Ben: মেদিনীপুর mēdinīpura ‘Madani’s City’ [Madanipur, Midnapore] City/District, West Bengal Thre most popular derivation is from Moulana Mustafa Madani, a Muslim scholar who was granted lands here by Aurangzeb, the 17thC Moghul emperor. There are...
Ben: মালদা māladā ‘Wealthy (city)’ [Maldah, Maldaha, English Bazar, Angrezabad] City/District, West Bengal From Urd: māl-dār, ‘wealthy’. Malda is a port on the Mahananda and Kalindi rivers and has been a trading centre for mango, mulberry, jute, silk, wheat, rice,...
Andaman and Nicobar Islands (A&N) Andaman ‘Monkey God’ Niccolo de Conti sailed past the Andamans en route to Sumatra. He wrote that the name meant ‘island of gold’. Another suggestion is that it refers to Hanuman, the monkey god of the Ramayana epic,...
‘Holy Footprint’ [Sri Pada] – Mountain From Skt/Pal: śrī, ‘holy, sacred’ and Skt/Pal: pada/pāda, ‘foot, footprint’. This iconically conic mountain rises 2,243 m (7,359 ft) above the forests of the central highlands near Ratnapura. Near the summit is a 1.8 m...
Andhra Pradesh (AP) ఆంధ్ర ప్రదేశ్ āndhra pradēsh ‘Land of the Andhras’ From Skt: āndhra, ‘Telugu people/language’; and Hin/Skt: pradēsh, ‘province’, ‘region’, ‘territory’. The Andhras were an ancient tribe with settlements in the Godavari and Krishna valleys (Vedic...
Tel: ఆదోని ādōni ‘Five Hills’ City, Andhra Pradesh From Tel: aydu, ‘five’; and konda, ‘hill(ock)’, ‘mountain’, ‘rock’. Adoni is an ancient hill fort town which found a leading role for itself as part of the Vijayanagar kingdom in the 14-16thC. It was captured in...
Arunachal Pradesh (ArP) ‘Land of the Dawn(-lit) Mountains’. From Skt: aruṇa , ‘redness’, ‘dawn’ [‘reddish glow in the morning sky’]; Skt: ac(h)ala, ‘mountain’; and Skt: pradēśḥ, ‘province’, ‘region’, ‘territory’. Surya is the Vedic sun god and Aruna is the name of...
Assam (Asm) Asm: অসম āsāma ‘Land of the Ahom’ From Asm: syam, ‘Ahom/Shan people’. The Ahom community (who are ethically Tai/Thai) has been known here by several different but closely related names: Ahom, Asam, Aham, Shan, Syam. Spread across Asia they are known as...
Hin: आगर āgar ‘Agar’s (Town)’ Town/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) The Bhil chief Agaria Bhil founded the town in the 10th century. It came under the control of Jhak Rajputs in the following century. The town is situated between two lakes: Moti...
Bihar (Bih) Hin: बिहार bihār ‘Monastery’ From Skt/Pali: vihāra, ‘abode’, ‘(Buddhist) monastery’. Bihar has a rich Buddhist heritage. It boasts the site of the Buddha’s Enlightenment at Bodh Gaya and has many other historic Buddist centres and vihāras dating back to...
Chandigarh Pun: ਚੰਡੀਗੜ੍ਹ chanḍīgaṛh ’Chandi’s Fort’. From Chandi and Pun: gaṛh, ‘fort’. No actual fort ever existed. A Chandi temple protected the locals and gave the city its name. Chandika Devi is a powerful, terrifying aspect of Parvati, the Supreme Goddess....
Kon: अग्वाद agvād ‘Water Fort’ Castle, Goa From Por: aguada, ‘(acquisition of a) water supply’ Fort Aguada is a 17thC Portuguese 200-cannon fort built on a rocky promontory at the end of Sinquerim Beach. It was originally built to defend old Goa from Maratha and...
Mal: ആലപ്പുഴ ālappuḻa ‘Broad River’ [Alleppey] City/District, Kerala From Mal: ālam, ‘broad’; and puḻa/puzha, ‘river’ The Kerala backwaters are a complex 900km network of brackish/saltwater lagoons, lakes, rivers and canals. Lord Curzon called Alleppey, which is at...
Hin: अलीराजपुर alīrājapūr ‘Anand’s Town’ Town/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Anandaoli/Ali and Rajpur [Skt/Hin: raj, ‘king’; and pur, ‘(fortified) town’, city]. Rajpur was founded in 1500. The capital of the princely...
Mal: ആലുവ āluva ‘River Mouth’ [Alwaye] City/Dictrict, Kerala From Mal: āl, ‘water’; ālam ‘water’, ‘sea’; and vāy/vā, ‘mouth’, ‘opening’, ‘juncture’ [Tam: aruvi, Kan/Tul: aluve/aruve, ‘river’s mouth’, ‘inlet to a backwater’]. The Periyar river becomes the...
Tel: అమరావతి amarāvati ‘Immortal City’ -City/Capital Andhra Pradesh From Skt: amara, ‘ immortal’; Dra: paṭṭī/vāṭī, ‘settlement’, ‘town/village’. Amaravati was the ancient capital of the Satavahana dynasty in the 2ndC BCE. It was an important Buddhist centre and the...
Hin: आम्बेडकर नगर āmbēḍakara nagar, महू mahū ‘Ambedkar Town’ [Mhow-gaon, Mow] Cantonment Town, Madhya Pradesh From B. R. Ambedkar and Skt: nagar, ‘town’, ‘city’; Hin: mahuā, ‘mahua/mahwa tree’ and Skt/Hin: grama/gaon, ‘village’. Ambedkar Nagar is the official name...
Sin: අඹේපුස්ස ambēpussa ‘Mango Creeper’ -Town, SBP, Sri Lanka From Sin: amba, ‘mango’ and puswela, ‘elephant creeper’. The scientific name for this large woody climber is Entada phaseoloides/pusaetha. It is a liana, a long woody vine that wraps itself around other...
Sin: අම්පාර – Tam அம்பார ampāra ‘Waterway’ -City/District, EP, Sri Lanka From Sin: ambu/Tam: am/ambu, ‘water’ and Sin: para, ‘road’, ‘way’, ‘path’. Ampara was nothing more than a hunter’s rest-house until the Gal Oya redevelopment when...
Sri Lanka (SL) Sin: ශ්රී ලංකා śrī laṅkā – Tam: இலங்கை ilaṅkai Sri Lanka, according to legend, was populated in the 6thC BCE by Prince Vijaya and 700 fellow exiles from the kingdom of Vanga (Bengal). He founded the Sinhala dynasty [SKT: siṃha, ‘lion’], a name...
Tel: అనంతపురం anantapuraṁ(u) ‘Boundless Ocean’ [Anantapuramu] – City/District, Andhra Pradesh From Skt: ananta, ‘endless’, ‘infinite’; and pur, ‘town’, ‘city’. Anantapur was named after a big tank/reservoir called Anantasagara [Skt: sāgara, ‘sea’, ‘ocean’]....
Mal: അഞ്ചൽ añcal ‘Stopover’ Town, Kerala From Mal/Tam: añcal, ‘relay’, ‘stop-over’, ‘staging post’. It is possible that Anchal was an important junction or stopover from ancient times in an area which was mostly forest paths. Anchal was also the name of...
Mal: അങ്കമാലി aṅkamāli ‘Trading Port’ [Angadikadavu] Town, Kerala From Tam/Mal: aṅkāṭi/aṅgaḍi, ‘bazaar’, ‘market’; Mal: kaṭavu, ‘beach’, ‘landing place’, ‘wharf’; and māli/maly, ‘(sea)port’. Manjaly thodu [Mal: tōṭu, ‘water-course’] which flows through the town...
Sin: අනුරාධපුර anurādhapura – Tam: அனுராதபுரம் aṉurātapuram ‘Anuradha’s City’ – City/Ancient Capital/District/Archaeological Site, NCP, Sri Lanka From Anurādha and Skt: pur/pura, ‘(walled) city, fort, settlement’. The ancient capital of Sri Lanka was...
Tam: அரக்கோணம் arakkōṇam ‘Six Angles’ Town, suburb (Chennai), Tamil Nadu Tam: āṟu/aṟumai, ‘six’; kōṇam, ‘angle’, ‘corner’. Arakkonam, it is said, sits on an important junction linking six key towns: Kanchipuram, Thakkolam, Manavur, Thiruvalangadu, Tiruttani, Ponnai...
Mal: ആറന്മുള āṟanmuḷa ‘Six Bamboo (Boat)’ Town, Kerala From Mal: aṟu, ‘six’; and muḷa, ‘bamboo’. The 6thC Parthasarathy temple here is named after Krishna in his role as Arjuna’s charioteer in the Bhagavad-Gita [Skt: pārtha, ‘ Pāṇḍava’, ‘Arjuna’; and sārathy(am),...
Tam: ஆற்காடு āṟkāṭu ‘Forest Way’ [Arkkadu] Town, Tamil Nadu Tam: āṟu, ’river’, ‘way’, ‘road’; and Tam: kāṭu ‘forest’, ‘wood’ Arcot was the HQ of the Nawab of the Carnatic (also Nawab of Arcot), a dependency of the Nizam of Hyderabad and a centre for...
Tam: அறுகம் குடா aṟukam kuṭā – Sin: ආරුගම් බොක්ක ārugam bokka ‘Bermuda Grass Bay’ [Arugam Kudah] -Resort, EP, Sri Lanka From Tam: arugam-pul, ‘Bermuda grass’ [Cynodon dactylon]. Bermuda grass is a plant of many names: it is also known as durva grass,...
Hin: अशोकनगर ashokanagar ‘Ashok Town’ [Pachhar] Town/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From (Emperor) Ashoka; and Hin: nagar, ‘city’, ‘town’. The suggestion that the name derives from an overnight visit from the famous Mauryan Emperor en route to capture Ujjain is...
Hin: असीरगढ़ asīragaṛh ‘Asa Ahir’s Fort’ Fort, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Aswatthama (Giri); or Asa Ahir; and Hin: gaṛh, ‘fort’, ‘citadel’ There is a legend that Ashwatthama, the son of the guru Drona in the Mahābhārata, used to come to the Shiva...
Mal: ആറ്റിങ്ങൽ ā(tt)ṟṟiṅ(g)al ‘Attingal Queens’ Town, Kerala Marumakkathayam is a royal and high caste system of matrilineal descent where title and inheritance follows the female bloodline, although the eldest son is still head of the family. Princess...
Mal: അയ്മനം aymanaṁ ‘Five Forests’ Village, Kerala From Mal: ai(y)m ‘five’ (in word compounds)’; and vanam ‘forest’, ‘jungle’ Aymanam is like a small village with classic backwater scenery: coconut trees, paddy...
Kan: ಬಾದಾಮಿ bādāmi ‘Vatapi’ [Vatapi,Vatapipura] Town, Karnataka (Kar) From Skt/Hin: vadāma(m)/bādāmi ‘almond (tree’)/’almond-coloured’; or Vatapi, the asura or demon. Badami was the regional capital of the Chalukya kingdom in the 6-8thC and...
Sin: බදුල්ල badulla – Tam: பதுளை batuḷai ‘Marking Nut Tree’ -City/Capital, UP, Sri Lanka From Sin: badulla, ‘marking nut tree’ [Semecarpus anacardium] Semecarpus anacardium is called the ‘marking nut’ because dhobies used it to make an...
Kan: ಬಾಗಲಕೋಟ bāgalakōṭa ‘Fort Gateway’ [Bagadige] City/District, Karnataka (Kar) Kan: bāgil/bāgal/bākal, ‘doorway’, ‘entrance’, ‘gate’; and kōṭe, ‘fort’, ‘rampart’. Stories tell of this town being offered as a present by Ravana, (demon) king of Lanka, to his...
Hin: बाघ गुफा bāgh gupha ‘Tiger Caves’ Town/Caves, Madhya Pradesh (MP) Madhya Pradesh has traditionally been a tiger region and the caves, town and local stream all bear the name. The Bagh Caves are nine monuments cut into sandstone rock located 60km west...
Ben: বহরমপুর baharamapura ‘Brahmin City’ [Berhampore, Berhampur, Brahmapur, Burhanpore] City, West Bengal From Brahmin; and Skt: pura, ‘fort’, ‘city’. Baharampur/Berhampore is the capital of Murshidabad district. Following the 1757 Battle of Plassey, it was...
Hin: बालाघाट bālāghāṭ ‘Above the Ghat’ [Burha] Town/District Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Hin: bālā, ‘high’, ‘above’; and ghāṭ, ‘path or stairway to the river’; ‘ford or landing-place’. The Wainganga river...
Sin: බළන්ගොඩ baḷangoḍa – Tam: பலாங்கொடை balāṅkoṭai ‘Look-out Hill’ -Town, SBP, Sri Lanka From Sin: balanawa, ‘look, superintend, observe, protect’; and goda, ‘bank, hill, village’. Balangoda was the site where skeletons of anatomically modern humans dating back...
Ben: বালুরঘাট bāluraghāṭa ‘Sandy Ghat’ City, West Bengal From Ben: bālu, bālukā, sandy, full of sand; and ghāṭa, ‘landing-stage (on riverbank)’, ‘quay’. Balurgahat is the Dakshin Dinajpur District HQ. The River Atrai or Atreyee flows through Balurghat, with most...
Sin: බණ්ඩාරවෙල baṇḍāravela – Tam: பண்டாரவெல baṇṭāravela ‘Prince’s Field’ -Town, UP, Sri Lanka From Sin: bandara, ‘son of a chief or prince’; and wela, field. This prince got a prize piece of real estate because Bandarawela is generally accepted to have the...
Hin: बांधवगढ़ bāndhavagaṛh ‘Brother Fort’ Fort, National Park Madhya Pradesh (MP) From: Hin: bāndhava, ‘brother’, ‘kinsman’; and gaṛh, ‘fort’ Sitting on a hill 800m above the National Park is Bandhavagarh Fort. Its...
Ben: বনগাঁ banagām̐ ‘Forest Village’ [Bongaon] City, West Bengal From Ben/Skt: bana/vana, ‘forest’; and Ben: grāma→ gaon, ‘village’, ‘(small) town’. The Bangladesh-India border checkpoint at Petrapole is 6km away. It is the largest inland customs station in Asia,...
Ben: বাঁকুড়া bām̐kuṛā ‘Bir Bankura’s (City)’ City/District, West Bengal Raja Bir Hambir was a 16-17thC ruler (Malla dynasty). He offered assistance to the Mughal emperor Akbar and recognised the hegemony of the Muslim viceroys of Bengal. He divided his kingdom...
Ben: বর্ধমান bardhamāna ‘(City of) Vardhaman’ [Burdwan, Vardhaman] City/District, West Bengal Burdwan is the British corruption of Bardhaman [Skt: Vardhamana]. The origin possibly dates back to Mahavira or Vardhaman, the 6thC BC Jain Tirthankar who was a contemporary...
Ben: ব্যারাকপুর byārākapura From Eng: barrack and Skt: pur(a), ‘town’, ‘city’, ‘fort’ ‘Barrack Town’ [Charnak, Chanak, Achanok] City, West Bengal The British East India Company built their first Bengal cantonment here...
Hin: बडवानी baḍavānī ‘Banyan Forest’ [Badnagar] Town/District Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Hin: baṛa, ‘banyan tree’; and vana ‘wood’, ‘forest’, ‘jungle’ Barwani is an ancient town and former princely state. Nearby lies Chulgiri Hill, a sacred Jain pilgrimage site. On...
Sin: බත්තරමුල්ල battaramulla – Tam: பத்தரமுல்லை battaramullai ‘Rice Ferry Corner’ Suburb (Colombo), WP, Sri Lanka From Sin: bat, ‘boiled/cooked rice, meal’; tara, ‘ford, ferry, riverbank, port, harbour’; and mulla, ‘corner, angle’. In the 15thC, the heyday of ...
Tam: மட்டக்களப்பு maṭṭakkaḷappu – Sin: මඩකලපුව maḍakalapuva ‘Muddy Lagoon’ -City/District, EP, Sri Lanka From Sin: mada, ‘mud, slime, scum, froth’; and Sin: kalapuwa, ‘lagoon, salt water lake’. Batticaloa is a Portuguese corruption of a Dutch variation...
Kan: ಬೆಳಗಾವಿ beḷagāvi ‘Bamboo Village’ City/District, Karnataka (Kar) Belgaum, Venugrama. From Skt/Kan: veṇu, ‘bamboo’; and grāma/gāv(i/e/a), ‘village’. The city’s original name was Venugrama (Belgaum and Belagavi are variations on this). It was founded in the...
Kan: ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು beṅgaḷūru ‘Venga Tree Town’ City/Capital/District, Karnataka (Kar) Kan: bēṅga, ‘Malabar/Indian kino tree’ [Pterocarpus marsupium, Tam: vēṅkai]; and ūr/ūru, ‘town’, ‘village’. For as long as I can remember I have been told that Bangalore means ‘City of...
Sin: බෙන්තොට – Sin: பெந்தொட bentoṭa ‘Bemthara Estuary’ -Town/Resort, SP, Sri Lanka From Bemthara/Benthara Ganga, ‘Bentota River’; and Sin: tota, ‘ford, ferry, riverbank’. Bentota sits at the mouth of the Benthara Ganga, its position marked historically by a...
Hin: बैतूल baitūla ‘No Cotton (Land)’ [Badnur] City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Hin: bē, ‘without’, ‘devoid of’; and tūlam, ‘cotton’; and bāzāra, ‘market-place’ The assumption here is that Betul and Betul Bazaar were beyond the main cotton-growing areas of...
Mal: ബേപ്പൂർ bēppūr ‘Estuary Town’ [Vaypura, Vadaparappanad, Sultan Pattanam] Town, Kerala From Mal: vāy, ‘mouth’, ‘inlet’, ‘opening’; and Skt: pur, ‘town’, ‘city’. Beypore, at the mouth of the 169km Chaliya river, is one of the oldest ports in Kerala. It has...
Kan: ಭದ್ರಾವತಿ bhadrāvati ‘Bhadra Village’ City, Karnataka (Kar) From Bhadra river and Kan: vāḍī/vāṭī, ‘settlement’, ‘village’. The 171km Bhadra river [Skt: bhadra, ‘blessed’, ‘auspicious’] flows through southern Karnataka starting out from the Western Ghats (in...
Hin: भिण्ड bhiṇḍ ‘Bhindi (Rishi)’ Town/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Hin: bhiṇḍa ’embanked ground (round a tank)’. The town is built around the banks of the ancient Gori Sarowar (Gori/Gauri Lake). The district is named, others say, after...
Hin: भोजपुर bhōjapur ‘Bhoja’s Town’ Town, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From (Raja) Bhoj; and Skt: pur, ‘(fortified) town’, ‘city’. King/Raja Bhoja of the Paramara Malwa dynasty built a temple and fort here in the 11thC and two large stone dams to block and channel...
Sin: බිබිලේ bibilē – Tam: பிபிலை bibilai ‘Spring’ Town, UP, Sri Lanka From Sin: bibula/bibilu/bibila, ‘bubble, fountain, spring’. Bibile is more famous for its sweet oranges than its spring water. There are more than 3,000 acres being cultivated in the...
Kan: ಬೀದರ್ bīdar ‘Halting Place’ City/District, Karnataka (Kar) From Kan: bīḍāra, ‘halting or dwelling place’, ‘camp’. Bidri metal working started here in 14-15thC. It uses a blackened alloy of copper, lead, tin, and zinc as a base for gold and silver inlay. It is...
Kan: ವಿಜಯಪುರ vijayapura ‘Victory City’ City/District, Karnataka (Kar) From Skt: vijaya, ‘victory’, ‘triumph’; and pur(a), ‘(fortified) city’ After the fall of the Bahmani Sultanate in the late 15thC the Adil Shai...
Ben: বীরভূম bīrabhūma ‘Land of the Brave’ District, West Bengal From Ben: bīra: ‘brave’, ‘heroic’; and Ben: bhūmi: ‘land’, ‘place’. ‘Forest Land’ could work too [if we accept the mixed San: bir, ‘forest; and Ben: bhūmi: ‘land’, ‘place’]. Birbhum is nicknamed the...
Sin: බොරලැස්ගමුව boralæsgamuva – Tam: போரலெஸ்கமுவ bōraleskamuva ‘Clay Village’ City, Colombo District/WP, Sri Lanka From Sin: bora, ‘mud, clay, sediment’ or boralu, ‘gravel, pebbles’; and gama/gamuwa, ‘village’. Boralesgamuwa has one of the largest industrial...
Hin: बुरहानपुर burahānapur ‘Burhan’s Town’ City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Burhan-ud-Din; and Skt: pur, ‘(fortified) town’. Burhanpur is on the banks of the Tapti river. Nasir Khan Faruqi, Sultan of Khandesh, founded Burhanpur...
Ben: চাকদহ cākadaha ‘Meandering River’ Town, West Bengal From Ben/Skt: cāka/cakra, ‘wheel’; and Ben: daha, ‘deep or whirling part of a river’. Chakdaha (Chakradaha) is situated on a ever-changing series of twists and turns of the Hooghly river which has created and...
Mal: ചാലക്കുടി c(h)ālakkuṭi ‘Prosperous Settlement’ Town, Kerala From Tam/Mal: c(h)āla/c(h)āl ‘abundant’, ‘noble’; and kuṭi ‘settlement’, ‘colony’. Chalakudy was the site of the Nedumkotta defence fortification to resist the military advances of Hyder Ali Khan...
Ben: চন্দননগর c(h)andananagara ‘Sandalwood City’ City, West Bengal From Ben: c(h)andana, ‘sandalwood’; Ben/Skt: nagara, ‘city’. The French acquired land here in 1673 and Chandannagar was founded soon after. Its heyday came following the...
Mal: ചങ്ങനാശ്ശേരി c(h)aṅ(g)anāśśēri ‘Sengan’s Town’ Town, Kerala From Senguttavan Cheran and Mal/Tam: c(h)ēri ‘town, village, settlement’. Changanassery’s history dates back to the early period of the Chera dynasty (c. 1st-3rdC) in the Sangam period when Kuttunad...
Tam: சாவகச்சேரி – Sin: චාවකච්චේරි c(h)āvakaccēri ‘Java Town’ Town, NP, Sri Lanka From Tam: Chavaka, ‘Javanese (people)’; and cheri, ‘town, village, hamlet, street’. This settlement dates back to the 13thC. Chandrabhanu, a Javanese ruler of the kingdom of...
Mal: ചാവക്കാട് c(h)āvakkāṭ ‘Dead Forest’ [Chowghat] Town, Kerala From Tam/Mal: c(h)āva, ‘dead’, ‘blighted’; kāṭu, ‘forest’, ‘jungle’. Some suggest a forest ‘curse’ but, being on a coastal land, it is more likely to be a barren or infertile stretch of land. St...
(Confluence of the) Chandra and Bhaga Rivers’ [Asikni, Chandrabhaga] Himachal Pradesh (Him), Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) The Chenab River flows through Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and into Punjab, Pakistan. Asiniki, its original name, probably...
Tam: சென்னை c(h)eṉṉai ‘Chennappa’s Village’ [Madras] City/ Capital/ District, Tamil Nadu From Tel: Chennappa Nayaka; and Tam: paṭṭiṉam, ‘coastal town’, ‘fishing village/hamlet’ The English East India Company acquired land (actually, a small...
Ben: চেরাপুঞ্জি c(h)ērāpuñji ‘Sohra Cluster’/’Scanty Fruit’ Town/Sub-division, Meghalaya From Sohra and Ben: puñja, ‘group’, cluster’; and Kha: sohra, ‘bearing small or scanty fruits’. Sohra is Cherrapunji’s local name and its official name. Cherrapunji is a...
Mal: ചേര്ത്തല c(h)ērttala ‘Joined Land’ Town, Kerala From Tam/Mal: c(h)ēr/c(h)ērtt, ‘join’, ‘attach’, ‘add’; Mal: aḷam, coastal area. It is possible that the name refers to ancient land reclamation: extensive parts of the backwaters have been reclaimed from...
Hin: छतरपुर chhatarapur ‘Chhatrasal’s Town’ City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From (Maharaja) Chhatrasal; and Skt: pur, ‘(fortified) town’, ‘city’. The town takes its name from Maharaja Chhatrasal of Panna (1671-1731).he...
Hin: छिंदवाड़ा chhindavāṛā ‘Date Place’ City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) Hin: chhind, ‘Date palm tree’ [Phoenix sylvestris]; and vāṛā, ‘abode/place with’, ‘settlement’. This tree is known by many names: wild date palm, toddy date palm,...
Tam: சிதம்பரம் c(h)itamparam ‘Dwelling of Consciousness’ [Thillai] Temple town, Tamil Nadu From Skt: c(h)it, ‘consciousness’, ‘soul’; and Skt: ambaram, ‘dwelling’, garment’, ‘atmosphere’. Chidambaram has at its centre the remarkable 9thC Sri Nataraj temple, mythical...
चिखलदरा cikhaladarā ‘Mud Canyon’ Hill Station, Maharashtra (Mah) Mar: cikhala, ‘mud’; and darā ‘gorge’, ‘canyon’ This 1,200m hill station is famous for its tigers and coffee plantations. The 407m Chikhaldara Skywalk...
Kan: ಚಿಕ್ಕಮಗಳೂರು cikkamagaḷūru ‘Youngest Daughter’s Town’ City/District/Hill Station, Karnataka (Kar) From Kan: cikka, ‘smallest/youngest’; magaḷa, ‘daughter’; and ūr/ūru, ‘town’, ‘village’. This town, or village as it probably was then, was given as a dowry by...
Tam: சிலாபம் c(h)ilāpam – Sin: හලාවත halāvata ‘Pearl Fishery’ Town, NWP, Sri Lanka From Por: c(i)lão, a corruption of Tam: c(h)ilapam, ‘pearl-fishery’. Divers operated the coast from Mannar to Chilaw until the early 20thC, collecting as many as 3,000 oysters a...
Kan: ಚಿತ್ರದುರ್ಗ citradurga ‘Bright Fort’ [Chitaldoorg] City/District, Karnataka (Kar) . From Skt: citra, ‘bright’, ‘wonderful’, ‘picturesque’; and Kan: durga ‘fort’, ‘stronghold’. Chitradurga is a seven-layered fort which sits astride a row of rugged hills peppered...
Tam: கோயம்புத்தூர் kōyamputtūr ‘Kovan’s New City’ [Kovai] City/District, Tamil Nadu From Kovan; Tam: putu, ‘new’; and ūr, ‘village’, ‘town’. In this derivation Kovan puthur (named after the 9thC Irula tribal chieftain Kovan or Koyan) became Koyambatoor and was then...
Sin: කොළඹ koḷamba – Tam: கொழும்பு koḻumpu ‘Port on the River Kolon’ -City/Commercial Capital/District, WP, Sri Lanka The Dove and the Mango Tree The Dutch Coat of Arms of Colombo pictures a dove in a mango tree. The dove is a play on the name...
“Colombo Jumbo” Sri Lanka. This is a pdf copy of my book “Colombo Jumbo: The Origin of Colombo Street Names” (2012) In the original there was a street name missing, so here it is: John Staples (1770-1839) from Kingswood in Hampshire was...
Colombo is divided into fifteen postal zones which run anti-clockwise from Fort round to Mutwal. These match traditional names of areas of Colombo, although (especially in Colombo North) they may merge many of the old districts. COLOMBO 1: FORT (COLOMBO) ...
Ben: কোচবিহার kōcabihāra ‘Land of the Koch’ [Cooch-Bihar, Coss-Beyhar, Kuch Behar, Kutch-Behar, Cooch-Behaar, Cooch-Behar, Kooch-Behar, Koch-Bihar, Koch Vihar, Koosh-Beyhar] City/District, West Bengal From Ben: kōca, ‘(a member of) aboriginal tribe’; and Skt/Pali:...
Tam: குன்னூர kuṉṉūr ‘Mountain Slope’ Town/Taluk, Tamil Nadu From Bad/Tam: kunnu/kuṉṟu, ‘mountain’/ ‘escarpment’; Bad/Kan: ōra, ōre, ‘slope’. Coonoor is situated on the edge of a plateau, so the name fits. The town is surrounded by tea and coffee plantations and...
‘Land of the Cholas’ Coastline, Tamil Nadu Andhra Pradesh From Chola (dynasty) and Tam: maṇṭalam, ‘district’, ‘region’, ‘country’ Coromandel refers to the eastern coast of (northern) Tamil Nadu from Kodiakkarai, a.k.a. Point Calimere, to the mouth of the Krishna...
Tam: கடலூர் kaṭalūr ‘Junction Town’ City/District, Tamil Nadu From Tam: kūṭal, ‘junction’, ‘confluence’; and ūr, ‘village’, ‘town’. This is the place where the Indian Ocean and the Pennaiyar, Kedilam, Paravanar and Uppanaar rivers meet. This is the most likely...
Sin: දඹදෙණිය dambadeṇiya – Tam: தம்பதெனிய dampateṉiya ‘Field of Damba Trees’ Ancient city, archaeological site, NWP, Sri Lanka From Sin: damba, ‘damba fruit tree’; and deniya, ‘level or cultivated ground, field’. The ‘damba tree’ is...
Sin: දඹා dambāna ‘Forest Clearing’ -Village, UP, Sri Lanka From Sin: dambu, ‘a field or chena cleared by burning forest or grassland for cultivation’; and ana, ‘place, grove, forest’. Dambana is now famous as a refuge for Vedda tribal people with its own Museum and...
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,...
Nep: दार्जीलिङ dārjīliṅa ‘Thunderbolt Land’ Hill Station/Town, West Bengal From Lep: dor-je, ‘thunderbolt; and lyan(g), ‘abode’. The do-rje [Skt: vajra, ‘thunderbolt] is a bronze ritual object with lotus-tipped spokes symbolising rapid enlightenment in a single...
Sin: දෙහිවල-ගල්කිස්ස dehivala-galkissa – Tam: தெஹிவளை-கல்கிசை dehivaḷai-galkisai ‘Lime Tree Forest’ Suburb (of Colombo), WP, Sri Lanka From Sin: dehi, ‘lime’; and Sin: val/vala, ‘forest, wood, jungle’. Sir Thomas Maitland, Governor of Ceylon 1805-1811, built...
Asm: দেৰগাঁও dēragāon ‘God’s Village’ [Devagram] Town, Assam From Asm: deor, ‘god’; and Asm: gāon, ‘village’ Its old name Devagram [From Skt: deva, ‘god’; and grama, ‘village’] is simply a translation. The god in question is Shiva who has a temple here. It was...
Kan: ದಾವಣಗೆರೆ dāvaṇagere ‘Wormwood Tank’ City/District, Karnataka (Kar) From KAN: davana, ‘Indian Wormwood’ [Artemisia indica]; KAN: keṟe, ‘tank’. Davanagere is Karnataka’s seventh largest city and the glasshouse in its Botanical Gardens is the second largest in...
Tam: தர்மபுரி darmapuri ‘City of Dharma’ [Tagadur] City/District, Tamil Nadu From Skt: dharma, ‘religion’, ‘virtue’, ‘duty’; and pura, ‘town’, ‘(fortified) city’. In the earliest times the name was Tagadur [Tam: takaṭu/takaram, ‘metal plate’, ‘tin’; and ūr,...
Asm: ডিব্ৰুগড় ḍibrugaṛa ‘Fort on the River Dibru’ [Dibrumukh] City/District, Assam From Bod: dibru, ‘River Dibru’ [Bod: di, ‘water’, ‘river’; and dib(a)ru, ‘blister’] and Asm/Hin: mukh, ‘mouth’; garh, ‘fort’, ‘rampart’. The mukh in...
‘Mouth of the River Dikhow’ Village, Assam From River Dikhow [Bod: di, ‘water’, ‘river’; khau/khow, ‘deep’, ‘steep’; and Asm/Hin: mukh, ‘mouth’]. The Dikhow river flows northwards from Nagaland and joins the Brahmaputra at Dikhowmukh. Dikhowmukh was an important Ahom...
Sin: දික්ඔය dikoya ‘Long Stream’ [Dickoya] Town, CP Sri Lanka From Sin: dik/dig, ‘long’ and oya, ‘river, stream – smaller than ganga’. The river, the town and the tea estate (founded in 1870) share the same name....
Sin: දික්වැල්ල dikvælla ‘Long Beach’ Town, SP, Sri Lanka From Sin: dik/dig, ‘long’; and Sin: wella/vælla, ‘sand-bank’, ‘sandy plain’, ‘sandy shore’ How long? About 2km. How tall? 50m. Dikwella has Sri Lanka’s largest seated Buddha statue. ...
Sin: දිඹුලාගල dimbulāgala ‘Wood-apple Rock’ [Gunner’s Quoin, Gunner;s Rock] Rock/Observation Point, NCP Sri Lanka From Sin: diwul/dimbul, ‘wood apple’ [Pali: udumbara]; and gala, ‘stone, rock, rocky place’. The name for this rock formation in British colonial...
Ben: দক্ষিণ/উত্ত দিনাজপুর dakṣiṇa/uttara dinājapura ‘Dinaj’s City’ Districts, West Bengal From Dinaj; Ben: dakṣiṇa, ‘south’; and uttarāśā, ‘north’. Dinajpur District, at Independence, was split up into West Dinajpur district and East Dinajpur. East Dinajpur,...
Tam: திண்டுக்கல் tiṇṭukkal ‘Pillow Rock’ [Tintukkal] From: Tam: tiṇṭu ‘pillow’, ‘semicircular cushion’; and kal, ‘rock’. Dindigul Fort (270m high and 2.75km round) was built on a wedge-shaped rock in 1605. It was under Nayak rule for more than a century until Chanda...
Sin: දෙවිනුවර, දෙවුන්දර devinuvara, devundara – Tam: தேவேந்திரமுனை dēvēntiramuṉai ‘City of the God(s)’ SP, Sri Lanka From Sin: devi, ‘god’; and Sin/Pal: nuwara/nagara, ‘city’ or Sin/Tam: tara/tura/turai, The name Dondra is...
Ben: দমদম damadama ‘Bang Bang’, ‘Battery’ City, West Bengal From Ben: dum, ‘banging, booming or thudding noise’; Per: damdama, ‘disturbance’, ‘clamour’, ’drum’, ‘mound’, ’raised battery’. There are two fascinating possibilities for this place name with...
Ben: দুর্গাপুর durgāpura ‘Durgacharan’s City’ City, West Bengal From Durgacharan and Skt: pura, ‘fort’, ‘city’. Durgapur is a planned city, and West Bengal’s fourth largest. It was designed by two American architects in 1955 under the instructions of Dr. Bidhan...
Sin: ඇල්ල ælla – Tam: எல்ல ella ‘Waterfall’ UP Sri Lanka From Sin: ella, ‘waterfall, rapids’. The Ravana Falls are 25m high and behind them is the Ravana Ella cave; legend, based on the Ramayana epic, tells of how Ravana, the demon, abducted Sita and...
Sin: ඇල්පිටිය ælpiṭiya ‘Waterfall Plain’ SP Sri Lanka From Sin: ella, ‘waterfall, rapids’; and pitiya, ‘ground, land, field, plain’. The 12m Andahelena Ella or Elpitiya waterfall is 6 km away from the village, as the crow flies. Elpitiya is famous for its low grown...
Sin: ඇඹිලිපිටිය æmbilipiṭiya- Tam: எம்பிலிபிட்டியா empilipiṭṭiyā ‘Embilla Plain’ SBP, Sri Lanka From Sin: (heen) embilla, a plant species native to Sri Lanka [antidesma alexiteria]; and pitiya, ‘ground, land, field, plain’. The embilla shrub is a member of the...
Tam: ஏறாவூர் ēṟāvūr – Sin: එරාවූර් erāvūr ‘Keel Town’ EP, Sri Lanka From Tam: era, ‘keel (of a boat)’; and ur, ‘village, town’. Located on the bank of the Batticaloa Lagoon one could imagine rows of boats moored here along the lagoon. Eravur is a majority...
Mal: എറണാകുളം eṟaṇākuḷaṁ ‘Shiva’s Tank’ City/District, Kerala From Iraiyanar, the Lord (Shiva); and Tam/Mal: kuḷam, ‘tank’, ‘reservoir’ Shiva is the patron deity of Ernakulam and the 4,000 sq km Ernakulathappan Shiva...
Tam: ஈரோடு īrōṭu ‘Two Streams’ City/District, Tamil Nadu From Tam: ir(u)/īr, ‘two’; and Tam: ōṭai, ‘stream’, ’water-course’, ‘dyke’, ’moat’. The 90km Kaingarayan canal connects the Bhavani and Noyyal rivers, tributaries of the Kaveri river. It was originally built...
Mal: ഏഴിക്കര ēḻikkara ‘Riverside’ Village, Kerala From Mal: aḻi, ‘river (mouth)’, ‘harbour’; and kara, ‘shore’, ‘bank’. Ezhikkara is a small village surounded by coconut trees, rivers and lagoons with an...
Kan: ಗಜೇಂದ್ರಗಡ gajēndragaḍa ‘Elephant Fort’ [Gajendragarh] -Fort/Town, Karnataka (Kar) .From Sin: gajendra, ‘elephant’; Hin: gaṛh, ‘fort’ The fort was built by Shivaji, the Maratha chieftain, in the 17thC. Its film appearances (it has plenty of flat surfaces for...
Sin: ගල්ගමුව galgamuva – Tam: கல்கமுவ galkamuva ‘Rocky Village’ NWP, Sri Lanka Sin: gala, ‘stone, rock, rocky place’; and gama/gamuwa, ‘village’. Tragically Galgamuwa has become the centre of a human-elephant conflict, as herds of elephants who have lost...
Sin: ගාල්ල gālla – Tam: கால gāli ‘Enclosure’ SP, Sri Lanka From Sin: gāla, ‘cattle or elephant enclosure’. This derivation has a convenient long ā to match the modern place name unlike the more popular derivation ‘Rocky Place’ [from Sin: gala, ‘stone’,...
Sin: ගල් ඔය gal oya ‘Rocky River’ EP, UP, Sri Lanka From Sin: gala, ‘stone, rock, rocky place’; and oya, ‘river, stream – smaller than ganga’. The Gal Oya river was dammed in 1950 and the Gal Oya National Park was established in 1954 – it is the drainage...
Sin: ගම්පහ gampaha – Tam: கம்பஹா gampahā ‘Five Villages’ WP, Sri Lanka From Sin: gama, ‘village’; and paha, ‘five’. The five villages are Medagama, Pahalagama, Ihalagama, Aluthgama and Pattiyagama. All of them are in the vicinity of the modern Gampaha, except...
Sin: ගම්පොල gampola – Tam: கம்பளை gampaḷai ’Riverside Site’ CP, Sri Lanka From Sin: gan/ganga, ‘river, riverside’; and pola/pala, ‘place, site’. Gampola’s original name, Gangasiripura, also indicates its prime riverside position on the Mahaweli Ganga. Gampola...
Tam: கங்கைகொண்ட சோழபுரம் kaṅkaikoṇṭa cōḻapuram ‘The Chola who took the Ganges’ Village/Temple Site/former Capital, Tamil Nadu (TN) From Chola (dynasty); Ganga/Ganges (river); Tam: koṇṭa, ‘take’, ‘obtain’; and Skt: puram, ‘town’,...
Kan: ಗಂಗಾವತಿ gaṅgāvati ‘(Holy) River Village’ -City, Karnataka From Ganga or Ganges, ‘goddess’ or ‘holy river’; and Dra: vāti, ‘village’, ‘settlement’. The Ganges is 1,500km away, as the crow flies. The Tungabhadra is a bit closer. The city is nicknamed...
Asm: গড়গাঁও gaṛhgāon ‘Fort Village’ Town, Assam From Asm: gaṛh, fort’, ‘ramparts’; and gāon, ‘village’ [Skt: grama]. The town was built in 1540 and was the Ahom capital from the 16-18thC. In 1747 a 5km fortified wall was built around the city with gates and...
Tam: கோபிச்செட்டிப்பாளையம் gōpicceṭṭippāḷaiyam ‘Gobi Chetti’s Camp’ Town/Taluk, Tamil Nadu From Gobi Chetty and Tam: pāḷaiyam , ‘camp’, ‘territory’. Gobi Chetti was a Polygar under the Vijayanagars. The Polygars were 16th–18thC governors and chieftains who...
Tam: கூடலூர் gūṭalūr ‘Valley Town’ Town/Taluk, Tamil Nadu From Bad: goḍalu, ‘dale between two hills’, ‘basin’, ‘valley’; and Bad/Tam: ūru village, town. The location matches the derivation perfectly. Gudalur is a tea plantation region sitting at the foot...
Tam: குடியாத்தம் guṭiyāttam ‘Village Way’ Town, Tamil Nadu From Tam: kudi, ‘village’, ‘settlement (of family, tribe or people related to one another)’; and Tam: attam, ‘way’, ‘road’, ‘(rough) path’. Gudiyattam/Gudiyatham is nicknamed ‘Little Sivakasi’...
Asm: গুৱাহাটী guwāhāṭi ‘Betel-nut Market’ [Pragjyotishpura] City/ Capital, Assam From Asm: guwā, ‘areca nut’, ‘betel-nut’; and Ben: hāṭa [Skt: haṭṭa], ‘market’. Guwahati’s history stretches back to ancient times and it is mentioned in the...
Sin: හබරණ habaraṇa – Tam: அபரணை aparaṇai ‘Hunter’s Place’ NCP, Sri Lanka From Sin: sabara/habara, ‘hunter’; ana, ‘place, grove, forest’. It is possible that this refers to Sri Lanka’s indigenous hunter-gathering tribe, the Veddas. Not much hunting these...
Asm: হাজো hājō ‘Hill’ Town, Assam From Bod: hajo/hajw, ‘hill’. Hajo is a pilgrimage site for three religions. The celebrated Hayagriva Madhava Hindu temple is dedicated to Narasimha, the part-man, part-lion incarnation of Vishnu [video: Hayagriva Madhava Temple] ....
Sin: හක්ගල hakgala ‘Conch or Jaw Rock’ CP, Sri Lanka From Sin: hak, ‘conch shell’ or hakka, ‘jaw’. This 2,169m mountain is the eight tallest in Sri Lanka. Its multi-peaked profile suggests a conch shell but possibly a jaw as well. Legend also tells us that this is a...
Sin:හක්මණ – Tam:ஹக்மண hakmaṇa ‘Conch or Jaw Path’ SP, Sri Lanka From Sin: hak, ‘conch shell’ or hakka, ‘jaw’; and Sin: man, ‘road, way, path’. This may be connected with shell processing and transport, or with the shape of the road junction, or with the...
Ben: হলদিয়া haladiẏā ‘Yellow (City)’ City, West Bengal From Hin/Ben: haldi/haladi, ‘turmeric’, ‘yellow’ Haldia is surrounded by the Haldi River on the west and the Hooghly on the other sides. The name suggests something yellow: the soil, perhaps, or the river. It...
Kan: ಹಳೇಬೀಡು haḷēbīḍu ‘Old City’ [Halebid] Town/Monument, Karnataka From Kan: haḷē, ‘old’; and bīḍu, ‘camp’, ‘settlement’. Halebid was capital of the Hoysala Empire in the 12thC. It is home to some superb Hindu and Jain temples, fine examples of ornate Hoysala...
Sin: හම්බන්තොට hambantoṭa – Tam: அம்பாந்தோட்டை ampāntōṭṭai ‘Sampan Harbour’ SP, Sri Lanka From Malay: sampan, ‘a traditional Asian flat-bottomed boat with oars and masts’. Travellers and traders from the Far East (Malaysia, Indonesia, China) during the Ruhuna...
Kan: ಹಂಪಿ hampi ‘Pampa’ Monument, Karnataka From Pampa river. In the epic Ramayana, the 531 km Tungabhadra River is called the Pampa. This name metamorphosed, in Kannada [p→h], to Hampa and was then anglicized to Hampi or Hampe. Hampi was the 14thC capital of the...
Sin: හල්මිල්ලෑව halmillǣva ‘Halmilla Lake’ NCP, Sri Lanka From Sin: halmilla, ‘Trincomalee wood (tree)’ [Berrya cordifolia]; and Sin: wewa , ‘lake, pond, tank, reservoir’. This reservoir is part of the ancient northern tank complex. The Trincomalee wood tree can...
Sin: හංවැල්ල haṁvælla – Tam: ஹன்வெல்லை haṉvellai ‘Sand Junction or Ford’ WP, Sri Lanka From Sin: sam, ‘union, with, together’; and vælla, ‘sandbank’, ‘sandy plain’, ‘shore’ This is the site of an ancient ford across the Kelani Ganga which linked the main...
Sin: හපුතලේ – Tam: ஹபுதலே haputalē ‘Champak Summit’ UP, Sri Lanka From Sin: hapu/sapu, ‘champak tree’ [Magnolia champaca]; and talā, ‘high ground, hill, summit, peak’. The champak is a flowering timber tree. Its fragrant flowers are used extensively in hair...
Mal: ഹരിപ്പാട് harippāṭ ‘Green Ricefields’ Town, Kerala. From Mal: hari ‘green’; and pāṭam/pāḍam/pāṭu ‘(range of) ricefields’, ‘rice-land’. Haripad is nicknamed ‘Town of Temples’. The two most famous ones are the Subrahmanya Swamy temple and Mannarasala Temple...
Sin: හාරිස්පත්තුව hārispattuva ‘Four Hundred DIvision’ CP, Sri Lanka From Sin: harasiya, ‘four hundred’; and pattu(wa), a feudal administrative division. Traditionally districts were divided into korales and then into pattus; and pattus were divided into villages...
Asm: হাত্তিগড় hāttigaṛa ‘Elephant Fort’ [Gajpur].Village, Assam From Asm/Hin: hāthī, ‘elephant’; and gaṛh, ‘fort’. Hatigarh literally means a fort or a rampart (garh) for confining elephants (hati). The Ahom king, Suklingphaa (1795–1811 CE), used this site (close...
Sin: හැටන් hæṭan – Tam: ஹட்டன் haṭṭaṉ ‘Hatton’ CP, Sri Lanka Hatton is nicknamed the tea capital of Sri Lanka . It sits 1,271m up in the Central Hill Country. Hatton, Aberdeenshire, after which it was named, was the biscuit capital of Scotland,...
Sin: හික්කඩුව hikkaḍuva – Tam: கிக்கடுவை hikkaṭuvai ‘Indian Ash Island’ SP, Sri Lanka From Sin: hik, ‘Indian Ash’ [Lannea coromandelica]; and duwa, ‘island or part of land surrounded by water’. With lakes to the north and south, and the sea to the west...
Ben: হুগলি hugali ‘Elephant Grass’ City/River/District, West Bengal From Ben: hogla, ‘elephant grass’ [Lesser Indian Reed Mace, Southern Cattail Typha Elephantine/Typha domingensis]. The district of Hooghly derived its name from the town of Hooghly on the west bank...
Sin: හොරණ horaṇa – Tam: ஹொரணை horaṇai Horana WP ‘Hora Forest’ WP, Sri Lanka From Sin: hora, ‘hora tree’ [Dipterocarpus zeylanicus]; and arana/aranya, ‘forest’. Horana could also simply be one of the variations on aranya [also haraṇ(a), raṇa, aran] in Sinhala....
Kan: ಹೊಸಪೇಟೆ hosapēṭe ‘New City’ [Nagalapura, Hospet] City/District, Karnataka From Kan: hosa, ‘new’; pete, ‘town’, ‘suburb’, ‘market’ [Tam: pēṭṭai]. Krishnadevaraya, a 16thC Vijayanagara emperor, built Hosapete and named it after his mother, Naagalaambika (the...
Tam: ஓசூர் ōsūr ‘New City’ City, Tamil Nadu From Kan: posa/hosa, ‘new’; and ūr, village, town Hoysalas (a 10th-14thC empire centred on Halebid and Belur in modern Karnataka) ruled Hosur after the decline of Chola Empire. It then became part of the Vijayanagara empire...
Ben: হাওড়া hāōṛā ‘Swampy Lake’ City/District, West Bengal From Ben: haōṛa, ‘lake’, ‘fen’, ‘swamp’, ‘marsh’. A haora is a freshwater wetland, floodplain, lake or swamp. Howrah City and District sit opposite Kolkata are on the western bank...
Kan: ಹುಬ್ಬಳ್ಳಿ hubbaḷḷi ‘Flowering Creeper’, ‘Gateway’ [Hubballi, Pubballi] City/District, Karnataka (Kar) From Kan: pu→hū(v)u, ‘flower’; v→baḷḷi, ‘creeper’, ‘vine’; and Skt: dvāratā, ‘gateway’, ‘stopover’. It has been suggested that Dharwad was a stopover for...
Mal: ഇടുക്കി iṭukki ‘Gorge’ District, Kerala From Mal: iṭukku/iḍukkụ, ‘narrow passage’, ‘gorge’ Idukki is a mountainous and densely forested region set in the Cardamom Hills. It spreads over an area of 4,358 km2 , making it the second largest district in Kerala. It...
Sin: ජා-ඇල jā-æla – Tam: ஜா-எல jā-ela ‘Java Brook’ WP, Sri Lanka From Sin: ja(va), ‘Malay, Javanese’; and ela, ‘brook, rivulet, channel, canal’. There are about 40,000 Sri Lankan Malays. Most settled during the 17th and 18th centuries when both Ceylon and...
Tam: யாழ்ப்பாணம் yāḻppāṇam – Sin: යාපනය yāpanaya ‘Town of the Lyre Minstrels’ From Tam: yal, ‘an ancient stringed musical instrument like a harp or lyre’; paan, ‘an ancient clan of minstrels who played the yal’; and Tam: pattinam , ‘a coastal town’. This...
‘(Place with) Olives’ City/District, West Bengal From Ben: jalapāi, ‘olive’; (Ben)/Dra: guri, ‘place’. Guri is a place-name element found in the northern region of West Bengal [Siliguri, Mallaguri, Maynaguri] which many think has a Dravidian origin – it...
Guj: જામનગર jāmanagara ‘City of the Jam Dynasty’ – City/District, Gujarat Nawanagar. From Jam (dynasty) and Skt: nagar, ‘city’. Jamnagar was founded as Nawanagar [Skt: nawa, ‘new’; and Skt: nagar, ‘city’] by Jam Rawal in 1540 as the capital of the...
Ben:জঙ্গিপুর jaṅgipura ‘Military City’ City, West Bengal From Ben: jaṅgi, ‘military’; and Skt: pura, ‘fort’, ‘city’. Jangipur is on a strategic ‘island’ between the Padma and Hooghly rivers. It has an interesting military history: (1) Jahanagir (1569–1627), the...
‘Forest Village’ City/District, West Bengal From Hin/Ben: jhā/ jhāḍ, ‘bush’, ‘thicket’, ‘dense forest’; Ben: grāma, ‘village’, ‘(small) town’. The region around here was used to be called Jangalakhand [Ben:jaṅgala ‘bush’, ‘thicket’, ‘jungle’]. Even today Jhargram is...
Asm: যোৰহাট jōrhāṭ ‘Twin Markets’ City/District, Assam From Asm: jor, ‘pair’; and Ben: hāṭa, ‘market’ [Skt: haṭṭa]. The ‘pair’ of markets existed in the 18thC on opposite banks of the Bhogdoi river, a tributary of the Brahmaputra, which flows past the town. Jorhat...
Mal: കടക്കരപ്പള്ളി kaṭakkarappaḷḷi ‘Seashore Church’ From Mal: kaṭal/kaḍal, ‘sea’; kara, ‘shore’; and paḷḷi, ‘hut’, ‘church’, ‘shrine’ This small coastal village is part of Alappuzha district. Its church, St...
Sin: കടക്കരപ്പള്ളി kaḍugannāva ‘Sword-drawing Point’ CP, Sri Lanka From Sin: kadu, ‘sword’; and gannawa, ‘take’. The Kadugannawa Pass was a key observation post for the Kandyan Kingdom, the right sort of place to draw swords in readiness. It marked the frontier...
Mal: കടുത്തുരുത്തി kaṭutturutti ‘Sea Island’ Town, Kerala From Mal: kaṭal/kaḍal, ‘sea’; and turutti, island Kaduthuruthy used to be on the coast (i.e. the complex pattern of seawater lagoons and backwaters that make up the coastline here): a 14thC...
Kan: ಕಲಬುರಗಿ kalaburagi ’Stone Garden’/’Rose Garden’ City/District, Karnataka (Kar) From Hin/Urd: gulāb, ‘flower’, ‘rose’; or Kan: kal, ‘stone’, ‘boulder’; Hin/Urd: bāg, ‘garden’, ‘park’. Gulbarga was renamed Kalaburagi in 2014, a decision which did not meet...
Mal:കളമശ്ശേരി kaḷamaśśēri ‘Rice Settlement’ Suburb/Region (Kochi), Kerala From Mal: kaḷama, ‘(a kind of) rice growing in deep water’; and Tam/Mal: c(h)ēri/ś(h)ēri, ‘town’, ‘village’, ‘settlement’. This implies a rice growing region,...
Ben: কালিম্পং kālimpaṁ ‘Assembly Hill’ Town/District, West Bengal From Lep: kalen/kaalen ‘assembly’; pung, ‘hillock’, ‘mound’. Kalimpong has been controlled by kingdoms in both Sikkim and Bhutan and used to be a trading centre and ‘gateway’ to Tibet before the...
Tam: கல்குடா kalkuṭā – Sin: කල්කුඪා kalkuḍhā ‘Rock Bay’ EP, Sri Lanka From Tam: kal, ‘stone, rock, boulder’; and kuta/kuda ‘bay, gulf, shore’. Elephant Rock Beach sits at the northern tip of the Kalkudah peninsula....
Tam: கல்குடா kalkuṭā – Sin කල්කුඪා kalkuḍhā ‘Rock Point’ EP, Sri Lanka From Tam: kal, ‘stone, rock, boulder’; and munai, ‘point, cape, promontory’. Kalmunai is the seventh largest city in Sri Lanka and the largest in the Eastern Province. When the Portuguese...
Mal: കൽപറ്റ kalpaṟṟa ‘Rocky Place’ [Kalpaṟṟa] Town, Kerala From Mal: kal, kallu ‘stone’, ‘rock’; and Tam: paṟṟam, ‘collection’, ‘mass’. Kalpetta is circled by mountains, rocks, waterfalls and terraces of spice, coffee and tea. It is in an ideal setting...
Sin: කළුතර kaḷutara – Tam: களுத்துறை kaḷuttuṟai ‘Black River Crossing’ WP, Sri Lanka From Sin: kalu-ganga, ‘black or dark river’; and tara, ‘raft, crossing’. The modern crossing is the 38m Kalutara Bridge which links the Western regions to the South, as the...
Tam: காஞ்சிபுரம் kāñcipuram ‘Kanchi City’ City/District, Tamil Nadu. From Tam: kāñc(h)i/kanji, ‘(river) Portia tree’ [Thespesia populnea]; or Skt: kāñcana, ‘gold’; ‘money’; and Skt: puram, ‘town’, ‘fort’, ‘city’. The sacred tree had many names: kalpa vriksha (tree of...
Sin: මහනුවර mahanuvara – Tam: கண்டி kaṇṭi ‘Mountain Country’ [Kanda Uda Rata] CP, Sri Lanka From Sin: kanda, ‘hill, mountain’; uda, ‘above, up, over’; and rata, ‘country, district’. The city, region and kingdom of Kandy has had many names. The English name...
Tam: காங்கேசன்துறை kāṅkēcaṉtuṟai – Sin: කන්කසන්තුරේ kankasanturē ‘Murugan Port’ [Gayathurai] NP, Sri Lanka From Tam: kankesan, ‘the god Murugan or Kartikeya’; and turai, ‘seaport, harbour’. According to legend, Mathurapuraveeravalli, daughter of the King of...
Mal: കണ്ണൂര് kaṇṇūr ‘Bamboo Town’ [Cannanore] City/District, Kerala From Mal: kaṇ(a)/ka(ṇ)ṇu, ‘bamboo (cane)’; and ūr, ‘village’, ‘town’, ‘city’. Kannur was an important trading centre (especially for spices) in the 12thC with important trading partnerships in...
Sin: කන්තලේ kantalē – Tam: கந்தளாய் kantaḷāy ‘River Reservoir’ EP, Sri Lanka From Sin: gan/ganga, ‘river, riverside’; and talla, ‘reservoir, large tank, pond’. The Kantale reservoir, originally called Gangathala or Ganthalawa, was constructed in the 7thC and...
Tam:கன்னியாகுமரி kaṉṉiyākumari ‘Virgin Goddess’ Town/District, Tamil Nadu Kanyakumari sits on the very tip of India, where the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean meet. It is the ‘Land’s End’ of India. Its name comes from the Kanya...
Mal: കരുനാഗപ്പള്ളി karunāgappaḷḷi ‘Cobra Village’ From Mal: karu, ‘black’; nāgam/nāġam, ‘snake’, ‘cobra’; and paḷḷi, ‘village’, ‘hamlet’. Karunagappalli/Karunagappally, a riverside town, is famous for its backwaters, houseboats, its boat club and its annual Vallam...
Tam: கரூர் karūr ‘Black Town’ [Vanji] City/District, Tamil Nadu From Tam: karu, ‘black’; ūr, ‘village’, ‘town’; and vañci, ‘creeper’. Karur’s predominant soil type is black, accounting for over one-third of the soil in the region and this place name....
Mal: കാസർഗോഡ് kāsargōḍ ‘Backwater Lake’ [Kanhirakode] Town/District, Kerala From Mal: kāñjiram, ‘strychnine tree’, ‘snake wood tree’, ‘poison nut’ [Strychnos nux vomica]; and kāṭu, ‘wilderness’, ‘wood’ This derivation assumes that Kasaragoda is a simple corruption...
Sin: කතරගම kataragama – Tam: கதிர்காமம் katirkāmam ‘Desert Village’ UP, Sri Lanka From Sin: katara, ‘desert’; and gama, ‘village’. Kataragama is an important pilgrimage town, sacred to Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims alike. The Kataragama temple has a shrine...
Tam: கதிரவெளி katiraveḷi – Sin: කතිරවෙළිය katiraveḷiya ‘Acacia Plain’ EP, Sri Lanka. From Tam: kathiram [Mimosa catechu, Acacia catechu]; and veḷi,‘expanse’, ‘open field’, ‘plain’ This thorny tree can grow to 15m in height. Its wood is used for treating...
Tam: காத்தான்குடி kāttāṉkuṭi – Sin: කාත්තාන්කුඩි kāttānkuḍi ‘Moorish or Vedda settlement’ EP, Sri Lanka From Tam: kudy, ‘clan or community settlement’. Kudy normally indicates a group of settlers of the same caste, tribe or religion. Kattankudy has...
Mal: കട്ടപ്പന kaṭṭappana ‘Palm Trees’ Town, Kerala From Mal: kaṭṭa, ‘lump’, ‘mass’, ‘block’; and pana, ‘palm/palmyra tree’. Kattapana is located in the mountain ranges of Idukki District at an altitude of 1,000+m – an ideal location for growing the cardamom,...
Mal: കായംകുളം kāyaṅkuḷaṁ ‘Backwater Lake’ Town, Kerala From Mal: kāyal, ‘backwater’, ‘lagoon’; and kuḷam, ‘tank’, ‘pool’, ‘lake’. Kayamkulam is located at the end of a saltwater lagoon. It is home to the 18thC Krishnapuram Palace built by King Marthanda Varma of ...
Asm: কাজিৰঙা kājirāṅgā ‘Kazi’s Village’ National Park, Assam From Kbi: kaji/kazi, female personal name; and rang/rong, ‘village’. Archaeological evidence suggests the Karbi people once ruled here. There are a number of derivations which are based on personal names...
Sin: කැලණිය kælaṇiya – Tam: களனி kaḷaṉi ‘Auspicious Place’ WP, Sri Lanka From Skt/Pali: kalyana, ‘beautiful, auspicious, charming’. Flowing all the way from Sri Pada to Colombo, the 145km Kelani Ganga is the fourth longest river in Sri Lanka. Kelaniya is...
Ben: খড়্গপুর khaṛgapura ‘Kharga’s City’ City, West Bengal From Kharga Malla and Skt: pur, ‘city’ Kharga Malla, a 9thC king of the Mallabhum dynasty of Bishnupur, conquered this city/region and named it after himself. Kharagpur is...
Sin: කිරිබත්ගොඩ kiribatgoḍa – Tam: கிரிபத்கொடை kiripatkoṭai ‘Milk Rice Village’ WP, Sri Lanka From Sin: kiribath, ‘rice boiled with coconut milk’; and goda, ‘village, hamlet’. Kiribath is a traditional Sri Lankan dish made by cooking rice with coconut milk...
Sin: කිතුල්ගල kitulgala – Tam: கித்துள்கலை kittuḷkalai ‘Jaggery Palm Rock’ SP, Sri Lanka From Sin: kithul, ‘kithul palm’, ‘jaggery palm’ [Caryota urens]; and gala, ‘stone, rock, rocky place’. The Kithul palm is famous for its treacle and toddy; Kitulgala...
Mal: കൊച്ചി kōccī ‘Short Estuary’ [Kochchi, Cochym, Cochin] City/District, Kerala. From Mal: koccu, ‘short’, ‘small’; Mal/Tam: aḻi ‘rivermouth’, ‘place where the lagoon joins the sea’, ‘inlet to backwater’. Kochi is a port city with traditional links to trade with...
Tam: கொடைக்கானல் koṭaikkāṉal ‘Forest of Creepers’ Hill Station, Tamil Nadu From Tam: koṭi , ‘creeper’, ‘vine’; and kāṉal a forest on a hill-slope. Kodaikanal was founded by American missionaries in the 19thC as an escape from the hot, dusty Tamil climate. It was...
Mal: കൊടുങ്ങല്ലൂര് koṭuṅṅallūr ‘Corner Town’ [Cranganore, Muziris] Town, Kerala. From Mal: kōḍu/i, ‘ end’, ‘corner’, ‘promontory’; nalla, ‘ good’, ‘fine’, ‘excellent’; and uru/uuru, ‘town’, ‘city’. Muziris was an important port with origins dating...
Sin: කොග්ගල koggala – Tam: கொக்கலை kokkalai ‘Crane Rock’ SP, Sri Lanka From Sin: koka, ‘crane’; and gala, ‘rock’. Martin Wickramasinghe (1890-1976), the ‘sage of Koggala’, describes it like this: “Kok-gala is the name of the big rock beyond the...
Tam: கொக்குளாய் kokkuḷāy – Sin: කෝකිලායි kōkilāyi ‘Cuckoo (Lagoon)’ NP, Sri Lanka From Tam/Sin: kokila(m), ‘Indian cuckoo’ [cuculus micropterus]. The mudflats and mangrove swamps of Kokkilai Lagoon (now a bird sanctuary) are a haven for all sorts of sea birds...
Kan: ಕೋಲಾರ kōlāra ‘Waterlily City’ [Kuvalapura Kolahalapura] City/District, Karnataka From Skt: kuvaḷa(ya), ‘(blue) waterlily’ [Kan: kōvaḷ, kōhaḷ, kōḷe]. Kolaramma has been the resident goddess of Kolara for a thousand years with her own Chola-style temple decked...
Ben: কলকাতা kalakātā ‘Kali Area/Ghat’ [Calcutta,Kalikata, Kalkata] City.Capital, West Bengal Kolkata, one of the four original Indian ‘metros’, is now only the seventh largest city in India. It is the capital West Bengal and was the capital of British India...
Mal: കൊല്ലം kollam ‘Palace’ [Quilon, Covlaõ] City/District, Kerala From Mal: kollam, ‘residence of king’, ‘palace’ [kō, ‘king’; and illam, ‘house’ cf. kōyil/kōvil/kōyilakam, ‘palace’, ‘temple’] Kollam is an ancient port city which had...
Sin: කොලොන්නාව kolonnāva – Tam: கொலன்னாவ kolaṉṉāva ‘Kelani Plain’ WP, Sri Lanka Kolonnawa is a suburb of Colombo and, like its parent city, its name probably derives from the Kelani Ganga: kolon is a corruption of kelani. Kolonnawa is part of the flood plain...
Mal: കൊട്ടാരക്കര koṭṭārakkarā ‘Palace Shore’ Town, Kerala From Mal:: koṭṭāram, ‘royal residence/palace’, ‘place where temple-affairs are managed’, ‘storehouse/granary’; and: kara, ‘shore’, ‘riverside’. The Pulamon Thodu (river) flows through the town and we assume...
Mal: കോട്ടയം kōṭṭayam ‘Interior of the Fort’ City/District, Kerala From Mal: koṭṭā, ‘fort’, ‘residence’; and akam, ‘interior’, ‘inside’; or Mal/Tam: ayam, ‘pool’, ‘tank’. The royal palace of the Thekkumkur ruler was protected by a fort called Thaliyilkotta. The...
Mal: കോവളം kōvaḷam ‘King’s Coast’ Town/Resort, Kerala From Mal: kō, ‘king’; or kōyam/kōva, ‘temple’, ‘palace’; and aḷam, ‘coastal area’, ‘sea’, ‘saltpan’. There are two ‘twin’ Kovalams in Tamil Nadu (one near Kanyakumari, the other...
Mal: കൊയിലാണ്ടി kōyilāṇṭi ‘Temple Passage’ [Pandalayani Kollam, Fandaraina, Quilandi] Town, Kerala From Mal: kōyil, kōvil, ‘temple’, ‘palace’; and kaṇti, ‘gap’, ‘breach’, ‘passage’, ‘lane’. Koyilandy is close to the medieval port of Pandalayani Kollam. This may...
Mal: കോഴിക്കോട് kōḻikkōṭu ‘Palace Fort’ [Qalicut, Calicut] City/District, Kerala From Mal: kōyil, kōvil, ‘palace’; or kōḻi/kōzhi, ‘fowl’, ‘cock’; and kōṭ(ṭ)a, ‘fort’. The idea that this was originally a ‘fortified palace’ wins on points but ‘Cock Fort’ is...
Tam: கிருஷ்ணகிரி kiruṣṇakiri ‘Krishna Hill’ Tamil Nadu From Krishnadevarayar and Skt: giri, ‘mountain’, ‘hill’, ‘rock’ Krishnagiri Fort was built by Krishnadevarayar, a 16thC Vijayanagara Emperor. He reigned from 1509 to 1529 when the Empire was at its peak (the...
Ben: কৃষ্ণনগর kr̥ṣṇanagara ‘Krishnachandra’s City’ City, West Bengal Raja Krishnachandra/Krishnachandra Roy was an 18thC raja and zamindar. He led a sustained resistance to Muslim rule and Maratha raids. He is remembered as a visionary leader and patron of poetry,...
Tam: குச்சவெளி kuccaveḷi – Sin: කුච්චවේලි kuccavēli ‘Kusha Grassland’ EP, Sri Lanka From Tam: kuchcha [Skt: kusa], ‘kusha grass’ [Desmostachya bipinnata]; and Tam: veḷi , ‘plain’, ‘open land’. This coarse grass is also known as halfa grass, big...
Kan: ಕುದುರೆಮುಖ kuduremukha ‘Horse Face’ Mountain Range/Peak, Karnataka From Kan: kudure, ‘horse’, ‘knight (in chess)’; and Skt: mukha, ‘mouth’. Kuduremukha is a 1,894 m peak (Karnataka’s second highest), mountain range, national park, hill station and mining...
Sin: කුලියාපිටිය kuliyāpiṭiya – Tam: குளியாப்பிட்டிய kuḷiyāppiṭṭiya ‘Hiring Ground’ or ‘Village Land’ NWP, Sri Lanka From Sin: kuliya, ‘hire, rent’; or Old Sin: kuli(ya)’, ’hamlet, village’; and Sin: pitiya, ‘plain tract of ground’. It is more exciting...
Tam: கும்பகோணம் kumpakōṇam ‘Cosmic Pot Corner’ City, Tamil Nadu From Tam: kumpam, ‘small water-jar’, ‘sacrificial pot’, ‘pinnacle (of a temple’; and kōṇam, ‘angle’, ‘corner’. Every twelve years hundreds of thousands of devotees flock to the holy town of Kumbakonam...
Mal: കുന്നംകുളം kunnamkulam ‘Hill Ponds’ Town, Kerala Mal: kunnu/kunnam, ‘hill’, ‘mountain’; and kuḷam, ‘tank’, ‘pool’, ‘lake’. There are a range of small hills which border the town [Adupputty, Cherukunnu, Kizhoor and Kakkad] and small ponds dotted between...
Nep: खरसाङ kharasāṅa ‘Little Orchid’ Town, West Bengal From Lep: kurson-rip, ‘little orchid’ [Coelogyne cristata] These little white orchids can be found in the valleys around the town. The town is a tea centre with dozens of plantations. It...
Sin: කුරුඳුගහහැතැප්ම kurun̆dugahahætæpma ‘Cinnamon Tree Milepost’ SP, Sri Lanka From Sin: kurundu, ‘cinnamon’; gaha, ‘tree’; and hæthækma, ‘mile, milepost’. In ancient Sinhalese measurement a hæthækma is roughly 2 hoo sadde duras (the distance a ‘hoo’ cry can be...
Sin: කුරුණෑගල kuruṇǣgala – Tam: குருணாகல் kuruṇākal ‘Small Elephant Rock’ NWP, Sri Lanka From Sin: kuru, ‘small, short’; na, ‘elephant’; and gala, ‘rock, rocky’. Kurunegala is surrounded by eight large rocks each of which is given the name of the animal it...
Sin: මාදම්පේ mādampē – Tam: மாதம்பே mātampē ‘Plum Grove’ NWP, Sri Lanka From Sin: mādan, ‘Malabar plum’ [Syzygium cumini]; and pe, ‘wood, grove’. The maadan/maadam is also known as the Malabar, Java, Portuguese, black or damson plum. Although its fruit, leaves...
Tam: மடு maṭu ‘Lake’ NP, Sri Lanka From Tam: maṭu, ‘pond, pool, reservoir’. The Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu is the holiest of Roman Catholic shrines in Sri Lanka. When Catholic communities, originally converted by the Portuguese, came under attack from the King of...
Tam: மதுரை madurai ‘Walled City’ [Matirai] City/District, Tamil Nadu From Tam: matiḷ, ‘wall (round a fort)’, ‘walled city or fortification’ Records of the name Matirai date back to 2ndC Tamil-Brahmi cave inscriptions. Madurai was once a double-walled fortified...
Sin: මහරගම maharagama – Tam: மகரகம makarakama ‘Rampart Village’ WP, Sri Lanka From Sin: mohora (maha, ‘large, great’ + ura(ya), ‘rampart’); and Sin: gama, ‘village’. Given that Maharagama is a few kilometres from the outer fortress of the Kotte kingdom this...
Sin: මහියංගණය mahiyaṅgaṇaya ‘Great Plain’ UP, Sri Lanka From Sin: maha, ‘large, great’; and Pali/Sin: angana, ‘open space, clearing, flat land’. According to the Mahavamsa this was the site of the Buddha’s first ever visit to Sri Lanka when he arrived to settle a...
Sin: මහව mahava – Tam: மாகோ mākō ‘Great Lake’ NWP, Sri Lanka From: Sin: maha, ‘large, great’; and wewa, ‘lake, pond, large tank’. Maho is a British corruption of Mahawa which in turn is a truncated form of Mahawewa; there is a sister Mahawewa in Puttalam...
Asm: মাজুলী mājulī ‘Middle of the Water’ Island/District, Assam From Skt/Asm/Ben: madhya/mājha, ‘middle’; and jala, ‘water’, ‘stream’. Majuli is in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest river island in the world. It can be accessed via ferry from Jorhat. It...
Mal: മലപ്പുറം malappuram ‘City in the Hills’ City/District, Kerala From Mal: mala, ‘mountain’, ‘raised land’, ‘hill-land’; and Skt: pur(am), ‘fort’, ‘town’, ‘city’. The area features hills and mountains carpeted in green with freshwater streams flowing down into...
Tam: மாமல்லபுரம் mamallapuram ‘Great Wrestler’s City’ [Mahabalipuram] Town, Tamil Nadu From Skt: maha, ‘great’; Skt/Tam: malla, ‘wrestler’, ‘athlete’; and Skt: pura, ‘town’, ‘city’. Narasimhavarman I was a 7thC Pallava king. He completed the group of rock cut...
Mal: മാനന്തവാടി mānanthavādi ‘Great Bliss Village’ From Skt: maha, ‘great’, ‘abundant’; ānanda, ‘joy’, ‘bliss’; and Dra: paṭṭī/vāṭī, ‘settlement’, ‘town/village’; or Mal: mān, ‘deer’; eyyuka, ytu, ‘shoot an arrow’; and Dra: paṭṭī/vāṭī, ‘settlement’, ‘town/village’....
Kan: ಮಂಡ್ಯ maṇḍya ‘Settlement’ City/District, Karnataka Skt: mandira, ‘dwelling’, ‘resting place’, ‘house’, ’palace’, ‘camp‘, ‘temple’. Like Mandvi (Gujarat) the most popular derivation is the unlikely one that the town was named after the ancient sage, Mandavya,...
Kan:ಮಂಗಳೂರು maṅgaḷūru ‘Mangaladevi’s City’ [Mangalore, Mangalapuram] City/District, Karnataka From Mangaladevi and Kan: ūr/ūru, ‘town’, ‘village’. Mangalore is named after its 9thC temple dedicated to the goddess Mangaladevi who clearly brings the city great fortune...
Mal: മഞ്ചേരി manjeri ‘Walled Settlement’ Town, Kerala From Mal: maṇ, ‘mud-wall’, ‘wall’, ‘stone-wall’; and c(h)ēri ‘colony’, ‘settlement’. Manjeri is famous for its Stone Age sites including rock-cut caves, menhirs and dolmens. At one point it was the military HQ...
Mal: മഞ്ചേശ്വരം manjeshvaram ‘Srimad Anantheswar’ Town, Kerala The most common explanation is that the town is named after its local deity, Srimath Anantheshwar. Over time this metamorphosed into Manjeshwar. The Anantheswar temple dates back to the 8thC and is...
Tam: மன்னார் maṉṉār – Sin: මන්නාරම mannārama ‘Sandy Causeway’ NP, Sri Lanka From Tam: mann, ‘sand, gravel’; and ar/aru, ‘way, road, path’. Mannar Island is connected to the mainland by a causeway which at one time had a chain ferry which hauled visitors over...
Mal: മണ്ണാറശ്ശാല mannaraśśāla ‘Coral Tree Hall’ Temple, Kerala From Mal: mandāram, ‘Indian coral tree [Erythrina Indica]; Mal/Skt: śāla, ‘hall’. Mannarasala Sree Nagaraja Temple in Haripad is dedicated to Agaraja, the snake god. Thousands of snake images...
Mal: മരട് marat ‘Indian Laurel’ Suburb (Kochi), Kerala From Mal/Tam: marutu/maradu, ‘Indian Laurel [Terminalia tomentosa]’. The Indian laurel tree is famous for storing water during the dry season; this water can be tapped. Maradu is now a fast growing suburb of...
Sin: මස්කෙළිය maskeḷiya ‘Leaping Fish’ CP, Sri Lanka From Sin: mas, ‘fish’; and keliya, ‘playing, sport’. There are British-era trout-fishing huts here, near the start of the Sri Pada/Adam’s Peak Trail. They were built by the tea planters at the nearby Moray...
Sin: මාතර mātara – Tam: மாத்தறை māttaṟai Matara SP ‘Great Seaport’ SP, Sri Lanka From Sin: maha, ‘large, great’; and tara, ‘ford, ferry, riverbank, port, harbour’. Matara was also known as Mahatota (Sin: tota, ‘ford, ferry, riverbank’) and Mahapattana (Sin:...
Mal: മട്ടന്നൂര് maṭṭaṉūr ‘River Bank’ Town, Kerala From Mal: māṭṭam, ‘entrenchment’, ‘ river bank’; and ūr, ‘village’, ‘town’, ‘city’. Mattanur is famous for its percussion: the chenda, a loud two-sided cylindrical drum which features in temple ceremonies,...
Sin: මතුගම matugama – Tam: மத்துகம mattukama ‘Upper Village’ WP, Sri Lanka From Sin: matu, ‘upper, above’; and gama, ‘village’. Matugama is surrounded by mountains and has a history of rubber: at one time it had 1,000 acres of rubber plantations....
Mal: മാവേലിക്കര māvēlikkara ‘Mahabali Bank’ Town, Kerala From Mahābali/Māveli and Mal: kara, ‘bank’, shore’, ‘riverside’ This mythological derivation relates the story of Maveli or Mahabali, the mythical king of Kerala and devotee of Vishnu. King Mahabali, despite...
Tam: மாவிட்டபுரம் māviṭṭapuram – Sin: මාවිට්ටපුරම් māviṭṭapuram ‘Vanished Horse Town’ NP, Sri Lanka From Tam: ma, ‘animal, beast (usually a horse or elephant)’; viṭu, ‘remove, get rid of’; and puram, ‘city’. The Chola Princess Maruthapuraveegavalli had a...
Sin: මිහින්තලය mihintalaya ‘Mihinda Hill’ NCP, Sri Lanka From Mihinda and Sin: talā, ‘high ground, hill, summit, peak’. This is the hill where Mahinda, the son of Emperor Ashoka, met Devanampiyatissa (250-210 BC) and converted him to Buddhism. At its summit is the...
Sin: මිනුවන්ගොඩ minuvangoḍa – Tam: மினுவந்கொட miṉuvankoṭa ‘Crown Jewel Village’ WP, Sri Lanka From Sin: mini, ‘crown, gem’; barana, ‘ornament, jewel’ or ruwan, ‘gems, gold’; and goda, ‘village, hamlet’. The Minuwangoda Urban Council website points out that the...
Sin: මිරිස්ස – Tam: மிரிஸ்ஸ mirissa ‘Chilli Point’ SP, Sri Lanka From Sin: miris, ‘chilli, pepper’. This could easily be a place where chillies were grown and perhaps ground on the miris-gala, a stone mortar and pestle for grinding spices. Mirissa is an...
Sin: මොණරාගල moṇarāgala – Tam: மொனராகலை moṉarākalai ‘Peacock Rock’ UP, Sri Lanka From Sin: monara, ‘peacock’; and gala, ‘rock’. Monaragala sits at the foot of Peacock Rock, an imposing round-topped densely forested hill, which resembles a peacock. The 20m...
Sin: මොරටුව moraṭuva – Tam: மொறட்டுவை moṟaṭṭuvai ‘Senna Plain’ WP, Sri Lanka From Sin: moratu, ‘avaram senna’ [Senna auriculata]; and eliya, ‘open space, plain’. The avaram senna is a yellow-flowered shrub in the legume family which grows in dry and coastal...
Sin: මොරවක – மொறவக்க moṟavakka ‘Peacock Bend’ SP, Sri Lanka From Sin: monara, ‘peacock’; and waka, ‘bend, curve’. The Nilwala Ganga and the roads that skirt it do indeed fan out here on the bend in the river like a peacock’s tail feathers. Th town is...
Tam: முல்லைத்தீவு mullaittīvu- Sin: මූලදූව mūladūva ‘Jasmine Island’ NP, Sri Lanka From Tam: mullai, ‘jasmine’; and tivu, ‘island, islet’. Perched precariously on the NE shoulder of Sri Lanka, Mullaitiva was a strategic target for opposing troops in the Civil War...
Mal: മൂന്നാര് mūṇṇāṟ ‘Three Rivers’ Town/Hill Station, Kerala From MAL: mūnnu, ‘three’; and MAL: āṟu, river. The three mountain streams are: Mudrapuzha, Kundala and Nallathanni. Munnar is famous for its tea plantations, waterfalls, hiking trails and spectacular...
Mal: മുവാറ്റുപുഴ mūvāṭṭupuḻā ‘Three River Confluence’ Town, Kerala From Mal: mūnnu, ‘three’; āṟu/āṟṟu, ‘river’; and puḻa/puzha, ‘river’. The Muvattupuzha river flows through the town. It is the sacred Triveni Sangam (3-way confluence) of three rivers:...
Asm: নগাঁও nagām̐ō ‘New Village’ [Nowgong] Town/District, Assam From Asm: na, ‘new’; and gāon, ‘village’ [Skt: grama]. Nowgong was a feeble British attempt at writing Nagaon. It is neither new (it dates back to at least the 17thC) nor a village (it has a population...
Tam: நாகப்பட்டினம் nākappaṭṭiṉam ‘Naga City’ Town/District, Tamil Nadu From Nagas and Tam: paṭṭiṉam, ‘coastal city’, ‘sea-shore town’. The Nagas [from Skt/Tam: naga/nākam, ‘snake’, ‘cobra’] were an aboriginal, serpent-worshipping tribe associated with Sri Lanka and...
Asm: নলবাৰী nalabāṛi ‘Reed Garden’ Town/District, Assam From Asm: nal, ‘(a kind of) reed’; and bari, ‘garden’, ‘compound’. At one time the Nalbari region was famous for its silks and the Tailaparnika perfume which, according to Kautilya’s Arthasastra, had the:...
Sin: නාවල – Tam: நாவல nāvala ‘Elephant Jungle’ WP, Sri Lanka From Sin: na(ga), ‘elephant’; and val/vala, ‘forest, wood, jungle’. This name dates back to the Kotte kingdom. Nawala is a suburb of Colombo and is called the Ceramics Capital of Sri Lanka....
Sin: නාවලපිටිය nāvalapiṭiya – Tam: நாவலப்பிட்டி nāvalappiṭṭi ‘Ironwood Forest Plain’ CP, Sri Lanka From Sin: na (gaha), ‘ironwood tree’ [Mesua ferrea]; val/vala, ‘forest, wood, jungle’; and pitiya, ‘ground, land, field, plain’. It is called the ironwood...
Asm: নাজিৰা nājirā ‘Harbour’ Town, Assam From Asm: nāo, ‘boat’; and jira, ‘resting (place)’. One could imagine this as an inlet used as a stopover on the River Dikhow. Other sources suggest: ‘Steep Field’. [from Aho: nā, field; ji, ‘slant’; and rā, ‘much’,...
Mal: നെടുമങ്ങാട് neṭumaṅkāṭ ‘Long Bazaar’ Town, Kerala From Mal: neṭu, ‘long’ ; and aṅkāṭi/aṅgaḍi, ‘bazaar’, ‘market’. The modern Nedumangad market is the largest in southern Kerala. Nedumangad is also an important marketplace for agricultural commodities,...
Sin: මීගමුව mīgamuva – Tam: நீர்கொழும்பு nīrkoḻumpu ‘Honey Village’ WP, Sri Lanka From Sin: mee, ‘honey’; and gamuwa, ‘village, hamlet’. Negombo is a Portuguese corruption of Tam: Neerkolumbu, which may itself be a corruption of the original Sin: Megamuwa....
Tam:நெய்வேலி neyvēli ‘Paddy Fields’ Town, Tamil Nadu From Tam: nel , ‘paddy’; vēli, ‘field’, ‘enclosure’, ‘land’ At one time rice dominated the local economy, but since the 1960s lignite and thermal power stations have taken over: Neyveli...
Mal: നെയ്യാറ്റിൻകര neyyāṭiṉkara ‘Shore of Neyyar River’ Town, Kerala From Neyyar; Mal: āṟu/āṟṟu, ‘river’; and kara, ‘bank’, shore’, ‘riverside’ The Neyyar river flows from Agasthya mountain, the highest peak in the Western Ghats (1868m), on the border with Tamil...
Sin: නිකවැරටිය nikaværaṭiya ‘Heap or House of Cow Dung’ NWP, Sri Lanka From Sin: nika, ‘house, heap’; and waeratiya, ‘dried cow-dung’. For centuries cow dung has been collected and stored for use as fuel, manure, disinfectant and house-building material....
Tam: நிலாவெளி nilāveḷi – Sin: නිලාවැලි nilāvæli ‘Moonlit Land’ EP, Sri Lanka From Tam: nilā ‘moonlight’; and veḷi, ‘open space’, ‘expanse’ Nilaveli has an enviably long and pristine beach which is undoubtedly even more awesome when lit up by a full...
Mal: നിലേശ്വർ nīlēṣvar ‘Nilakanta Shiva’ Town, Kerala Neeleswaram is the abbreviated form of Neelakanta Ishwaran, formerly the seat of the Neeleswaram Rajahs. The name Nileshwar is derived from the name of the temple, Thaliyil Neelakandeshwar, which is dedicated to...
Tam: நீலகிரி nīlakiri ‘Blue Mountains’ District, Tamil Nadu From Skt/Tam: nīla(m) ‘blue’, ‘indigo’; and Skt/Tam: giri, ‘mountain’, ‘hill’, ‘rock’ Some suggest that the name comes from the purple-blue flowers of the kurinji [Strobilanthes kunthiana], but since it...
Sin: නිවිතිගල nivitigala ‘Spinach Rock’ SBP, Sri Lanka From Sin: nivithi, ‘Malabar or Ceylon spinach’, ‘Malabar nightshade’ [Basella alba] and gala, ‘stone, rock, rocky place’. This is a tall, climbing vine with fleshy green leaves and green or purply-red stems,...
Sin: නුගේගොඩ nugēgoḍa – Tam: நுகேகொடை nukēkoṭai ‘Banyan Village’ WP, Sri Lanka From Sin: nuga, ‘banyan tree’ [ficus benghalensis]; and goda, ‘village, hamlet’. The banyan is revered as sacred in India, where it is the national tree. It is a parisitic fig...
Sin: නුවර එළිය nuvara eḷiya – Tam: நுவரெலியா nuvareliyā ‘City on the Plain’ CP, Sri Lanka From SIn: nuwara, ‘town, city’; and eliya, ‘open space, plain’. The coolest city in Sri Lanka, situated in the middle of the most important tea growing area, sits...
Mal: ഒറ്റപ്പാലം oṟṟappālaṁ ‘Single Bridge’ Town, Kerala From Mal: oṟṟa, ott(r)a, ‘single’, ‘one’; and pālam, ‘bridge (over a river)’. The Ottappalam-Mayannur bridges stretches 0.71km across the Bharathapuzha river. ...
Mal: പാലക്കാട് pālakkāṭ ‘Blackboard Tree Wood’ [Palghat, Palakkattussery] City/District, Kerala, From Mal: pāla, ‘blackboard tree’ [Echites/Alstonia scholaris]; and kāṭu, ‘wilderness’, ‘wood’. This is sometimes called the ‘seven-leaved milk-tree’ because of its...
Tam:பழனி paḻaṉi ‘Paddy Fields’ Town, Tamil Nadu From Tam: paḻaṉam/pazhaṉam, ‘agricultural land’, ‘rice-fields’. Palani, one of the Arupadai Veedu (six battle camps) of Lord Murugan, is a pilgrimage destination for seven million devotees of Murugan every year. In...
Sin: පානදුර pānadura- Tam: பாணந்துறை pāṇantuṟai ‘Rocky Harbour’ WP, Sri Lanka From Sin: pāṇa/pasana, ‘stone, rock’ (used only as a place-names prefix); and Sin/Tam: tara/tura/turai, ‘seaport, harbour’. Panadura was the site for the 1873 Debate between Buddhists and...
Mal: പന്തളം pantaḷaṁ ‘Pandalam (Dynasty)’ Town, Kerala The Pandalam dynasty was a branch of the Pandya kingdom which fled here in the 10thC. Their territory covered nearly 3,000 sq. km: Konni, Achankovil, Tenkasi and the forest regions of Sabarimala, the...
Mal: പരവൂർ paravūr ‘Paravar Village’ Town, Kerala From Paravar and Mal: ūr, ‘town’, ‘village’. Some suggest that the name comers from the seafaring Paravar tribe/community who have lived on the coast here (and in Tamil Nadu) since ancient times. Paravur...
Tam: பாசிக்குடா pāsikkuṭā – Sin: පාසිකුඩා pāsikuḍā ‘Green Bay’ EP, Sri Lanka From Tam: pāsi/pāci, ‘green’, ‘moss’, ‘lichen’, ‘seaweed’; and kuta/kuda ‘bay, gulf, shore’. Like its name twin in Wisconsin (U.S), Passikuda is...
Mal: പത്തനംതിട്ട pattanantiṭṭa ‘Riverside Dwelling’ Town/District, Kerala From Mal: paṭṭaṇam, ‘abode’, ‘dwelling’; and tiṭṭa, ‘bank’, ‘shoal’. The river here is the 128km Achankovil. The Sabarimala Ayyappa temple is in Pathanamthitta District and because it is the...
Kan: ಪಟ್ಟದ್ಕಲ್ಲು paṭṭadkallu ‘Coronation Stone’ [Raktapura] From Skt: paṭṭa ‘crown’, ‘band’, ‘ribbon’; Kan: kal/kallu, ‘stone’. Pattadakal is a complex of exquisitely crafted 7-8thC Hindu and Jain temples. It is the artistic and spiritual legacy, with neighboring...
Sin: පට්ටිපොල paṭṭipola – Tam: பட்டிபொல paṭṭipola ‘Cattle Site’ CP, Sri Lanka From Sin: pattiya, ‘stall or herd of cattle’; pola, ‘place, site’. Pattipola is the site of the two highest (2,000m) and two largest (2,000 head of cattle) dairy farms (Ambewela and...
Sin: පේරාදෙණිය pērādeṇiya – Tam: பேராதனை pērātaṉai ‘Guava Plain’ CP, Sri Lanka From Sin: pera, ‘guava tree’ [Psidium guajava]; and deniya, ‘plain, field’. The guava is a green, fleshy edible fruit also used in shampoo and traditional medicine. The Peradeniya...
Mal: പെരിന്തല്മണ്ണ perintalmaṇṇa ‘Great Wrestling Ground’ Town, Kerala From Mal: peru, ‘great’, ‘large’; tallu, ‘beating’, ‘fighting’ (boxing/wrestling); and maṇ(ṇa), ‘soil’, ‘earth’, ‘ground’. Perintalmanna was famous for its Mamankam post-harvest festivals...
Sin: පින්නවල pinnavala -பின்னவலை piṉṉavalai ‘Hill Glory Bower Wood’ SBP, Sri Lanka From Sin: pinna, ‘hill glory bower’ [Clerodendron infortunatum]. The pinna is a small flowering shrub or small tree; the Latin name refers to its sad, ugly leaves. It is famous for...
‘Rocky Cape’ NP, Sri Lanka From Por: Ponta das Pedras, ‘rocky point or cape’. Point Pedro is the most northerly point in Sri Lanka, 432k; from Dondra, Sri Lanka’s southernmost point. The Tamil name of the town in Tamil is Paruthithurai, ‘cotton harbour’....
Tam: பொள்ளாச்சி poḷḷācci ‘Sesban Forest’ Town/Taluk, Tamil Nadu From Tam: poḻil, ‘grove’, ‘forest’; and akatti/accam/acci, ‘sesban’ or ‘West Indian pea tree’ [Sesbania grandiflora] a.k.a. ‘corkwood’, ‘swamp pea’,...
Sin: පොළොන්නරුව poḷonnaruva – Tam: பொலன்னறுவை polaṉṉaṟuvai ‘Pulastya’s City’ NCP, Sri Lanka The origins of the name Polonnaruwa are unclear. Polonnaruwa is not the real name of the place and is not very ancient. Major Forbes, writing in...
Mal: പൊന്നാനി ponnāni ‘Gold Coin’ Town/Taluk, Kerala From Mal: pon, ‘gold’; and nāṇayaṁ, ‘coin’. Gold coins were introduced by Arab and Persian traders. Ponnani has been an important port since ancient times. It was the principal principle trade route between Malabar...
Tam: பொத்துவில் pottuvil – Sin: පොතුවිල potuvila ‘Rush Pond’ EP, Sri Lanka From Sin: potukola or potupan, ‘reed, rush’ [Scleria oryzoides]; and vila, ‘pond, lake, marsh’. This coarse reed is used for mat-weaving. The Pottuvil Lagoon is a complex of wetlands,...
Tam: புதுக்கோட்டை putukkōṭṭai ‘New Fort’ City/District, Tamil Nadu From Tam: putu, ‘new’; and Tam: kōṭṭai, ‘fort’, ‘fortified town’. Pudukottai was a kingdom founded in the late 17thC by the Raja of Ramnad, Raghunatha Setupati, The nearby Thirumayam Fort is a 16...
Tam: பூம்புகார் pūmpukār ‘Seaport’ [Poompuhar, Kaveripoompattinam] Town/Ancient Seaport, Tamil Nadu From Tam: pukār, ‘mouth of a river’; ‘seaport’ Puhar was an ancient seaport on the east coast. At one time it served as both...
Mal: പുനലൂർ punalūr ‘Riverbridge’ Town, Kerala From Mal: puṇal, ‘water’, ‘river’; and ūr, ‘town’, ‘city’. Punalur is situated on the banks of the 121km Kallada river. Its 120m suspension bridge, built in 1877, is nicknamed the ‘London Bridge of Kerala’...
Sin: පුස්සැල්ලාව pussællāva – Tam: புசல்லாவ pusallāva ‘Creeper Falls’ CP, Sri Lanka From Sin: puswela, ‘elephant creeper’ [Entada Pusaetha]; and ella, ‘waterfall, rapids’. This is a large woody climber with a thick trunk and long twisted snake-like branches....
Tam: புத்தளம் puttaḷam – Sin: පුත්තලම puttalama ‘New Saltpans’ NWP, Sri Lanka From Tam: puththu/puttu, ‘new’; and Tam: aḷam, ‘salt pans’. Puttalam is one of the largest salt production areas in Sri Lanka and the location of its first salt refinery. When Ibn...
Tam: புத்தூர் puttūr ‘New Town’ NP, Sri Lanka From Tam: puththu/puttu, ‘new’; and ur, ‘town, city’. In 1976 the fledgling Tamil Tigers robbed a bank here in brazen cinematic style and got away with LKR700,000 in cash and jewellery. Puttur boasts the Nailavarai...
Sin: පුවක්පිටිය puvakpiṭiya ‘Areca Nut Field’ CP, Sri Lanka From Sin: puwak, ‘areca nut tree’ (colloquial); and pitiya, ‘ground, land, field, plain’. The areca nut (also called betel nut) is actually a berry which, when it hardens, can be cut and chewed. It is a...
Kan: ರಾಯಚೂರು rāyac(h)ūru ‘Royal City’ City/District, Karnataka From Kan: rāya(ca), ‘royal’; and ūr/ūru, ‘town’, ‘village’. There has been a fort here since the 7-8thC under the Chalukyas of Badami – it was rebuilt in the 13thC. Raichur was a part of the...
Tam: இராசபாளையம் irācapāḷaiyam ‘Raju Cantonment’ City/Taluk, Tamil Nadu From Tam: pāḷaiyam, ‘fort’, ‘camp’, ‘cantonment’. The Rajus, a Telugu speaking community, migrated here from Andhra Pradesh following the collapse of the Vijayanagara Empire in the 17thC. They...
Tam: இராமநாதபுரம் irāmanātapuram ‘Lord Rama’s Town’ [Ramnad] Town, Tamil Nadu From Rama; Skt: nātha, ‘lord’, ‘master’; and puram, ‘town’, ‘city’. Ramnad has traditionally included the Hindu holy island city of Rameswaram with its ornate multi-pillared...
Mal: രാമനാട്ടുകര rāmanāṭṭukara ‘Rama’s Riverbank’ Town, Kerala From Rama, the hero of the Ramayana epic and Mal: āṟu/āṟṟu, ‘river’; and kara, ‘shore’, ‘riverside’. Ramanattukara sits on the southern bank of 169km Chaliyar river which flows into the sea at Beypore....
Sin: රඹෑව rambǣva – Tam: இறம்பாவை iṟampāvai ‘Plantain Tank’ NCP, Sri Lanka From Sin: ramba, ‘plantain, banana’; and wewa, ‘lake, pond, tank, reservoir’. The ground reservoir here has a capacity of 1,500 cubic metres....
Sin: රඹුක්කන rambukkana – Tam: ரம்புக்கனா rampukkaṉā ‘Cane Thicket’ SBP, Sri Lanka From Sin: rambuk, ‘cane’ [Saccharum procerum]; and Sin: ana, ‘place, grove, forest’. Clough describes rambuk as ‘a kind of cane resembling but more elegant than the sugarcane’....
Kan: ರಾಣೇಬೆನ್ನೂರು rāṇēbennūru ‘Queen’s Town’ City, Karnataka (Kar) From Skt/Pkt: rājṇī/rāṇī, ‘queen’; Kan: rāṇē(ben), ‘queen’; and ūr/ūru, ‘town’, ‘village’. The ‘ben(n)’ insert appears in two other towns: Santhebennur, Motebennur and there are three more Bennurs;...
Sin: රංගල raṁgala ‘Gold Rock’ CP, Sri Lanka From Sin: ran, ‘gold’; and gala, ‘rock’. A popular trekking centre. Maybe the hikers are looking for something more than just waterfalls, forest walks, hilltop views and picturesque plantations!...
‘City of Joy’ Monument/Palace, Assam From Asm: ranga, ‘joy’, ‘pleasure’; and Skt: pura, ‘fort’, ‘city’. Rangpur, founded in 1707, was the fourth capital of the Ahom kingdom and its military base. It fell into rebel hands towards the end of the century but by the...
Tam: இராணிப்பேட்டை irāṇippēṭṭai ‘Queen’s Suburb’ Town/District, Tamil Nadu From Tam: irāṇi , ‘queen’; and pēṭṭai, ‘suburb (of fort)’, ‘village near a market town’. Local songs and plays commemorate the valour of Desingh Raj. In 1771 the young prince (he was only...
Sin: රත්නපුර ratnapura – Tam: இரத்தினபுரி irattiṉapuri ‘Gem City’ SBP, Sri Lanka From Sin: ratna, ‘jewel, gem’; and pura, ‘city’. Ratnapura is the traditional centre of Sri Lanka’s gem trade. There are many gem ‘mines’ in the area where you can watch the...
Kan: ರಾಬರ್ಟಸನ್ಪೇಟ್ rābarṭasanpēṭ ‘Robertson Suburb’ Town, Karnataka From Robertson and Kan: pete, ‘town’, ‘suburb’, ‘market’ [Tam: pēṭṭai]. Robertsonpete was built and designed in 1902 to accommodate the population overspill from the Kolar Gold Fields....
Sin: රූමස්සල rūmassala ‘Golden Coral’ SP, Sri Lanka From Sin: ru, ‘gold, beauty, form’; and masaragalla, ‘coral’. The coral reefs here are endangered and are now under sanctuary protection. In the past, fisherman used to dynamite the coral to make fishing easier....
Asm: শদিয়া śadiẏā ‘City of Sathyakanarayana’ [Sadhayapuri] Town, Assam This is an abbreviation of Sadhyaka-narayana -pur, the city of 14thC King Sathyakanarayana. Sadiya was the Chutia Kingdom’s third capital. It was founded in the 13thC and lasted through until...
Tam: சேலம் sēlam ‘Mountain (City)’ City/District, Tamil Nadu From Tam: cayilam/śailam, ‘mountain’. Salem is situated at the foot of the Shevaroy Hills and his surrounded by mountains in all directions: Nagaramalai, Jarugumalai Kanjamalai and Godumalai. Salem dates...
Tam: சம்மாந்துறை sammāntuṟai – Sin: සම්මාන්තුරේ sammānturē Town, EP , Sri Lanka Sammanthurai is a Muslim-majority town and was the birthplace of of M. H. M. Ashraff who founded the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress. Here are three possibilities: ‘Saman’s Port’. From...
Sin: සීදුව sīduva – Tam: சீதுவ sītuva ‘Lion Island’ WP, Sri Lanka From Sin: sinha, ‘lion’; and duwa, ‘island, or ‘part of land surrounded by water’. Seeduwa may not be an island, strictly speaking, but it is surrounded by the sea, rivers, canals and...
The ‘Seven Sisters’ are a family of seven states on the North Eastern Region (NER) of India: Arunachal Pradesh (ArP), Assam (Asm), Manipur (Man), Meghalaya (Meg), Mizoram (Miz), Nagaland (Nag), Tripura (Tri). Sikkim is usually included as a brother state....
Kan: ಶಿವಮೊಗ್ಗ śivamogga ‘Shiva Lane’ [Shimoga] City/District, Karnataka From Kan: mukku/mogge, ‘lane’ [Tam: mukku, ‘lane’, ‘corner’, ‘junction’]. There are no shortage of alternatives, many of which have myths to accompany them: Shiva-Mukha [Skt/Kan: mukha/moga,...
Kan: ಶ್ರವಣಬೆಳಗೊಳ śravaṇabeḷagoḷa ‘Monk’s White Pond’ Town, Karnataka From Skt: śramaṇa, ‘ascetic’, ‘mendicant’, ‘(Buddhist or Jain) monk’; Kan: beḷ/veḷ, ‘bright’, shining’, ‘white’; and koḷa/koḷahe, ‘pond’. This is the site of the 18m, 10thC Gommateshwara...
Sin: සීගිරිය sīgiriya – Tam: சிகிரியா sikiriyā ‘Lion Rock’ CP, Sri Lanka From Sin: sinha, ‘lion’; and giriya, ‘rock, mountain’. King Kashyapa (477–495 CE) built a palace fortress on the top of this 180m column of rock. He had usurped the throne by murdering...
Asm: শিলচর śilac(h)ara ‘Stone Bank’ City, Assam From Asm: śilā, ‘stone’; char, ‘(river) bank’. Silchar is the second largest city in Assam, famous for tea cultivation. Indira Gandhi called it the ‘Island of Peace’ during a time when it was a beacon of stability in a...
Sin: සිංහරාජ siṁharāja ‘Lion King’ SBP, SP, Sri Lanka From Sin: sinha, ‘lion’; and raja, ‘king’. The Mahavamsa tells the story of the origins of the Sinhalese people from the union of a lion and a princess. Their grandson, Prince Vijaya, founded a new kingdom in...
‘Cold Plain’ CP, Sri Lanka From Sin: sita, ‘cold’; eliya, ‘open space, plain’. The Sita Amman Temple tells the story that the demon Ravana kept the abducted Princess Sita here. Devotees believe she prayed by the temple brook for Rama to rescue her and that...
Tam: சிவகாசி sivakāci ‘Shiva’s City of Light’ City, Tamil Nadu From S(h)iva; and Kas(h)i, ‘Varanasi, (City of) Light [Skt: kāśī, ‘light’, ‘splendour’]. Harikesari Parakkirama, a 16thC Pandya king, went to Kasi (Varanasi) to fetch a lingam for a new...
‘Shyllong’ City/Capital, Meghalaya From Lei Shyllong, a Khasi god. Shillong Peak (U Lum Shyllong) is the highest mountain in Meghalaya. Its name comes from the Khasi god, Lei Shyllong who is said to live on the mountain. Khasis still perform rituals and ceremonies...
Asm: শিৱসাগৰ śivasāgara ‘Shiva’s Ocean’ [Sibsagar] City/District, Assam From Shiva; and Skt: sāgar, ‘ocean, ‘sea’. The city gets its name from the big lake in the city centre. Sivasagar’s previous name was Rangpur (see above) and it was the Ahom capital during the...
Kan: ಶ್ರೀರಂಗಪಟ್ಟಣ śrīraṅgapaṭṭaṇa ‘Sri Ranga City’ [Seringapatnam] Temple Town, Karnataka From Sri Ranga, ‘(name for) Vishnu’; and Kan: paṭṭaṇam, ‘(port/coastal) town’, ‘city’. The city is named after the 10thC Sri Ranganthaswamy temple. Sri Ranga(natha) is the the...
Mal: സുൽത്താൻ ബത്തേരി sulttān battēri ‘Tipu Sultan’s Battery’ [Ganapathivattam] Town, Kerala Tipu Sultan, ‘Tiger of Mysore’ and ruler of the Mysore Kingdom, used the 13thC Jain Temple here as an artillery and ammunition dump. The original name refers to the...
Sin: තලවාකැලේ talavākælē – Tam: தலவாக்கலை talavākkalai ‘Jungle Meadow’ CP, Sri Lanka From Sin: talawwa, ‘meadow, plain’; and kele, ‘jungle’. Talawakele, 1,198m up in the heart of the Hill Country, has been the HQ of the Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka...
Mal: തളിപ്പറമ്പ് taḷippaṟamp ‘Temple Ground’ Town, Kerala From Mal: taḷi, ‘temple’; or taḷika, ‘plate’; and paṟanpu, ‘terraced ground’, ‘higher ground’, ‘orchard’. The plate has its own tale which is also the legend of the founding of the...
Sin: තංගල්ල taṅgalla – Tam: தங்கல்லை taṅkallai ‘Grass Rock’ SP, Sri Lanka From Sin: tana, ‘grass’; gala, ‘stone, rock, rocky place’. Tangalle, a fishing port, has the second largest blowhole (sea geyser) in the world and its beaches are a magnet for tourists....
Sin: තන්තිරිමලේ tantirimalē – Tam: தந்திரிமலை tantirimalai ‘Tantra Rock’ NCP, Sri Lanka. From Tam: tantiri, ‘(tantric) priest’; and malai, ‘hill, mountain, rock’. Tantirimalai is now a 200 acre archaeological site with caves, drawings, inscriptions and a...
Tam: தென்காசி teṉkāci ‘Southern Varanasi’ Town/District, Tamil Nadu Tam: ten, ’south’ and Kas(h)i, ‘Varanasi, (City of) Light [Skt: kāśī, ‘light’, ‘splendour’]. Parakraman, a 15thC Pandyan king, had a dream in which Lord Siva told him to build him to match the...
Asm:তেজপুৰ tējapura ‘City of Blood’ City, Assam Asm/Ben: tez/tej, ‘blood’[Skt: śōṇita]; and Skt: pura, ‘fort’, ‘city’. Tezpur is situated in Sonitpur, a District with which it shares its original name. Bana, the arrogant thousand-armed king and ardent devotee of...
‘Upper Village’ Town, Kerala From Mal: tala, ‘head’, ‘top’; and c(h)ēri, ‘colony’, ‘settlement’, ‘village’ ‘Top’ could mean ‘upper’ or on ‘higher ground’. Thalassery if famous for its cake (Kerala’s first bakery), cricket (first place in...
Sin: තම්මැන්නාව tammænnāva ‘Tammana Tank’ NCP, Sri Lanka From Sin: tammana, [mischodon zeylanicus]; and wewa, ‘lake, pond, tank, reservoir’. Tammana is a tall evergreen tree or large shrub which is unique to Sri Lanka and South India. ...
Tam: தஞ்சாவூர் tañcāvūr ‘City of Refuge’ [Tanjore] City/District, Tamil Nadu From Tam: tañcam, ‘refuge’, ‘protection’; and Tam: ūr, ‘village’, ‘town’. The Chola Empire dominated South India and beyond from 9-13thC and Thanjavur was its capital for most of that...
Mal: തേക്കടി tēkkaṭi ‘Teak Forest’ Town, Kerala From Mal: tēkku, ‘teak’ [Tectona grandis]; and kāṭu, ‘forest’, ‘jungle’. Teak is a wood valued for its toughness and water resistance. Thekkady is near Periyar National Park, a wildlife sanctuary with dense forest and...
Tam: திருக்கோவில் tirukkōvil ‘Holy Temple’ EP, Sri Lanka. From Tam: t(h)iru, ‘auspicious, sacred, holy’; and kovil, ‘shrine, temple’. This is an ancient temple which dates back to the 10th-11thC. Originally named Nagarmunai, it was probably an ancient settlement of...
Mal: തിരുരങ്ങാടി tiruraṅ(k)āṭi ‘Great Market’ [Tiruwarankad] Town, Kerala From Mal: tiru, ‘eminent’, ‘prosperous’; and aṅkāṭi/aṅgaḍi, ‘bazaar’, ‘market’. Tirurangad was the site of two important events: (1) The Battle of Tirurangadi (December, 1790): a series of...
Tam: திருவையாறு tiruvaiyāṟu ‘Five Rivers’ Town, Tamil Nadu From Tam: tiru, ‘eminent’, ‘prosperous’; aintu, ‘five’; and āṟu, ’river’. Thiruvaiyuru sits in the middle of three parallel rivers and their tributaries: Kollidam, Kaveri (+Kudamurutti) and Vennar (+Vatar)....
Mal: തിരുവല്ല tiruvalla ‘Sri Vallabha’ Town, Kerala From Sri Vallabha and Mal: tiru ‘eminent’, ’holy’, ‘auspicious’, ‘prosperous’; Thiruvalla is named after its temple. This ancient temple is dedicated to Sree Vallabha, Lord Vishnu [Skt: vallabha...
Mal: തൊടുപുഴ toṭupuḻā ‘Stream River’ Town, Kerala From Mal: tōṭu, ‘water-course’, ‘rivulet’, ‘stream’; and puḻa/puzha, ‘river’. The stream became a river and the river became a town. Thodupuzha has an agricultural economy based on rubber and a wide...
Tam: தூத்துக்குடி tūttukkuṭi ‘Wetlands Settlement’ [Tuticorin] City/District Tamil Nadu From Tam: tiruttu , ‘cultivated wet land’, ‘paddy field’, ‘reclaimed land’; and Tam: kudi, ‘settlement’, ‘colony’. This suggests that Thootukudi could have been built...
Mal: തൃക്കാക്കര trikkākkara ‘Land of the Holy Foot’ Town, Kerala From Mal: tiru, ‘holy’, ‘auspicious’; kāl, ‘leg’, ‘foot’; and kara, ‘land’, ‘place’, ‘shore’. Thrikkakara Temple is dedicated to Vamana, the dwarf incarnation of Vishnu. The myth told here (and at the...
Mal: തൃശ്ശൂര് tr̥śśūr ‘City of Shiva’ [Trichur] City/District, Kerala From Mal: tiru ‘eminent’, ’holy’, ‘auspicious’, ‘prosperous’; Siva; peru/pēr, ‘great’, ‘large’; and ūr, ‘town’, ‘city’. Trichur is an English corruption of Thrissur which is a Malayalam corruption...
Sin: තුල්හිරියා tulhiriyā ‘Bulrush’ WP, Sri Lanka. From Sin: thunhiriya, ‘bulrush’ [Schoennoplectus grossus]. A tall grass-like water/wetland reed in the ‘sedge’ family with long stems, cylindrical heads and tipped with flowers. Thulhiriya is now a large, 165 acre...
Asm: তিনিচুকীয়া tinasukiẏā ‘Three-cornered Tank’ [Bengmora] City/District, Assam From Asm: tini, ‘three’; kōṇa, ‘corner’; and pukhuraī, ‘tank’. Bengmora was the capital of the Motok kingdom which rebelled against the Ahom kings. It was founded by...
Tam: திருச்சிராப்பள்ளி tiruccirāppaḷḷi ‘Holy Rock Town’ [Trichy, Trichinopoly] City/District Tamil Nadu From Tam: tiru, ‘holy’, ‘sacred’; cilā/cilai, śilā. ‘stone’, ‘rock’; and paḷḷi, ‘village’. A 16thC inscription (1520) records the name as Tiru-śśilla-paḷḷi. ...
Tam: திருமங்கலம் tirumaṅkalam ‘Prosperous Land’ Town, Tamil Nadu From Tam: tiru, ‘prosperous’, ‘eminent’, ‘auspicious’; and mankalam, ‘agricultural tract’, ‘fertile country’, ‘prosperous land’. In loan words Skt: mangalam has a similar meaning to Tam:...
Tam: திருநெல்வேலி tirunelvēli ‘Paddy Field’ [Tinnevelly, Nellai] City/District Tamil Nadu From Tam: tiru, ‘prosperous’, ‘eminent’, ‘auspicious’; and nel , ‘paddy’; Tam: vēli, ‘field’, ‘enclosure’, ‘land’. Tirunelveli has a history dating back at least two...
Tam: திருப்பூர் tiruppūr ‘Holy City’ City/District, Tamil Nadu From Tam: tiru, ‘holy’, ‘eminent’, ‘auspicious’; and Skt: puram, ‘town’, ‘city’. Tiruppur has temples dating back to the Cholas and Pandyas including the 10thC Sukreeswarar Temple. Tiruppur’s main claim...
Mal: തിരൂര് tirūr ‘Prosperous Town’ Town, Kerala From Mal: tiru ‘eminent’, ’holy’, ‘auspicious’, ‘prosperous’; and ūr, ‘town’, ‘city’. The modern city earns its keep from fish, coconuts, betel leaves and electronics. The Tirur Betel Leaf has its own GI Tag (a...
Tam: திருவண்ணாமலை tiruvaṇṇāmalai ‘Holy Red Mountain’ City/District, Tamil Nadu From Tam: tiru, ‘holy’, ‘eminent’, ‘auspicious’; aṇṇā/aruṇa, ‘red’, ‘(colour of the) dawn’; and malai, ‘mountain’, ‘hill’. Aruṇācala, the Red Mountain [Tam: acala(m), ‘mountain’] is...
Sin: තිස්සමහාරාමය tissamahārāmaya – Tam: திஸ்ஸமஹாராம tissamahārāma ‘Tissa’s Great Monastery’ SP, Sri Lanka. Mahinda Thera, the son of Emperor Asoka, arrived in Sri Lanka in the 3rdC as a missionary and converted King Devanampiya Tissa of Anuradhapura. Following...
Historic Kingdom and Region, Kerala Tiruvalumkotu→tiruvitamkotu. From Tam: tiru ‘eminent’, ‘prosperous’; vāḻum , ‘prosperity’, ‘happiness’; and kōṭu, ‘(fortified) place’, ‘stronghold’. The kingdom of Travancore was named after Thiruvithamkodu in present-day...
Tam: திருகோணமலை tirukōṇamalai – Sin: ත්රිකුණාමලය trikuṇāmalaya ‘Sacred Rock Point’ EP, Sri Lanka From Tam: t(h)iru, ‘auspicious, sacred, holy’; kona(m), ‘point, tip, summit, end’; and malai, ‘hill, mountain, rock’. The Koneswaram temple was constructed...
Tam: திருவல்லிக்கேணி tiruvallikkēṇi ‘Holy Lily Pond’ Locality (Chennai), Tamil Nadu From Tam: t(h)iru, ‘sacred’, ‘auspicious’; alli, ‘water lily (the plant and the flower)’; and kēṇi, ‘pond’,...
Kan: ತುಮಕೂರು tumakūru ‘Mangosteen Town’ [Tumkur] City/District, Karnataka From Kan: tumaki/tumari/tumbari, ‘wild mangosteen tree’ [Diospyros peregrina/Diospyros embryopteris]; or tumbe/tumbi, ‘Ceylon slitwort’ [Leucas zeylanica]. The modern city is a food processing...
‘Durama Imbama’ [Dura] City, Meghalaya From Durama Imbama, a Garo god. Tura is in the foothills of the Tura Hills. Tura peak (872m) is where the Garo goddess Durama Imbama lives. Tura is in the West of Meghalaya and is closer to Assam, Guwahati, West Bengal and...
Sin: උඩවලව uḍavalava ‘Upper Walawe’ SBP, Sri Lanka From Sin: uda, ‘upper, higher’. The Walawe river flows 38.7 km from Adam’s Peak to the Indian Ocean at Ambalantota. Udawalawe is the main entry point for the National Park which bears its name. The Park is...
Tam: உதகமண்டலம் utakamaṇṭalam ‘Single Stone Settlement’ [Ooty, Ootacamund] City, Tamil Nadu From Tam: oṟṟai, ‘single’; kal, ‘stone’, ‘rock’; Tod/Kot: moḏ/manḏ, ‘Toda village’. The modern Ooty was founded in the 19thC on the site of a Toda mand. The British used it...
Kan: ಉಡುಪಿ uḍupi ‘Elevated Village’ [Odipu] City, Karnataka From Tlu: odi, ‘elevated’, ‘high’; and ipu/apu/ape, ‘village’, settlement’. Tulu word ‘Odipu ‘(Odi+pu) means an elevated village. Udipi is known as the temple city. Its most famous one is the 13thC Sri...
Sin:උණවටුන uṇavaṭuna ‘Bamboo Port’ SP, Sri Lanka From Sin: uṇa, ‘bamboo’ [Bambusa vulgaris]; and paṭṭana/paṭuna, ‘sea port’, ‘trading town’. The sound change ‘paṭṭana/paṭuna’ → ‘waṭuna’ is fairly regular. There is another derivation based on...
Mal: ഉപ്പള uppaḷa ‘Saltpan’ Town, Kerala From Mal: uppu/uppaḷam, ‘salt/saltpan’, ‘saline land’. Uppala is famous for its beaches, shops and busy town centre.
Tam: உப்புவெளி uppuveḷi ‘Brackish Land’ EP, Sri Lanka From Tam: uppu, ‘salt, salty, brackish’; and veḷi, ‘land’, ‘open space’, ‘expanse’ Behind the beach there is a saltwater lagoon with a network of backwaters and patches of mangrove swamp....
Mal: വൈക്കം vaikkaṁ ‘Deposits’ Town, Kerala From Mal: vaikkam, ‘deposits’, ‘alluvial ground’ This suggests that the sea has receded over time leaving alluvial deposits in its wake (see also Vechur/Vechoor (Ker)): Places situated on...
Tam: வாகரை vākarai – Sin: වාකරේ vākarē ‘Windy Shore’ EP, Sri Lanka From Tam: vakam, ‘wind’; and karai, ‘bank, sea-shore’. This is a small coastal fishing town practising both shallow and deep sea fishing. Catches include prawns, sea mackerel, sprats, rays,...
Tam: வாணியம்பாடி vāṇiyampāṭi ‘Trading Town’ Town, Tamil Nadu From Tam: vāṇikam/vāṇiyam, ‘trade’, ‘commerce’; and Tam: pāṭi , ‘town’, village’. Leather is the mainstay of Vaniyambadi’s economy: it has more than 150 tanneries and manufactures a wide range of leather...
Mal: വർക്കല varkkala ‘Line of Rocks’ Town, Kerala From Mal: vara, ‘line’, ‘furrow’, ‘straight’; and kal, ‘rock’. Varkala has a unique cliff formation of red sandstone, in contrast to the the rest of coastal Kerala which is flat. The cliffs are a protected...
Mal: വടകര vaṭakara ‘North Bank’ [Badagara] Town, Kerala From Mal: vaḍa, ‘north’; and kara, ‘shore’, ‘riverside’. Vatakara lies on the northern shore of the Kuttiyadi river.
Tam: வவுனியா vavuṉiyā, Sin: වවුනියාව vavuniyāva ‘End of the Forest’ NP, Sri Lanka. From Sin: vanya/vana, ‘forest’; and nimawa, ‘end, boundary, limit’. Vavuniya sits on the edge of the Vanni, a forest which covers most of the Northern Province, creating a boundary...
Mal: വെച്ചൂർ veccūr ‘Alluvial Village’ Village, Kerala From Mal: vaikkam/vekka ‘deposits’, ‘alluvial ground’; and ūr, ‘town’, ‘city’. The name suggests [see Vaikom (Ker)] that this was originally a seashore that has receded over...
Tam: வேலூர் vēlūr ‘Babul Tree Town’ City/District, Tamil Nadu From Tam: vēl , ‘babul tree’ [Vachellia nilotica]; and ūr, ‘village’, ‘town’. The babul, a thorny tree with yellow flowers, is also known as the gum arabic, thorn mimosa, Egyptian acacia or...
Kan: ವಿಜಯನಗರ vijayanagara ‘Victory City’ Historic site/District, Karnataka From Skt: vijaya, ‘conquest’, ‘victory’; and nagar, ‘city’. The District was named after the Vijayanagar Empire which dominated South India from the 13thto the 16thC from its capital at...
Kan: ವಿಜಯಪುರ vijayapura ‘Victory Town’ [Bijapur] City/District, Karnataka Bijapur. From Skt: vijaya, ‘conquest’, ‘victory’; and pur, ‘fort’, ‘city’. The city was established in the 10th-11th centuries by the Kalyani Chalukyas. It was captured by the Bahmani Sultanate...
Tam: விழுப்புரம் viḻuppuram ‘Great Town’ City/District, Tamil Nadu From Tam: viḻu/vizhu, ‘great’, ‘excellent’. wealthy’; and puram, ‘town. ‘village’ Sugarcane is an important commercial crop in Viluppuram...
Tam: விருதுநகர் virutunakar ‘Victory Town’ City/District, Tamil Nadu From Tam: virutu , ‘banner’, ‘trophy’, ‘badge of victory’; and Skt: nagar, ‘city’. The town clearly commemorates a victory of some sort. But it is not clear what it was or when. Legends tell...
Sin: වලපනේ valapanē ‘Forest Village’ [Wathumulla] CP, Sri Lanka. From Sin: val/vala, ‘forest, wood, jungle’; and pane, ‘place, site’ (variation of Sin: pala, pola). Walapane is in the hill country, at an altitude of 1,280m, surrounded by lush green forest,...
Sin: වාරියපොල vāriyapola ‘Indigo Place’ NWP, Sri Lanka. From Sin: nili (colloq. awariya) ‘indigo plant’ [Indigofera tinctoria]; and Sin: pola/pala, ‘place, site, village’. Wariyapola Sri Sumangala is a monk who was born here and became famous in 1815 for lowering...
Sin: වස්ගමුවෙ vasgamuve ‘Bear Village’ NWP, NCP, Sri Lanka. From Sin: walas, ‘bear’; and Sin: gama/gamuwa,, ‘village’. Wasgamuwa National Park has 23 species of mammals (including a herd of 150 elephants, sloth bears, purple-faced langurs and golden palm civets),...
Sin: වත්තල vattala – Tam: வத்தளை vattaḷai ‘Garden Plain’ WP, Sri Lanka. From Sin: watta, ‘garden, grove’; and tala, ‘plain, place’. Wattala is now a large suburb of Colombo with a population of 175,000. The Hamilton or Dutch Canal passes through Wattala. The...
Sin: වත්තේගම vattēgama – Tam: வத்தேகம vattēkama ‘Garden Village’ CP, Sri Lanka. From Sin: watta, ‘garden, grove’; and gama/gamuwa, ‘village’. Wattala railway station on the Periyadeniya to Matale line was coveniently located for transporting large amounts of...
Mal: വയനാട് vayanāṭ ‘Ricefield Country’ District, Kerala From Mal: vayal, ‘rice-field’; and nāṭu’, ‘country’. Wayanad is famous for its varieties of rice: some of which grow only here. But rice is in decline. 40,000 hectares of land was under rice cultivation in the...
Sin: වැලිගම væligama – Tam: வெலிகாமம் velikāmam ‘Sandy Village’ SP, Sri Lanka. From Sin: væli/weli, ‘sand(y)’; and gama/gamuwa, ‘village’. Weligama is a coastal village famous for its long, sandy bay, lace-making, coir rope and stilt fishing. It also boasts...
‘Williamson’s Town’ [Simsanggre] Town, Meghalaya Williamson Ampang Sangma (1919 – 1990), a Garo leader, was a pioneer in the struggle for Meghalaya state and its founding Chief Minister. He was born in Baghmara and fought his whole life for the rights and autonomy...
Sin: විල්පත්තු vilpattu ‘Lake District’ NWP, NCP, Sri Lanka. From Sin: vil, ‘lake’, ‘pond’; and pattuwa, ‘a division of a korale, or district’. Sri Lanka’s largest national park (1,316.671 sq. km2) features over a hundred natural rain-filled water basins....
Sin: යකල්ල yakalla – Tam: யகல்ல yakalla ‘Devil’s Rock’ NCP, Sri Lanka. From Sin: yak/yaka, ‘demigod, demon, devil’; and gala, ‘stone, rock, rocky place’. Any grotesque-looking rock merits this name-calling. There are plenty of those here as well as...
Sin: යාල yāla – யால yāla ‘September Paddy’ SP, UP, Sri Lanka. From Sin: yala, ‘September harvest, the minor one’. If the paddy fields are fertile enough paddy can be grown in the later season. These are the yala fields. Yala National Park is popular with...
