, Adenanthera paronina)


* * *

Tumpaiyaṉ noted as a fish:

"தாவு கெளிறு வாரால் ஆரல் தகு வெள்ளாரல் தும்பையன் சாலு மாம்பழக் கெளிறு…வயலிற் பாய" (பறாளை விநாயகர் பள்ளு, 77)

"Tāvu keḷiṟu vārāl āral taku veḷḷāral tumpaiyaṉ cālu māmpaḻak keḷiṟu…vayaliṟ pāya" (Paṟāḷai Vināyakar Paḷḷu, 77)

The jumping Keḷiṟu, Vārāl (Virāl), Āral, the good species white Āral, Tumpaiyaṉ, fine mango-coloured Keḷiṟu etc., have come into the paddy field with floodwater


Tumpai meaning a flowering plant:

"தும்பை, துழாஅய், சுடர் பூந் தோன்றி" (குறிஞ்சிப்பாட்டு, 90)

"Tumpai, tuḻāay, cuṭar pūn tōṉṟi" (Kuṟiñcippāṭṭu, 90)

Tumpai, Tuḻāy (basil) and the flame-flowered Tōṉṟi [comes in the list of flowering plants and trees]


* * *

Taṉmam as meritorious deed:

"புண்ணியமும் வேதமும் தன்மமாகும்" (பிங்கலம், 3621)

"Puṇṇiyamum vētamum taṉmamākum" (Piṅkalam, 3621)

Meritorious deed and sacred knowledge (Veda) means Taṉmam

* * *

Tirāyk-kēṇi is a place in Addalaichchenai division of Amparai district.

Paṉiccaṅ-kēṇi is in Koralaippattu North division of Batticaloa district. There is another by Kallāṟu in Kuchchaveli division of TRincomalee district (Padawiya OIS)

Veṟṟilaik-kēṇi is noticed as a place name near Āḻiyavaḷai in Vadamaradchi East division of Jaffna district (Elephant Pass OIS), and near Kavutārimuṉai in the Poonakari division of Kilinochchi district (Poonakari OIS)

Cuṅkaṉ-kēṇi is in Koralaippattu division of Batticaloa district.

Tumpaṅ-kēṇi is a place in Poratheevuppattu division of Batticaloa district.

Taṉmak-kēṇi is a place near Pulōppaḻai in Pachchilaippalli division of Kilinochchi district (Elephant Pass OIS).

Maṇal-kēṇi/ Maṇaṟ-kēṇi is in Kantacāmimalai, Teṉṉamaravaṭi in Kuchchaveli division of Trincomalee district (Kokkilai OIS)

* * *

Some related place names:

Kēṇi:

Pattar-kēṇi: Karainagar, Jaffna

Cittaṅ-kēṇi: Valikamam West, Jaffna. Cittaṉ: a mystic

Aracar-kēṇi: Pachchilaippalli, Kilinochchi

Ālaṅ-kēṇi: Poonakari, Kilinochchi

Tuvaraṅ-kēṇi: Mannar Town, Mannar

Kaṇuk-kēṇi: Karaithuraippattu, Mullaithteevu; another Kaṇukkēṇik-kuḷam in Āṇṭāṉkuḷam Reserved Forest (Alampil MS); Kaṇu: probably meaning a milestone

Neṭuṅ-kēṇi: Vavuniya North, Vavuniya. Another Neṭuṅkēṇi near Kaṉṉāṭṭi, Murunkan OIS

Kāyaṅ-kēṇi: Koralaippattu North, Batticaloa

Māṅ-kēṇi: Koralaippattu North, Batticaloa

Maturaṅ-kēṇik-kuḷam: Koralaippattu North, Batticaloa Puccak-kēṇi: Koralaippattu North, Batticaloa. Punca-kēṇi? Note Periya Puñcan-kuḷam near Kaṉakarāyaṉ-kuḷam in Palampitti MS

Kaṟuvāk-kēṇi: Koralaippattu, Batticaloa

Iraṇaik-kēṇi: Kuchchaveli, Trincomalee

* * *

Kēṇi from One Inch Sheets:

Nākatampirāṉ-kēṇi; Puṅkuṭutīvu, Delft OIS

Kōrai-veḷik-kēṇi: Puṅkuṭutīvu, Delft OIS

Ālaṭik-kēṇi: Caravaṇai, Kayts, Jaffna OIS

Aracaṉ-kēṇik-kuḷam: Ittāvil, Point Pedro OIS

Paṭṭik-kēṇik-kuḷam: Ittāvil, Point Pedro OIS

Uppuk-kēṇik-kuḷam: Ittāvil, Point Pedro OIS

Ceṭṭi-kēṇik-kuḷam: Eḻutumaṭṭuvāḷ, Point Pedro OIS

Vaṇṇāṉ-kēṇi: Paḻai, Elephant Pass OIS

Marutaṅ-kēṇi: Marutaṅkēṇi, Elephant Pass OIS

Cori-kēṇik-kuḷam: Uruttirapuram, Kilinochchi, Elephant Pass OIS

Māvilaṅ-kēṇi: Nanaddan, Murunkan OIS. Māvilaṅkai: a tree

Nūr-kēṇik-kuḷam: Saibu-puḻiyaṅkuḷam, Murunkan OIS. Nūr: a personal name

Cuṉaik-kēṇi: Kokkuttoṭuvāi, Kokkilai OIS. Cuṉai: natural spring, natural pond (Tamil, DED 2716)

Karuvāṭṭuk-kēṇi: Kokkuttoṭuvāi, Kokkilai OIS. This is a coastal place; Karuvāṭu: dry fish. See column 59

Nāvaṟ-kēṇik-kuḷam: Pulmōṭṭai, Kokkilai OIS; near Tumbaṅkēṇi, Kalmunai OIS

Kēṇi: Kumuḻamuṉai, Mullaiththeevu OIS; Kallāru, Pulmōṭṭai, Kokkilai OIS; Tiriyāy, Kokkilai OIS

Nīrāvik-kēṇi: Aḷampil, Kokkilai OIS

Koṭṭuk-kēṇi: Kokkuttuṭuvāy, Mullaiththeevu, Kokkilai OIS

Kuṟiñcāk-kēṇi: Periyakiṇṇiyā, Trincomalee OIS

Ālaṅ-kēṇi: Periyakiṇṇiyā, Trincomalee OIS

Nāvaṟ-kēṇik-kāṭu: Seruwila, Trincomalee OIS

Iyaṉā-kēṇi: by Kallāṟu in Kuchchaveli, Trincomalee (Padawiya OIS)

Matiraṅ-kēṇi: Kuṭāmuṉaikkal, Vakaneri OIS. Matiram: Marutu tree

Muṭavaṉ-kēṇi: Katiraveḷi, Kathiraveli OIS. Muṭavaṉ: a lame person (Tamil, DED 4919)

Nīlak-kēṇi: Vāḻaiccēṉai, Kalkudah OIS. Nīlam: indigo plant

Vammik-kēṇi: Vāḻaiccēṉai, Kalkudah OIS. Vammi: a tree

Makiḻaṅ-kēṇi: Kumpuṟumūlai, Kalkudah OIS. Makiḻ: a tree

Curuppuk-kēṇi: Kōraḷaippaṟṟu, Batticaloa OIS. Curuppu: muddy sand, quicksand?

Kōralaṅ-kēṇi: Kōraḷaippaṟṟu, Batticaloa OIS. Kōralē: divisional official

Cāḷampaṉ-kēṇi: Vavuṇatīvu, Batticaloa OIS

Karuvēppaṅ-kēṇi: Amirtakaḻi, Batticaloa OIS

Aiyaṅ-kēṇi: Ēṟāvūr, Batticaloa OIS. Aiyaṉ: the deity Aiyaṉār

Pālai-vaṭṭavāṉ-kēṇi: Kalmunai OIS.

Ūttuk-kēṇi: Ūṟṟuk-kēṇi: Tampalavattai, Kalmunai OIS. Ūṟṟu/ Ūttu: spring of water

Kēṇi-maṭuk-kuḷam: Kalmunai OIS

Kaḷuvaṉ-kēṇi: Kōraḷaippaṟṟu, Batticaloa OIS. Kaḷuvaṉ: probably a fish

Veṭilaṉ-kēṇi: near Kōṭṭaik-kallāṟu, Kalmunai OIS. Veṭil: foul smell, stink (Tamil, MTL citing Jaffna Dictionary); Veṭṭai, Veṭukku: = Veṭil (Eezham Tamil usages); Vāṭai: fume, scent (Tamil, DED 5343); Vāṭa: scent of dogs (Malayalam, DED 5343); Vāḍa: smell (Telugu, DED 5343); Vāsa: scent (Sanskrit, Pali, Prakrit, CDIAL 11592)

Cappa-kēṇi: near Kaḷuvaṉ-kēṇi, Batticaloa OIS

Cāḷampak-kēṇi: east of Cavavaḷakkaṭai, Kalmunai OIS

Tāmaraik-kēṇi: Vellāveḷi, Kalmunai OIS

Kēṇimaṭu-kuḷam: south of Vammiyaṭiyūṟṟu, Kalmunai OIS

Kittil-ūṟṟu Kuḷam: near Mutalikkuḷam, Padawiya OIS

Kokkuḻāyk-kēṇi: on the southern side of the mouth of Kokkuḻāy Lagoon (Kokkilai OIS)

* * *

Kēṇi: from other sources

Kēṇik-karai: Vēlaṇai, Jaffna (Balasundaram, p. 156)

Aracaṭik-kēṇi: Ittāvil, Kilinochchi (Balasundaram, p. 102). Aracu+aṭi+kēṇi

Vērak-kēṇi: Mirucuvil, Jaffna (Balasundaram, p. 113). Vēr: chaya root

Iraṭṭaik-kēṇi: Paḻai, Kilinochchi (V. Almanac, 2013-14, p. 96). Iraṭṭai: twin

Vēmpōṭu-kēṇi: Navaṉi-veḷi, Paḻai, Kilinochchi (V. Almanac, 2013-14, p. 101). Note the place names Vēmpōṭiya Kuḷam in Iluppaik-kaṭavai; and Vērōṭu-kēṇi in Aḻiyavaḷai in Vadamaradchi East, Jaffna (Elephant Pass OIS)

* * *

Tirāy:

Tirāyk-kuḷam: Paḻai, Pachchilaippalli, Kilinochchi, (Elephant Pass OIS)

Tirāy-maṭu: Manmunai North, Batticaloa

* * *

Paṉiccai:

Paṉiccai-maṭu: East of Paṉaṅkāmam, (Mantai OIS); south of Ūñcālkaṭṭi, Vavuniya, (Kokkilai OIS)

Paṉiccaṉ-muṟippuk-kuḷam: south of Oddusuddan, Mullaiththeevu (Iranaimadu OIS)

Paṉiccaṉ-maṭu: Pulmōṭṭai, (Kokkilai OIS). Note the Aṉ ending, see column 66

Paṉiccaṉ-kuḷam: Pulmōṭṭai, (Kokkilai OIS)

Kocci-paṉiccaik-kuḷam: near Cuvantamuṟippu, (Kokkilai OIS). Kocci: probably meaning the smaller compared to another (note Kuñcu in other place names)

Paṉiccaiyaṭi-muṉmāri: Paniccai+aṭi+muṉmāri: Manmunai Southwest, Batticaloa

Paṉiccaiyaṭi: Paṉiccai+aṭi: Manmunai North, Batticaloa

Paṉiccayaṭi-āṟu: Paṉiccai+aṭi+āṟu: Kinniya, Batticaloa

Paṉiccaiyaṭit-tīvu: Paṉiccai+aṭi+tīvu: Kinniya, Batticaloa

Paṉiccaiyaṭi-aṇaikkaṭṭu: Paṉiccai+aṭi+aṇaikkaṭtu: near Cākāmam, (Tirukkovil OIS)

Paṉiccaik-kuḻam: Kūḻāmuṟippu, Iranaimadu OIS; Kāñcūrantulaval, Vavuniya OIS

* * *

Cuṅkaṉ:

Cuṅkaṉ-kuḻi: near Kaṭṭaipaṟiccāṉ, Moothoor, (Trincomalee OIS); near Īccilampaṟṟai, Kinniya, Trincomalee (Kathiraveli OIS)

Cuṅkaṉ-kuḻik-kuḷam: west of Kārapola, Mannampitiya, Polonnaruwa, (Vakneri OIS)

Suňgā:

Suňgā-vila: Lankapura, Polonnaruwa

* * *

Veṟṟilai:

Veṟṟilai-pōṭṭāṉ-maṭu: south of Muruttaṉai, Vakaneri OIS

* * *

Nalla-taṇṇīr:

Nalla-taṇṇīr-toṭuvāy: Nallataṇṇit-toṭuvāy: Cālai, Mullaiththeevu, Elepant Pass OIS

* * *



* * *


Revised: Sunday, 23 July 2017, 18:30

First published: Thursday, 31 January 2008, 23:51