Know the Etymology: 250
Place Name of the Day: Thursday, 09 May 2013

Thikili-vaddai, Kahatagas-digiliya

திகிலி வட்டை
கஹதக₃ஸ் தி₃கி₃லிய
Tikili Vaṭṭai
Kahatagas Digiliya

Thikili+vaddai
Kahata+gas+digiliya

The arid-jungle surroundings or the paddy field in the arid-jungle
The arid-jungle landscape having Kahata trees

Vaddai	A patch or stretch of paddy field, surroundings, settlement (Eezham Tamil); Vaddai: Cultivation localities or villages (Tamil, inscriptions c.1300 CE, Aava’nam 6 pp36-40); Vaddavaan: Surroundings (Eezham Tamil, especially East); Vaddakai: A large surrounding area or region (Tamil, inscriptions, 1228 CE, Inscriptions of Pudukkottai State 285); Vadavai: defined land, especially paddy field (Tamil, inscriptions, 924 CE, South Indian Inscriptions, viii, 695); Wæṭa: An enclosure of any kind, hedge, fence (Sinhala); Waṭa: To surround, to encompass (Sinhala); Waṭaya: Circumference chiefly used of trees (Sinhala); Waaṭyaa: Garden (Sinhala); Watta (singular), Watu (plural): Garden, place or residence consisting of a garden or grove of coconut and other fruit trees (Sinhala); Vaṭṭa: Round, circle (Pali, Prakrit, CDIAL 12069 traces the etymology to Vrtta meaning turned in Rig Veda); Vaddam: Round, circle (Tamil); From Va’lai: (verb) To surround, encircle etc., (Tamil, DED 5313, ‘L > T interchange)
Digiliya	A kind of jungle landscape (Sinhala, Madduma Bandara 2009); A rare usage in Sinhala place names, probably related to Jaangala, Jaangila: Wood, jungle, wild, landscape diversified with hill and dale, wilderness (Sinhala, J > D interchange); Jaangala: Arid, sparingly grown with trees (Sanskrit, CDIAL 5177); Jhangku: Jungle (Sanskrit CDIAL 5177); Jhangaa: Pastureland (Prakrit, CDIAL 5177); Jangala: Rough waterless place (Pali, CDIAL 5177)
Thikili	(Batticaloa Tamil place-name component, a rare usage), Related to Digiliya in Sinhala. See table above
Kahata	A tree, Patana Oak, Careya arborea (Sinhala); Bitter, acrid, astringent (Sinhala); Kacappu, Kayappu, Kaippu, Kayar: Bitterness, astringency (Tamil, DED 1249); Cognates found in 17 Dravidian languages (DED 1249); Kashaaya: Astringent (Sanskrit, CDIAL 2974); Kasata: Bitter, acrid (Pali, CDIAL 2974)
Gas	Also Gasa, Gaha: Tree in general (Sinhala); Gaksha: Tree (Sanskrit, CDIAL 3949)

Vaddai is a common Eezham Tamil place-name component, found especially in the Batticaloa district. It is found occasionally in the place names of other Tamil districts including Jaffna.

In Batticaloa, the term Vaddai is used in the place names to mainly mean a patch or stretch of paddy field. Such paddy fields are usually clearances in jungle areas and are fenced. Vaddai also means surroundings of a locality or a settlement.

Another related place name component found in Batticaloa Tamil is Vaddavaan. Looking from the context of the place names, Vaddavaan seems to mainly mean surroundings.

Vaddai and Vaddavaan have to be clearly differentiated from the place name components Veddai and Vedduvaan. The former, coming from the root Va’lai and Vaddam, means a paddy-field patch or surroundings, while the latter coming from the root Ve’li/ Vedi means an expanse.

Cognates found in Sinhala for Vaddai are, Wæta (enclosure), Wata (to encompass), Wataya (a place encompassed, especially by trees) and Waatyaa (garden).

Probably, the Sinhala terms, Watta and Watu (garden or grove) and the Eezham Tamil toponymic term Vaththai (a plot of land or settlement) could etymologically be related to the above terms found in Tamil and Sinhala, basically meaning a defined land.

The term Vaddu, as in Vadduk-koaddai, found in Jaffna district and the term Vaddi as in Vaddi-ve’li found in Poththuvil, Ampaa’rai district, are probably variations of Vaddam-related words.

The words Vaddu, Vaddam and their verb forms Vaddiththa, Vaddippa etc., used in Tamil right from earliest literature, have a cognate Vatta in Pali and Prakrit, giving the same meaning, round, circle etc.

While CDIAL (12069) traces the etymology to the word Vrtta found in Rig Veda, meaning ‘turned’, the verb root Va’lai, meaning to surround, encircle etc., (from which Vaddu/ Vaddam could have come by ‘L > T/ D change), is listed as a word of Dravidian etymology (DED 5313).

The word Vaddam has been found used in nearly 36 shades of meaning in Tamil literature (Glossary of Historical Tamil Literature). Meaning a place, encirclement, limit, surroundings and also a pond are the geographical shades found among them.

In this context, Tamil inscriptions come out with certain derivatives of the word Vaddam that were used in geographical meanings very relevant to the Vaddam-related place names in Tamil and Sinhala discussed above.

A term Vadavai was used in the Tamil inscriptions to mean a plot of land, especially a paddy field.

Vaddakai was a term used in the Tamil inscriptions to mean a large surrounding area or region.

Vaddai was a term used in the Tamil inscriptions to mean cultivation villages or localities

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Examples from Tamil inscriptional usages:

Vadavai:

“parasuraaman vadavaikkum chi’riyaan Ku’namantharan vadavaikkum mattum ozhintha nilaththukku vadakku” (924 CE, South Indian Inscriptions, viii, 695)

“பரசுராமன் வடவைக்கும் சிறியான் குணமந்தரன் வடவைக்கும் மற்றும் ஒழிந்த நிலத்துக்கு வடக்கு” (924 CE, South Indian Inscriptions, viii, 695)

North of the (paddy field) land of Parasuraaman, (paddy field) land of Ku’namantharan and all the other (paddy field) lands

Vaddakai:

“Ik koa:naadu irupaththu:naat kaatha vaddakaiyum” (1228 CE, Inscriptions of Pudukkottai State, 285)

“இக் கோநாடு இருபத்துநாற் காத வட்டகையும்” (1228 CE, Inscriptions of Pudukkottai State, 285)

The 24 Kaatha (60 or 96 miles) circumference/ surroundings of this country/ province called Koa-naadu

Vaddai:

“Ippadikku vairaakika’lum chamaiyak ka’nakkanum pala vaddaika’lilum tha’ndip pukuntha” (c.1300 CE, Aava’nam, 6 pp 36-40)

“இப்படிக்கு வைராகிகளும் சமையக் கணக்கனும் பல வட்டைகளிலும் தண்டிப் புகுந்த” (c.1300 CE, ஆவணம், 6 pp 36-40)

Thus the collections (probably of paddy) made in the many villages/ localities by ascetics and the religious accountant

* * *

Digiliya is a Sinhala term for a kind of jungle landscape, according to Peradeniya University’s Professor of Geography, Madumma Bandara (2009).

The word Digiliya is not found in Clough’s Sinhala-English dictionary, but there are two obvious cognates, Jaangila and Jaangala that mean wood, jungle, wild, place diversified with hill and dale and wilderness.

J and D interchange commonly in Sinhala (Ex: Jambu > Dambu).

Digiliya, Jaangala and Jaangila are words of Indo-Aryan etymology (CDIAL 5177), corresponding to Jaangala in Sanskrit, meaning an arid place sparingly grown with trees, Jhangku in Sanskrit, meaning a jungle, Jhangaa in Prakrit meaning a pastureland and Jangala in Pali meaning a rough waterless place.

The word Tikili found in a place name in Batticaloa district is obviously a cognate of the Sinhala term Digiliya.

* * *

Kahata is a Sinhala word for a tree that is known in English as Patana Oak, Ceylon Oak and Wild Goa (Careya arborea).

The Sinhala name comes from the bitter or astringent attributes of the tree, as Kahata also means bitter, acrid and astringent in Sinhala. The bark and sepals of its flowers, which are astringent, are used in native medicine.

Aavi-maa, Kumpi, Peazhai-maram and Poothath-thaan’ri are its Tamil names (MTL)

On etymology, Kahata meaning bitter or astringent could be traced to both the Indo-Aryan and Dravidian.

Kasata, meaning bitter or acrid in Pali and Kashaaya meaning astringent in Sanskrit are listed under, A comparative Dictionary of Indo-Aryan Languages (CDIAL), entry no. 2974.

Meanwhile, Kasappu, Kayappu, Kaippu and Kayarppu, meaning bitterness and astringency in Tamil and the root verb Kai, meaning ‘to be bitter’ in Tamil are taken as Dravidian words and are listed under entry no. 1249 of Dravidian Etymological Dictionary (DED). Cognates of the words are found in 17 Dravidian languages.

The component Gas in Kahata-gas simply means a tree and it is a word of Indo-Aryan etymology related to Gaksha in Sanskrit (CDIAL 3949).

* * *

Thikili-vaddai is a village in the Vaazhaichcheanai division of Batticaloa district

Kahata-gas-digiliya is a village in the division of the same name in Anuradhapura district

* * *

Some related place names:


Kahata-gas:

Kahata-gas-thenna: The place of Kahata-gas trees; Poojapitiya division, Kandy district

Kahata-gas-yaaya: The expanse of Kahata-gas trees; Uhana division, Ampaa’rai district

Kahata-gas-wewa: The tank in the locality of Kahata-gas trees; Uhana division, Ampaa’rai district.

* * *

Vaddai:


Chemma’n-vaddai: The red soil surroundings/ paddy field patch; Chammaanthu’rai division, Ampaa’rai district

Ku’laththu-vaddai: The tank’s surroundings/ paddy field patch; Koa’ra’laippattu division, Batticaloa district

Iluppadi-vaddai: Iluppai-adi-vaddai: The Iluppai tree locality’s surroundings/ paddy field patch

Kudaa-vaddai: The backwater corner’s surroundings/ paddy field patch; Ea’raavoor-pattu division, Batticaloa district; Vadamaraadchi Southwest division, Jaffna district

Thu’raiyadi-vaddai: The jetty locality’s surroundings/ paddy field patch; Ea’raavoor-pattu division, Batticaloa district

Villi’ra-vaddai: Vil-i’ra-vaddai: The low-lying surroundings/ paddy field patch of the pond; Ea’raavoor-pattu division, Batticaloa district

I’rakkaththu-vaddai: The surroundings/ paddy field patch of the downward slope or low-lying land; Poaratheevuppattu division, Batticaloa district

Aliyaar-vaddai: The surroundings/ paddy field patch of a person of the name Aliyaar (a Muslim name); Paoratheevuppattu division, Batticaloa district

Kaakkaachchi-vaddai: The surroundings/ paddy field patch of Kaakkaachchi oyster shell land; Poaratheevuppattu division, Batticaloa district

Ka’la-vaddai: The surroundings of the threshing floor; Poaratheevuppattu division, Batticaloa district

Naayaattu-vaddai: The surroundings/ paddy field patch of the stream of otters; Poaratheevuppattu division, Batticaloa district

Nediya-vaddai: The long or extensive surroundings/ paddy field stretch; Poaratheevuppattu division, Batticaloa district

Oadaaviyaar-vaddai: The surroundings/ paddy field patch of the boat-builder; Poaratheevuppattu division, Batticaloa district

Paalaiyadi-vaddai: The paalai tree locality’s surroundings/ paddy field patch; Poaratheevuppattu division, Batticaloa district

Pa’l’la-vaddai: The surroundings/ paddy field patch of the low-lying land; Poaratheevuppattu division, Batticaloa district

Puthu-vaddai: The new paddy-field patch; Poaratheevuppattu division, Batticaloa district

Samu’laiyadi-vaddai: The Samu’lai tree locality’s surroundings/ paddy field patch; Poaratheevuppattu division, Batticaloa district

Vakkiyellai-vaddai: Probably, the surroundings/ paddy field patch by the stream of Bakmee trees; Poaratheevuppattu division, Batticaloa district

Mara-vaddaik-ku’lam: The tank of the tree surroundings or the tank of the paddy field patch enclosed by trees/ wooden logs; Moothoor division, Trincomalee district

Munnampoadi-vaddai: The surroundings/ paddy field patch of a person named Munnam-poadi; Moothoor division, Trincomalee district

Keazh-vaddai: The patch of land for the cultivation of finger millet; Valikaamam North division, Jaffna district (Balasundaram, p.422)

Nakkanaa-vaddai: Probably the patch of cultivation land or the surroundings belonging to a temple dancer-woman; Valikaamam North division, Jaffna district (Balasundaran, p. 425)

Chi’riya-vaddai: The small settlement, surroundings, or patch of cultivation land: Valikaamam North division, Jaffna district (Balasundaram, p. 423)

Thampu-vaddai: The surroundings or patch of cultivation land belonging to a person named Thampu; Valikaamam South Division, Jaffna district (Balasundaram p.424)

* * *

Vaddu, Vadda, Vaddi:


Vadduk-koaddai: Probably the enclosure or fortress at the paddy-field stretch; Valikaamam West division, Jaffna district

Vaddaa-vaththai: Probably, the cultivation garden or the enclosed grove/ garden; Valikaamam Northeast division, Jaffna district

Vaddu-vaththai: Probably, the cultivation garden or the enclosed grove/ garden; Valikaamam Northeast division, Jaffna district; Valikaamam Southwest division, Jaffna district

Vaddu-vini: Probably the cultivation jungle or the enclosed jungle; Valikaamam South Jaffna district

Vaddak-kachchi: The cultivation jungle; Karaichchi division, Ki’linochchi district

Vaddak-ka’ndal: The cultivation marsh or the marshland for cultivation; Maanthai West division, Mannaar district

Vaddak-koaddaik-ku’lam; The tank of the paddy field enclosure or the tank of the round fort/ fortress; Musali division, Mannaar district

Olli-vaddath-thaazhvu: The low-lying land of the paddy fields having Olli (Alli in standard Tamil and Olu in Sinhala) flowers (a small kind of lotus that grows in paddy fields) or the low-lying land of the pond of Olli flowers; Maanthai West division, Mannaar district. Vaddam also means a pond, may be because of the enclosing bank (Thivaakaram Lexicon, 5:61)

Vadda-madu: The cultivation field’s pond or the round pond; Aalaiyadi-vempu division, Ampaa’rai district; Ki’n’niyaa division, Trincomalee district

Vaddi-ve’li: The paddy-field expanse; Poththuvil division, Ampaa’rai district

Vaddi-poadda-madu: Probably the pond (bed) used for cultivation or the pond for which an enclosure was made; Koa’ra’laippattu division, Batticaloa district

* * *

Vaddavaan:


Mu’l’li-vaddavaan: The surroundings of Mu’l’li vegetation; Koa’ra’laippattu West division, Batticaloa district; Ea’raavoorpattu division, Batticaloa district

Karantha-vaddavaan: The surroundings of Karanthai trees; Koa’ra’laippattu division, Batticaloa district

Periya-vaddavaan: The big surroundings; Koa’ra’laippattu division, Batticaloa district; Ea’raavoorpattu division, Batticaloa district

Chinna-vaddavaan; The small surooundings; Koa’ra’laippattu division, Batticaloa district

Vaddavaan: The surroundings, settlement, or a patch od paddy fields; Koa’ra’laippattu division, Batticaloa district; Musali division, Mannaar district

Mayilai-vaddavaan: The surroundings of Mayilai shrub; Ea’raavorpattu division, Batticaloa district

Veappa-vaddavaan: The surroundings of Margosa trees; Ea’raavoorpattu division, Batticaloa district

Maa-vadduvaan: The big surroundings, or the surroundings of mango trees; Koa’ra’laippattu division, Batticaloa district

* * *

Wætiya/ Waatyaa

The following Sinhala place names are probably connected to gardens or groves as the contexts indicate. Even though they are spelt as Wætiya, meaning a dam or bank, it is possible that the term is a derivation of Waatyaa, meaning a garden or grove.

Puwak-wætiya: The areca nut garden; Mahara division, Gampaha district

Wewarana-wætiya: The grove of Wewarana trees; Galgamuwa division of Kurunegala district

Karanda-wætiya: The grove of Karanda trees; Wariyapola division of Kurunegala district

Thammenna-wætiya: The grove of Thammanaa trees; Nawagattegama division of Puththa’lam district

Halmilla-wætiya: The grove of Halmilla trees; Kebithigollewa division of Anuradhapura district

First published: Thursday, 09 May 2013, 21:53