Know the Etymology: 391
Place Name of the Day: Monday, 02 February 2015

Paalai-meen-madu, Min-neariya

பாலைமீன்மடு, மின்னேரிய
Pālaimīṉ-maṭu, Minnēriya

Paalai+meen+madu
Min+neariya

The White Mullet fishpond

The fish reservoir

Paalai	also Paalai-meen: a kind of fish (Tamil, MTL Supplementary); a kind of freshwater fish (Eezham Tamil, Pa’raa’lai Vinaayakar Pa’l’lu 75); Paal-meen, Paalai-meen, paal-ke’ndai: identified with Milk Fish, White Mullet, Mugil curema, which is marine as well as freshwater type of fish, found in sandy coasts, brackish lagoons, estuaries and coastal ponds; Paal: milk (Tamil, DED 4096): Paalai: also means the tree Manikara hexandra or Memosops kauki that yields sweet milky fruits (Tamil, DED 4100)
Meen	fish (Tamil, DED 4885); cognates in 17 Dravidian languages; Min: flash, glitter, shine (Tamil, DED 4876); Meen: star (Tamil, DED 4876); cognates in 14 Dravidian languages
Min	fish, star, light, wisdom (Sinhala); Meen: fish, star (Tamil, DED 4885, 4876); Min: flash, glitter, shine (Tamil, DED 4876); Meena: fish (Sanskrit, etymology traced to Dravidian, CDIAL 10140)
Madu	pond, pool, lake, reservoir, deep place in a river or channel, shallow place, a place coming down and going up (Tamil, DED 4658, Thivaakaram, 5: 61; 5: 229); deep place, pool (Malayalam; DED 4658); Madu, Mada, Maduvu, Madavu, Maduhu: deep water, deep place in a river, pool (Kannada, DED 4658); Madoogu: pond, tank, basin, lake, pool or collection of any liquid in a pit or hollow (Telugu, DED 4658); Madi: (verb) to curve (Tamil, Akanaanoo’ru 50: 11); to fold; (noun) lap, pouch (Tamil, DED 4645); Madangku, Madakku: to stop, to draw in (Tamil, DED 4645); Madu: (verb) flowing in (Tamil, Paripaadal, 20: 42): to hold, accumulate, stay in (Tamil, literary usages); Madai: dam by which the flow of water in a channel is obstructed (Tamil, Natti’nai, 340: 3, DED 4659); Madaa: a large earthen vessel (Tamil, DED 4651)
Maduwa	Sinhalicised form of Madu in place names bordering North and East provinces of the island (see box on Madu); But there is another Sinhala word Maduwa, which is singular form of another word Madu, meaning shed, temporary building, bungalow etc. (Sinhala); Madu also means the false sago palm in Sinhala. See column on Madu-maana
Neari	bund of a tank or tank (Tamil, Eezham and southern Tamil Nadu, as found in toponymy); Neariya: bund of a tank or tank (Sinhala, as found in toponymy, especially in North Central and North Western Provinces); 1. Eari: see box below; 2. Near: straightness, row, verticality, (Tamil, DED 3772); Neari: a hill in the Chola country (Tamil, Pathittuppaththu, 67: 22); 3. Theari: Mound, stretches of mounds or dunes having red loamy earth (Thirunelveli dialect of Tamil); sand-hill (Tamil, DED 3461); hillock, swelling on the ground (Malayalam, DED 3461) Thera: Bank or border of a river (Sinhala, Clough's Dictionary); Th / N interchange is also a possibility
Eari	large tank, reservoir for irrigation, lake (Tamil, DED 901); stakes to support banking work, bank (Malayalam, DED 901); a raised bank, the bank of a tank, a tank (Kannada, DED 901); a bed for planting vegetables (Tulu, DED 901); Eri: parapet of well, bund in paddy fields or tank (Kodagu, DED 901); Ear 1: rising high, raised, raised status, swelled (Tamil, Changkam diction, Natti’nai, 160: 4; Akanaanoo’ru, 13: 22-23); related to the root Ea: increase, pile, looking upward (Tamil, DED 870); Earpu: raised status (Tamil, Pingkalam, 7: 429); Eari: Hump on bull (Tamil, Malayalam, DED 904); Eruthu: bull, ox (Tamil, DED 815); Ear 2: plough, plough and team of oxen, yoke of oxen (Tamil, DED 2815); either from Ear meaning the raised handle of the plough or from the raised hump on oxen; Hearu, Hearka: pair of ploughing bullocks (Kuwi, cognates beginning with H or S are found in Kui, Pengo, Konda, Gondi and Parji, DED 2815); Hearakandayaa: thin long bellied bullock (Sinhala); Eariya-kanda, Era-kanda: pole of a cart or carriage that is placed on the hump of bullock (Sinhala);

In the context of the place name in this column, the Tamil term Paalai means a kind of milky fish identified with Mugil curema. The etymology of the term could be traced to Paal (DED 4096), meaning milk or white colour. In Tamil, the same term Paalai also means the tree Manikara hexandra that yields sweet milky fruits.

Paal-meen and Paal-ke'ndai are the other Tamil names for Paalai fish, which in English too is known as Milk Fish or White Mullet.

Paalai is a marine as well as freshwater fish that is found in sandy coasts, brackish lagoons, estuaries and coastal freshwater ponds. The mention of Paalai as a freshwater fish could be seen in the 18th century Eezham Tamil literature, Pa'raa'lai Vinaayakar Pa'l'lu (verse 75).

* * *

The Tamil/ Dravidian word Meen, meaning fish as well as star (DED 4885, 4876), is related to the Tamil/ Dravidian verb and noun root Min (DED 4876), meaning flash, glitter, shine etc. Min in Sinhala means fish, star, light and wisdom. Meena in Sanskrit meaning fish is considered as borrowed from Dravidian (CDIAL 10140).

* * *

Madu in Tamil means a pond, pool, lake, reservoir or a deep place in a river etc., and the word in this sense of meaning is listed as Dravidian (DED 4658). Usually the word means a deep source of water. A deep place seems to be the original meaning, as this shade of meaning is invariably retained in the cognates found in other Dravidian languages (see box).

Unlike some other Tamil terms for hydraulic sources found used since the times of Changkam literature, the usage of Madu meaning pond, pool etc., appears in Tamil literature only from 7th century CE, and appears in inscriptions since 10th century CE. But verb and noun forms related to its etymology, such as Madi (fold or curving as verb and pouch as noun), Madu (holding, accumulating, flowing in), Madai (dam in a channel that holds water), Madaa (large jar) etc., were in usage since early times.

In the toponymic usages of the island, Madu meaning a pond, lake or reservoir, is confined only to Tamil place names. In Sinhala place names, Madu either means a shed, temporary building, bungalow etc., or the false sago palm. The former shade of meaning is related to Maadam (Tamil, DED 4796) and the later is related to the Kannada/ Tulu term Ma'nd-eechalu for the same palm (see column on Madu-maana).

There is a suffix Maduwa meaning pond, reservoir etc., found in the place names of the provinces adjacent to the North and East, or among the names of the bordering places within the North and East, but most of them are Sinhalicisation of Tamil place names (see related place names given below).

* * *

Madu as a deep natural pond:

“Maduk kidantha maa muthalai” (7th century CE, Thirumazhisai Aazhvaar, 12)

“மடுக் கிடந்த மா முதலை” (7th century CE, Thirumazhisai Aazhvaar, 12)

The big crocodile lying in the deep natural pond


Madu as deep part of river:

“Aa'ru idum meadum maduvum poal aam chelvam” (Nalvazhi: 32)

“ஆறு இடும் மேடும் மடுவும் போல் ஆம் செல்வம்” (நல்வழி: 32)

Wealth is like the dune and deep pit caused by a river


Madu as reservoir:

“Alanthai pa'n'nai …vaddam thadaakam madu” (Thivaakara Nika'ndu, 5: 61)

“அலந்தை பண்ணை …வட்டம் தடாகம் மடு” (திவாகர நிகண்டு, 5: 61)

Alanthai, Pa'n'nai…Vaddam and Thadaakam are equivalent to Madu


Madu as a concave terrain:

“Madu izhinthu ea'rappadu ne'riyea” (Thivaakara Nika'ndu, 5: 229)

“மடு இழிந்து ஏறப்படு நெறியே” (திவாகர நிகண்டு, 5: 229)

Madu is a course or terrain going down and coming up

* * *

The term Neari, used in the context of a reservoir, seems to be peculiar to extreme south of Tamil Nadu (as in Naangku-neari) and to North, North Central and North Western provinces of the island (see related place names given below).

However, there is another word Eari, commonly used in Tamil to mean a large reservoir for irrigation. This term is taken as Dravidian (DED 901). There are also place names related to Eari in Sinhala and they are found in the same region where Neari is found.

It seems both Eari and Neari, coming from the roots Ear and Near (Tamil, DED 870, 3772), originally meant a high bank or dam and they later stood for a reservoir. See boxes above to find the etymology and note how the original shades of meanings are retained in other Dravidian languages and how the roots are related to other words too in Tamil and Sinhala. Also see column on Neariya-ku'lam

The usage of Eari in the meaning of a reservoir is found in Tamil literature since c. 5th century CE and it comes very popularly in inscriptions dating from 7th century CE. Probably the time marks the construction of high dams and giant reservoirs for irrigation.

* * *

Near meaning vertically rising high:

“Near ko'l nedu varai” (Aka:naanoo'ru, 162: 24-25)

“நேர் கொள் நெடு வரை” (அகநானூறு, 162: 24-25)

The vertically rising high hill range


Ear meaning swell, rising high etc.:

“Ear I'la vana mulai” (Natti'nai 160: 4)

“ஏர் இள வன முலை” (நற்றிணை 160: 4)

The swelling, young, beautiful breasts


“Karumpin ear kazhai” (Akanaanoo'ru, 13: 22-23)

“கரும்பின் ஏர் கழை” (அகநானூறு, 13: 22-23)

The high rising stem of sugarcane


“ Earpu.. ezhuchchip peyar” (Pingkala Nika'ndu, 7: 429)

“ஏர்பு.. எழுச்சிப் பெயர்” (பிங்கல நிகண்டு, 7: 429)

Earpu is a term for rising high

* * *

Eari meaning a large reservoir differentiated from smaller sources:

“Ve'l'la neerp pa'n'naiyum viri neer eariyum” (Chilappathikaaram, 13: 192)

“வெள்ள நீர்ப் பண்ணையும் விரி நீர் ஏரியும்” (சிலப்பதிகாரம், 13: 192)

The pond of floodwater and the reservoir having expanse of water


Eari in inscriptions:

“Pallava parameasurakaram eduththum eari tho'ndi” (691 CE, SII, I, 151)

“பல்லவ பரமேசுரகரம் எடுத்தும் ஏரி தொண்டி” (691 CE, SII, I, 151)

Constructing the temple named after the Pallava king Parameasura and excavating the reservoir…

* * *

Paalai-meen-madu is a place in Ma'nmunai North division of Batticaloa district.

Minneariya is a large reservoir that has rendered the name for a town in Hingurakgoda division of Polonnaruwa district.



Some related place names:

Meen:

Meen-oadaik-kaddu: The dam of the fishpond; Addaa'laicheanai division, Ampaarai district

Meen-piddik-kallu: The rock at the fish bank; Karaithu'raippattu division, Mullaiththeevu district

* * *

Madu:

Madu: often written in English as Madhu: The pond; Madu division, Mannaar district. The place was originally called Thadcha'naa-marutha-madu, meaning the pond of Terminalia arjuna trees in the south

Periya-madu: The big pond; or the bigger village having the name Madu compared to another smaller one; Maanthai West division, Mannaar district

Palla-madu: The pond in the shallow area; Maanthai West division, Mannaar district

Raasa-madu: The royal pond; the government pond; or the king's pond; Naanaaddaan division, Mannaar district

Marutha-madu: The pond identified with Terminalia arjuna trees; Musali division, Mannaar district; Vavuniyaa division, Vavuniyaa district; Karaithu'raippattu division, Mullaiththeevu district

Cheama-madu: The pond identified with Cheampu plants (Cheappang-kizhanku, Colocassia antiquorum); or the pond having hidden treasure; Vavuniyaa division, Vavuniyaa district

Kal-madu: The stone-built pond; or the pond in the rocks; Madu division, Mannaar district; Vaviniyaa division, Vavuniyaa district; Koara'laippattu division, Batticaloa district; I'rakkaamam division, Ampaa'rai district: Koa'ra'laippattu division, Batticaloa district

Kal-madu-nakar: The Kal-madu village affixed with the tag Nakar (town); Ka'ndaava'lai division, Ki'linochchi district

Olu-madu: The lily pond; Vavuniyaa North division, Vavuniyaa district; Oddusuddaan division, Mullaiththeevu district

Visuva-madu: The big pond; Puthukkudiyiruppu division, Mullaiththeevu district

Kachchilai-madu: The pond of Kachchilai creepers (Kachchal-kodi, Kazhatchi, Cæsalpina bonducella); Oddusuddan division, Mullaiththeevu district

Periya-iththi-madu: The big pond identified with Iththi trees, compared to another smaller one; Oddusuddaan division, Mullaiththeevu district

Chinna-ithti-madu: The small pond identified with Iththi trees; or the smaller part of the Iththimadu village; Oddusuddaan division, Mullaiththeevu district

Maduk-karai: The side of the pond; Ka'ndaava'lai division, Ki'linochchi district

Kerudaa-madu: The pond identified with white-headed kites (Haliastur indus); Puthukkudiyiruppu division, Mullaiththeevu district

Ko'ndai-madu: The pond identified with Ko'ndai trees (Ko'n'rai, Cassia fistula); Puthukkudiyiruppu division, Mullaiththeevu district; Karaithu'raippattu division, Mullaiththeevu district

Madu-vadi: The locality of the pond; Puthukkudiyiruppu division, Mullaiththeevu district

Maduvam: The pond; Puthukkudiyiruppu division, Mullaiththeevu district

Neela-madu: The pond of blue waters; Puthukkudiyiruppu division, Mullaiththeevu district

Karappuk-kuththi-madu: The pond placed with fish-traps; Karaithu'rappattu division, Mullaiththeevu district

Nedu-madu: The big or long pond; Karaithu'raippattu division, Mullaiththeevu district

Va'n'naa-madu: The pond used by washers; Karaithu'raippattu division, Mullaiththeevu district

Vanniyan-madu: The pond identified with a Vanni chieftain; Karaithu'raippattu division, Mullaiththeevu district

Vaththaa-madu: The pond that doesn't go dry; Karaithu'raippattu division, Mullaiththeevu district

Maa-madu: The big pond; Vavuniyaa North division, Vavuniyaa district

Nayinaa-madu: The pond identified with a lord; Vavuniyaa North division, Vavuniyaa district

Pampai-madu: Probably, the pond identified with a kind of tree or weed; Vavuniyaa division, Vavuniyaa district. Pamba: a kind of creeping plant (Sinhala, Sorata); a kind of weed, a kind of brushwood, name of a genus of ferns, Lygodium (Sinhala, Sorata); Pannai: fern type of plants (Tamil)

Maa'nikka-madu: The gem pond: I'rakkaamam division, Ampaa'rai district

Vadda-madu: The round pond; Aalaiyadivempu division, Ampaa'rai district

Ku'ndu-madu: The spring pond; Poththuvil division, Ampaa'rai district. Ku'ndu: the deep part in a pond or well, which is usually a spring that brings in subterranean water (Tamil, DED 1669)

Kea'ni-madu: The constructed pond; Koa'ra'laippattu division, Batticaloa district

Oddu-madu: The pond dugout by professionals; or the dug-out pond that has an uncut part in the middle; or the pond that has formed in the part where earth had been dugout; Koa'ra'laippattu division, Batticaloa district

Pirappaiyadi-madu: The pond in the locality of rattan vines; Koa'ra'laippattu division, Batticaloa district

Ku'laththu-madu: The pond by the side of the reservoir; Koa'ra'laippattu division, Batticaloa district

Koarakalli-madu: Koa'ra'laippattu division, Batticaloa district

Kumbilipitiya-madu: Koa'ra'laippattu division, Batticaloa district

Muthu-nachchi-madu: Koa'ra'laippattu division, Batticaloa district

Parangkiyaa-madu: Koa'ra'laippattu division, Batticaloa district

Vaddi-poadda-madu: probably the pond for which a dam or enclosure has been made; Koa'ra'laippattu division, Batticaloa district. Vaddi: enclosure (Tamil); Wætta: enclosure of any kind, hedge, fence (Sinhala); Vaddam: a term meaning a pond, reservoir etc. (Tamil, Thivaakaram, 5: 61; “Alanthai pa'n'nai …vaddam thadaakam madu..vaavi”)

Vadduppiththaan-madu: probably, the pond for which a dam or enclosure has been made; Mannaar Town division, Mannaar district. See Vaddi-poadda-madu.

Veththilai-poadda-madu: Koa'ra'laippattu division, Batticaloa district

Vitpanai-madu: Koa'ra'laippattu division, Batticaloa district; Ea'raavoorppattu division, Batticaloa district

Ingiriya-madu: Ea'raavoorppattu division, Batticaloa district

Koduvaa-madu: The pond of Koduvaa fish; Ea'raavoorppattu division, Batticaloa district. Kodu-vaay: curved or bent mouth (Tamil, DED 2054a + DED 5352). There is a freshwater variety of fish identified as Koduvaa in Batticaloa, while the term is more used to a big marine variety.

Kokkuth-thangkiya-madu: The pond where cranes settled; Ea'raavoorpattu division, Batticaloa district

Kurukanaa-madu: Ea'raavoorppattu division, Batticaloa district

Mangala-madu: Mangala: auspicious (Sanskrit, Pali, CDIAL 9706); Mangkalam, Mangka'lam: auspicious, usage found since post-Changkam literature, Tholkaappiyam, Thirukku'ra'l (Tamil); Mangula, Magula: auspicious (Sinhala)

Navu'ndaniya-madu: Ea'raavoorppattu division, Batticaloa district

Nediya-madu: The big or long pond; Ea'raavoorppattu division, Batticaloa district; Ma'nmunai West division, Batticaloa district

Thiraay-madu: Ma'nmunai North division, Batticaloa district

Kuluvina-madu: Manmunai Southwest division, Batticaloa district

Ka'li-madu: The clay pond; Piaratheevuppattu division, Batticaloa district

Kandakuda-madu: Poaratheevuppattu division, Batticaloa district

Olli-maduval: The lily pond; Poaratheevuppattu division, Batticaloa district

Rana-madu: Poaratheevuppattu division, Batticaloa district

Thaamarai-madu: The lotus pond; Poaratheevuppattu division, Batticaloa district. Thaamarai: lotus (Tamil, DED 3163);Taamarasa: red lotus (Sanskrit, late usage, CDIAL 5774); Tamburu: generic name for varieties of lotus (Sinhala); Tambara: red lotus (Sinhala)

Thikkoadai-madu: The pond at Thikkoadai or the pond of the stream Thikkoadai; Poaratheevuppattu division, Batticaloa district

Vadda-madu: The round pond; Ki'n'niyaa division, Trincomalee district

Vanniyanaar-madu: The pond of the Vanni chieftain; Ki'n'niyaa division, Trincomalee district

Uppuk-kaichchi-madu: The pond tasting salty; Moothoor division, Trincomalee district

* * *

Maduwa as Sinhalicised form of Madu (pond or tank):

Maa-maduwa: Sinhalicised from Maa-madu: The big pond; Vavuniyaa South division, Vavuniyaa district

Kalukunnam-maduwa: Vavuniyaa South division, Vavuniyaa district

Pirappan-maduwa: Sinhalicised from Pirappam-madu: The rattan cane pond; Vavuniyaa South division, Vavuniyaa district. Pirampu: rattan (Tamil, DED 4175)

Madu-kanda: The hill by the pond; Vavuniyaa South division, Vavuniyaa district

Maradan-maduwa: Sinhalicised from Marutha-madu: The pond identified with Terminala arjuna trees; Vavuniyaa South division, Vavuniyaa district; Horowpothana division, Anuradhapura district

Poo-maduwa: Sinhalicised from Poo-madu: The flower pond; Vavuniyaa South division, Vavuniyaa district

Gal-maduwa: Sinhalicised from Kal-madu: The stone-built pond or the pond in the rocks; Damana division, Ampaa'rai district; Thalawa division, Anuradhapura district

Aana-maduwa: Sinhalicised from Aanai-madu: The elephant pond; Aanamaduwa (Aanaimadu) division, Puththa'lam district

Raal-maduwa: Sinhalicised from 'Raal-madu/ I'raal-madu: The prawn pond; Va'n'naaththi-villu division, Puththa'lam district. I'raal, I'raa, I'ravu: prawn, shrimp (Tamil, DED 517)

Paawattam-maduwa: Sinhaicised from Paavaddai-madu or Paavaddam-madu: The pond of Paavaddai shrubs; Paavaddai: Pavetta indica (Tamil, DED 4103); Paawattaa: Pavetta indica, Pavetta montana (Sinhala)

Periya-maduwa: Sinhalicised from Periya-madu: The big pond; Pallama (Pa'l'lam) division, Puththa'lam district

Oyaa-maduwa: The pond of the stream; Maavilaachchiya division, Anuradhapura district

Pea-maduwa: Sinhalicised from Peay-madu: The devil's pond; or the haunted pond; Maavilaachchya division, Anuradhapura district. Peay: devil, goblin, spirit of the dead (Tamil, DED 4438); cognates in 10 Dravidian languages; Pea: devil, demon, spirit, goblin, spirit of the dead (Sinhala)

Kok-maduwa: Sinhalicised from Kokku-madu: The crane pond; Kahatagasdigiliya division, Anuradhapura district; Kiribawa division, Kurunegala district

Pa'ndikaara-maduwa: Sinhalicised probably from Va'ndikkaarar-madu: The pond of caravan traders; or Pa'ndik-kaarai-madu: The pond of Kaarai shrubs frequented by boars; Galenbindunuwewa division, Anuradhapura district

Kasa-maduwa: Mihinthale division, Anuradhapura district

Pairi-maduwa: Sinhalicised from Payiri-madu; The pond of Payiri herbs; Thirappane division, Anuradhapura district

Selesthi-maduwa: Thirappane division, Anuradhapura district

Utti-maduwa: Uddi-maduwa: Thirappane division, Anuradhapura district

Wannam-maduwa: Sinhalicised from Va'n'naan-madu: The pond of washers; Thirappane division, Anuradhapura district

Kadawath-maduwa: The pond at the border; Welikanda division, Polonnaruwa district

* * *

Neariya:

Kattu-neariya: The dammed lake. This is a place of several GS areas today in the Naaththaa'ndiyaa division of Puththa'lam district. The place has a lake and embankment, watered by Negambo – Puththa'lam canal.

Naan-neariya: The bathing tank; Galgamuwa division, Kurunegala district. Naana: bathing (Sinhala); Sinaana, Nahaana: bathing (Pali, CDIAL 13789); Snaana: bathing (Sanskrit, CDIAL 13789)

Mahaa-naan-neariya: The big bathing tank; or the big part of the Naan-neariya village that got its name from the bathing tank; Galgamuwa division, Kurunegala district

Neriyaawa: from Neariyaawa: The reservoir; Ganewatta division, Kurunegala district

Gin-neariya: The bullock tank (probably the tank used to refresh caravan bullocks); or Ginneariya: (The place of) a small plant Chinoria myxa; Polgahawela division, Kurunegala district. Gin: bullock (Sinhala); Gon, Go'naa, Goa'na: bullock (Sinhala, DED 2212, CDIAL 4274); Ginneariya = Ginihiriya: a small plant, Chinoria myxa (Sinhala)

* * *

Neari:

Neariya-ku'lam: The dammed reservoir; Vengalach-cheddi-ku'lam division, Vavuniyaa district

Vaaka-neari also Vaaka-nearik-ku'lam: The reservoir of Vaakai trees/The banked reservoir of Vaakai trees. The village Vaakaneari gained the name from the tank Vaakanearikku'lam. This is a GS area in the Koa'ra'laippattu division of Batticaloa district.

Van-nearik-ku'lam: The banked reservoir of Vanni trees/The reservoir of hard embankment. This is a GS area in the Karaichchi division of Ki'linochch district.

Thuvara-neari: The bund/tank of Thuvarai shrub (See Thuvarai-moaddai). This is a village of Mealpattu South division of Vavaniyaa district listed in the British records of villages in Vanni, 1819 and 1839 (Aruna Selladurai, Adangkaappattu Varalaa'ru)

U'luva-neari: The bund (reservoir) of U'luvai, a fresh water fish (White caboose, Ophicephalus punctalus, Winslow's dictionary). This is a village in the Naddang-ka'ndal GS area of the Maanthai East division of Mullaththeevu district.

* * *

Eari:

Mul-eariyaawa: The main lake; Kolonnawa division, Colombo district

Eeriya-wætiya: The bund of the reservoir; Kelaniya division, Gampaha district. Eeriya: a tree

Eriyaawa: The reservoir; Ehetuwewa division, Kurunegala district

Eriha-bea: The part of the reservoir; Bamunukotuwa division, Kurunegala district

Eeri-minna: Probably, Eari-minna: The surroundings or realm of the reservoir; Mawathagama division, Kurunegala district

Eariya-gama: The village of the reservoir; Thambuttegama division, Anuradhapura district

First published: Monday, 02 February 2015, 23:55