Know the Etymology: 350
Place Name of the Day: Friday, 30 May 2014

Thaaraak-ku'ndu, Thaaraa-potha

தாராக்குண்டு, தாராபொத
Tārākkuṇṭu, Tārāpota

Thaaraa+ku'ndu
Thaaraa+potha

The duck pond

The range, grassland, flatland or site of ducks

Thaaraa	Duck, heron (Tamil, DED 3169); Taaraavu: Duck (Malayalam, DED 3169); Taaraavi: Duck (Sinhala)
Ku'ndu	natural pond, pool, waterhole, hollow, sinkhole, (Tamil, DED 1669). See column on Chempan-ku'ndu
Potha	From Pothu: Grassland, flatland, range, (Sinhala). Poatha: Site of a dwelling place (Sinhala). Pothai: Bush (Tamil, DED 4509); Puthal: Grass (Tamil, DED 4509); Poaththu: Sleeping place for animals (Tamil, DED 4452). See column on Kirigal-potha

Thaaraa means duck in common Tamil usage. In early Tamil literature the word stood for duck as well as heron.

In Sinhala, Taaraavu is the word for duck and the closest parallel is Taaraavi meaning duck in Malayalam.

Taaraa and Taaraavi are listed as words of Dravidian etymology (DED 3169).

See earlier columns on Chempan-ku'ndu and Kirigal-potha for etymological discussions on Ku'ndu and Potha, respectively meaning a natural pond and range, grassland or site of dwelling.

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Thaaraa as duck:

“Eruthoadu uzhalkin'raar oathai kurukoadu thaaraath thoa'ru aaynthu eduppum tha'n am kazhaniththea” (Thi'naimaalai 139)

“எருதோடு உழல்கின்றார் ஓதை குருகோடு தாராத் தோறு ஆய்ந்து எடுப்பும் தண் அம் கழனித்தே” (திணைமாலை 139)

The cool watered paddy fields, where the noise of those who roam with their oxen would mingle and excel the sound of the birds and ducks.


Thaaraa as heron:

“Thaaraa iriyum thakai vayal ooran” (Kai:n:nilai, 40)

“தாரா இரியும் தகை வயல் ஊரன்” (கைந்நிலை, 40)

The man of the village where herons fly away from paddy fields

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Thaaraak-ku'ndu is a place in Mannaar Town division of Mannaar district

Thaaraa-potha is in Mawathagama division of Kurunegala district

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Some related place names:

Thaarakudi-villuwa: probably, the pond of the hamlet of ducks; Munthal division, Puththa'lam district.

First published: Friday, 30 May 2014, 20:52