Sin: දඹුල්ල dambulla – Tam: தம்புள்ளை dampuḷḷai
‘Damba Tree Fountain’ Town, Cave Complex, CP, Sri Lanka
From Sin: damba, ‘damba fruit tree’; and ul/ulla, ‘spring, fountain’.
The ‘damba tree’ is confusingly known by a number of overlapping names: Malabar, Java or black plum; jamun, jambu or jambolana; and rose apple [see Dambadeniya].
An alternative suggestion is ‘copper fountain’, from Sin: tamba, ‘copper, copper-coloured’.
Dambulla is better known for its beautifully preserved cave temple complex than its plums or copper.
For related place names see Sri Lanka Place names.
Dambulla complex of cave monasteries Lankapic
