Know the Etymology: 238
Place Name of the Day: Wednesday, 13 March 2013

Karagaha-ulpatha, Paalai-oottu

கரக₃ஹ உல்ப[த்]த
பாலையூற்று
Karagaha-ulpata
pālai-ūṟṟu

Kara+gaha+ulpatha
Paalai+oottu

The spring (in the locality) of Kara shrub
The spring (in the locality) of Paalai tree

Ulpatha	(singular), Ulpath (plural): spring of water, fountain (Sinhala); Ul-pat: the path or passage through which water springs out, “ Diya unana pathaya/ maargaya” (Sinhala, Sorata); 1. Ul: up or beyond, comes in word combinations such as Ul-langha, meaning springing over (Sinhala); Ullalai, Ullar'naa: jumps up, to spring up (Prakrits, CDIAL 2373); Alangku, Ulangku: to move, swing, be in motion, shake, dangle (Tamil, DED 240); 2. Aal: water, flood (Tamil, DED 384); Oali: spring, temporary well (Malayalam, DED 999); Ulliyar: those who divine subterranean water (Tamil, Thivaakaram Lexicon, 2:98); 3. Oo'ru: to spring, flow as water in a well (Tamil, DED 761); Oo'ral: small spring, spring water (Tamil, DED 761). Cognates found in 15 Dravidian languages. For R and L interchange see table on Oottu below. Patha: road, path, way (Sinhala, Pali, Sanskrit, CDIAL 7743); Paththar, Paththal: ditch, depression (Tamil, DED 4080); Paanthu: cavity, hollow, deep hole (Tamil, DED 4080); Paaththi: drain, spout, watering trough or basin (Tamil, DED 4079)
Oottu	(verb) To pour out; (noun) A spring, fountain (Tamil, DED 761); From Oo’ru: (verb) To spring, flow as water in a well (Tamil, DED 761); Oo’ral: Small spring, spring-water (Tamil, DED 761); Uja: Fountain, spring (Tulu, DED 761); Oosa: Spring (Konda, DED 761). Cognates found in 15 Dravidian languages (DED 761). Also note the 'R > L interchange in Oo'ru and Ul
Kara	A thorny shrub, Canthium parviflorum (Sinhala); Kaarai: A low shrub with sharp spines, Canthium parviflorum (Tamil, DED 1475); Kaara: A thorny shrub, Canthium parviflorum and many other species (Malayalam DED 1475); Kaare: A thorny shrub Webera tetrandra, synonym for Canthium parviflorum (Kannada, DED 1475). See columns on Kaaraitheevu and Karampan
Gaha	Tree (Sinhala); Gaksha: Tree (Sanskrit, CDIAL 3949).
Paalai	A tree of literary fame that gave identity to the arid zone in Tamil literature, Mimusops kauki (Tamil, DED 4100), Mimusops manilkara kauki, Manilkara hexandra are synonyms; Paala: Various trees of the same and related species (Malayalam, DED 4100); Mimusops hexandra (Telugu, DED 4100); Pa’lu: A timber tree, Mimusops hexandra, Mimusops indica, Manilkara hexandra (Sinhala). Cognates are found in 7 Dravidian languages. The tree has probably gained the name from the sweet milky substance that oozes from the pulp of its fruit; Paal: Milk, milky juice of plants, fruits etc. (Tamil, DED 4096)

Ulpatha means a spring of water in Sinhala.

The etymology could be connected to both Dravidian and Indo-Aryan. See table.

The old Tamil term Ulliyar for those who divine subterranean water (Thivaakaram Lexicon 2:98), is a significant comparison to the Sinhala term Ulpatha meaning a fountain or spring of water.

Oottu in Tamil, a derivative from the verb Oo’ru, also means a spring of water and the etymology is traced to Dravidian (DED 761).

Kara in Sinhala and Kaarai in Tamil mean a thorny shrub Canthium parviflorum or Webera tetrandra. The word Kaarai for the shrub, having cognates in other Dravidian languages is traced to Dravidian etymology (DED 1475).

Gaha in Sinhala, meaning a tree, is of Indo-Aryan etymology and is a cognate of Gaksha in Sanskrit (CDIAL 3949)

Paalai is a tree of literary fame in Tamil. The word having cognates in 7 Dravidian languages is listed as a term of Dravidian etymology (DED 4100). The Sinhala name Pa’lu for the same tree is a cognate. The Tamil name Paalai for the tree, bearing milky-sweet fruits, seems to have originated from the root of another Tamil word Paal of Dravidian etymology (DED 4096), meaning milk or milky juice of plants, fruits etc.

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Karagaha-ulpatha is a place in Uva Paranagama division of Badulla district

Paalai-oottu is a place in Trincomalee Town and Gravets division of Trincomalee district

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Some related place names:

Ulpatha:

Ulpatha-gama: The village of the spring or fountain; Minipe division, Kandy district; Galgamuwa division, Kurunegala district; Palagala division, Anuradhapura district

Ulpatha-pitiya: The plain or high ground having a spring; Rattota division, Matale district; Ukuwela division, Matale district

Ulpatha-kumbura: The paddy field having a spring; KFG&G Korale division, Kandy district

Moragaha-ulpatha: The spring in the locality of Mora trees; Wilgamuwa division, Matale district

Welangaha-ulpatha: The spring in the locality of Wealaa-gas trees (Ocimum gratissimum)

Waya-ulpatha: Probably, the fountain or spring water having whirlpool or eddy; Palugaswewa division, Anuradhapura district

Mahaa-ulpatha: The big spring; Dimbulagala division, Polonnaruwa district; Bandarawela division, Badulla district

Madawala-ulpatha: The spring in the muddy forest; Matale division, Matale district

Aggala-ulpatha: The spring at the upper milestone; Meegahakivula division, Badulla district

Anda-ulpatha: The oval-shaped spring; Rideemaliyadda division, Badulla district

Bandara-ulpatha: The spring of the prince; Kepithigollewa division, Anuradhapura district


Oottu:

Tha’n’ni-oottu: The fountain or spring of water; Karaithu’raippattu division, Mullaiththeevu district

Sarava’naiyadi-oottu: The spring in the locality of Sarava’nai reed

Nadoottu: Nadu-oottu: The spring at the middle; Ki’n’niyaa division, Trincomalee district

Oottup-pulam: The paddy fields having a spring; Karaichchi division, Ki’linochchi district

Kunchttuwa: Kugnchu-oottuwa: The small spring; Kepithigollewa division, Anuradhapura district

Uttu-pitiya: Oottu-pitiya: The plains or high ground having a spring; Thirappane division, Anuradhapura district

Vammiyadi-oottu: The spring in the locality of Vammi trees; Poaratheevu-pattu division, Batticaloa district

Ooththang-karai: The bank or side of the spring; Karaithu’raippattu division, Mullaiththeevu district


Kara:

Kara-mada: The muddy place of Kara shrub; Udanuwara division, Kandy district

Kara-gas-kada: The side of Kara shrub; Deltota division, Kandy district

Kara-vila-hena: The slash and burn fields of the pond in the locality of Kara shrubs; Ukuwela division, Matale district

Kara-gas-thalawa: The grassland of Kara shrubs; Kothmale division, Nuwara Eliya district; Imbulpe division, Ratnapura district

Karan-deniya: The land of Kara shrubs; Karandeniya division, Galle district

Kara-pitiya: The plains or high land of Kara shrubs; Bope-poddala division, Galle district

Kara-goda: The bank or hill of Kara shrub; Yakkala-mulla division, Galle district

Kara-gaha-wala: The jungle of Kara shrubs; Angunukolapelessa division, Hambantota district

Kara-thota: The ferry point of Kara shrubs; Kirinda-pahulwella division, Matara district

Kara-veddi: The expanse of Kara shrubs; Karaveddi division, Jaffna district; Ma’nmunaippattu West division, Batticaloa district

Kara-vedduvaan: The expanse of Kara shrubs; Ki’n’niyaa division, Trincomalee district

Kara-vita: The mound or hillock of Kara shrubs; Chilaapam division, Puththa’lam district

Kara-pola: The market place of Kara shrubs; Welikanda division, Polonnaruwa district

Kara-gaha-wela: The paddy fields in the locality of Kara shrubs; Bandarawela division, Badulla district

Kara-vila: The pond of Kara shrubs; Katharagama division, Moneragala district

Kara-pane: The waters in the locality of Kara shrubs; Mawanella division, Kegalle district

Kara-gala: The hill of Kara shrubs; Galigamuwa division, Kegalle district

Kara-liyadda: Kara-liyædda: The division of paddy field having Kara shrubs; Medadumbara division, Kandy district

First published: Wednesday, 13 March 2013, 00:38