Know the Etymology: 208
Place Name of the Day: Sunday, 18 September 2011

Aaraip-pattai

ஆரைப்பற்றை
Āraippaṟṟai

Aaraip+pattai

The thicket of Aarai shrub

Aarai	Also, Aar, Aaram, Aarchchi, Aarththi: A shrub or small tree, Bauhinia recemosa (Tamil, DED 372); the shrub is also called Mayilai in Tamil and Mayila in Sinhala and Malayalam (see column on Mayailagasthidar). A variety of it is called Aaththi or Thiruvaaththi (Bauhinia tomentosa); Aar: Bauhinia racemoca (Malayalam, DED 372)); Aare: Bauhinia racemosa (Kannada, DED 372); Aare: Bauhinia spicata (Telugu, DED 372); Aarai: An aquatic cryptogamous plant, Marsilia minuta (Tamil DED 372); Aaral: Marsilea quadrifolia (Malayalam, DED 372); Vall-aarai: A popular variety of Aarai favoured as a green vegetable in the island, called Gotu-kola (cup or arch-shaped leaves) in Sinhala; Aaththi: Also called Thiru-aaththi, (Thiruvaaththi), Kaadd-aaththi: A shrub or small tree of the Bauhinia family, Bauhinia recemosa or Bauhinia tomentosa (Tamil, from Aarththi, DED 372 b); Kaatt-arti: Bauhinia tomentosa (Tulu, DED 372 b); Kaatt-atti: Bauhinia tomentosa, Bauhinia parviflora (Malayalam, DED 372 b)); Kaad-atti: Bauhinia tomentosa (Kannada, DED 372 b))
Aar	Sharpness, pointedness (Tamil, DED 371); (verb) to bind, tie, grid, put on, wear (Tamil, DED 369); To become full, spread over, be satisfied, eat, drink (Tamil, DED 368); To be united, abound, be filled (Kannada, DED 368); To shout, roar (Tamil, DED 367); To fight (Tamil, DED 370); (noun) fullness completeness (Tamil, DED 368); In addition, Aar: Stalk of a flower, spoke of a wheel, a spoke, Aar/ Aaththi shrub and its flower, part of an arrow (Tamil, Changkam Diction); Aarai: Spoke-wheel, a kind of mat (Tamil, Changkam Diction); A kind of aquatic creeper having spoke-like leaves or bonded leaves (Tamil, Thirumanthiram, c. 6th century CE); Wall of a fort (Tamil, Pingkalam Lexicon 4:181); Aara: A spoke (Sanskrit).
Pattai	Bushes, low shrubbery, underwood, thicket, (Tamil, MTL); from Pattu: (verb) to spread, creep, seize, adhere, attach together (Tamil, DED 4034); Patti-va’larthal, Pattip-padarthal: The growth of plants spreading and covering an area (Tamil); Pattam: Collection, mass, multitude (Tamil, MTL); Paththai: Cognate of Pattai: Bushes, low shrubbery, underwood, thicket (Eezham Tamil); Bædda: Forest, wood, thicket, jungle (Sinhala)

The word Aarai in Tamil stands for a variety of plants, some are aquatic creepers, and the others are shrubs of the Bauhinia family.

But in the context of the place name Aaraip-pattai, the word Aarai clearly stands for a shrub, excluding the creepers, as Pattai is a common Eezham Tamil word meaning a thicket.

In meaning a shrub, the word Aarai is mostly identified with Bauhinia racemosa that commonly grows wild. It is also sometimes grown as an ornamental plant nowadays, because of its beautiful flowers.

Bauhinia racemosa is also one of the popular Beedi Leaf trees, the leaves of which are collected and used in India to roll beedis.

Aar, Aaram, Aarchchi and Aarththi are variants of the term for Aarai, found in Tamil usage.

Another old Tamil word Aaththi for the Bauhinia family of shrubs is a cognate of Aarai and is etymologically related to it (Aarththi > Aaththi).

In Tamil-Saiva traditions, the wild flowers of Aarai/ Aaththi are a favourite of God Siva.

As a dancer in the wild and in the cremation ground according to mythology, God Siva prefers wild flowers and leaves of plants such as Aarai/ Aaththi, Erukkalai (Calotropis gigantean), Oomaththai (a shrub causing delirium, Xanthium orientale and Datura fastuosa), Kon’rai (Cassia fistula and others of the Cassia family), Vilvam or Koo-vi’laa (Cratæva religiosa) etc.

In tradition, a garland made of Aarai/ Aaththi or Kon’rai is especially preferred on the crowning hairdo of God Siva.

The garland of Aarai/ Aaththi was the totem symbol of the Chola monarchs right from the Changkam times.

In the usage of various Dravidian languages, the terms Aarai and Aaththi and their cognates stand for a variety of Bauhinia species, such as Bauhinia racemosa, Bauhinia tomentosa, Bauhinia spicata and Bauhinia parviflora. The terms some times have the prefix Kaadu, such as in Kaaddu-aaththi, differentiating the wild ones from the others. (See table)

A marked feature of the Aarai or Bauhinia family of shrubs is the typically bifurcated shape of their leaves.

In common English usage, Bauhinia racemosa is called ‘Common Mountain Ebony’ and Bauhinia tomentosa is called ‘Holy Mountain Ebony’.

In Eezham Tamil usage, the Aarai or Aaththi that is used in the worship of Siva is specifically differentiated as Thiruvaaththi (Thiru-aaththi), meaning the auspicious Aaththi. This species bears yellow or pale yellow flowers and is identified with Bauhinia tomentosa. This is often grown in house premises and in temple gardens.

The other variety of Aarai/ Aaththi that grows in wild and bears a creamy white flower is often called Mayilai in Eezham Tamil and Mayila in Sinhala and in Malayalam. The name has come because of the creamy white (Mayilai) colour of the flowers.

Interestingly, the Tamil epic Ma’nimeakalai, comes out with the usage of the term Vaasa-Mayilai (fragrant Mayilai flower), while giving the name of the queen of the ruler of Naaka-naadu (Jaffna). See columns on Mayilagasthidar and Naaka-naadu.

A related variety of Bauhinia that bears pink or purple flowers (Bauhinia purpurea) is nowadays grown as an ornamental shrub/ tree in the island. This seems to be a recent introduction as it is called by the name Manthaaram (Mandara), a term coming from mythology that is used in several South Asian cultures for exotic foreign flowers.

The Botanical term Bauhinia comes from the names of the Swiss brothers, Caspar Bauhin and Johann Bauhin (16-17 century) who classified this family of plants.



On Aar (Aarai) as a shrub having bifurcated leaves:

“வெள்ளை வெண் மறி… மன்றுழைக் கவை இலை ஆரின் அம் குழை கறிக்கும் சீறூர்”(அகநானூறு 104: 9-12)

“Ve’l’lai ve’n ma’ri… man’ruzhaik kavai ilai aarin am kuzhai ka’rikkum chee’roor”

The little village where the white coloured goat-lambs eat the bifurcated leaves of the Aar shrub found growing near the public hall (Akanaanoo’ru 104: 9-12)

On garland of Aar (Aarai/ Aaththi) being the totem of the Chola king:

“ஆர மார்பின் சிறு கோல் சென்னி,” (நற்றிணை 265: 4-6)

“Aara maarpin chi’ru koal chenni,”

The Chola king of the garland of Aar (Aaththi) and a short sceptre (Natti’nai 265: 4-6)

Usage of the term Aaththi in Changkam literature:

“அடும்பு அமர் ஆத்தி நெடுங்கொடி அவரை…,” (குறிஞ்சிப்பாட்டு: 87)

“Adumpu amar aaththi nedungkodi avarai…,”

(The flowers) Of Adumpu (Adampan), beautiful Aaththi and of the long creeper Avarai (Ku’rignchippaaddu 87)

Aaththi (Aar) as a favourite of God Siva:

“ஆத்தி சூடி அமர்ந்த தேவனை ஏத்தி ஏத்தி தொழுவோம் நாமே” (ஆத்தி சூடி, முதல் வரி)

“Aaththi choodi amarntha theavanai eaththi eaththi thozhuvoam naamea”

Let’s worship with praises and praises the God seated adorned with the Aaththi flowers (The invocation line of the text Aaththi Choodi by Auvaiyaar of the medieval times)

* * *

The term Aarai, in meaning plants in Tamil usage, seems to be a generic term, because the various plants both shrubs and creepers that have this name have a conspicuously comparable attribute in their leaf-shapes. Note the description “Kavai ilai Aar” (bifurcated or double-arched leaves) in the Changkam literature that makes a special mention of this attribute.

Other than the Bauhinia family shrubs, certain aquatic creepers also have the name Aarai. But interestingly, the leaves of these creepers have a commonality with the leaves of the Bauhinia shrubs, in having arcs and spokes.

The name Aarai for these plants therefore should have come from the shape of the leaves and the term must be originally meaning a particular geometric feature.

The other meanings for the word Aar as a noun in Tamil are: abundance, who, stalk of a flower, roar, binding, spoke of a wheel, sharpness, a part of an arrow; and as a verb are: to bind, to be abound, eat, drink, roar, tie, become dense, to be long, to be full etc.

Of them, the meanings ‘spoke’ (Akanaanoo’ru 14: 19-21) and ‘binding’ (Akanaanoo’ru 9: 6-7) seem to have relevance to the etymology of the plant names.

Aar meaning the spoke of a wheel:

“கல் பொருது இரங்கும் பல் ஆர் நேமிக் கார் மழை முழக்கு இசை கடுக்கும்… புனை நெடுந்தேரே” (அகநானூறு 14: 19-21)

“Kal poruthu irangkum pal aar neamik kaar mazhai muzhakku isai kadukkum… punai nedunthearea”

The tall chariot (horse-driven) of workmanship, having multi-spoke wheels that encounter stony terrain, making noise resembling the thunder of dark rain clouds (Akanaanoo’ru 14: 19-21)

Aar meaning binding:

“அரும்பிய இருப்பை… ஆர் கழல்பு ஆலி வானின் காலொடு பாறி” (அகநானூறு 9: 6-7)

“Arumpiya Iruppai…aar kazhalpu aali vaanin kaalodu paa’ri”

The flowers of Iruppai (Illipe malabaricum) let loose of their binding and fell spread in the wind like hailstones of the sky (Akanaanoo’ru 9: 6-7)

The word Aarai in Tamil, deriving from Aar, also means the spoke-wheel of a cart (Pu’ranaanoo’ru 60: 7-8), besides meaning the Aarai plants, a kind of rush-mat put on the arched roof of a cart (Akanaanoo’ru 301:7) and the wall of a fort (Pingkalam Lexicon 4:181).

The etymology of the word Aarai, in the context of appearing as the name for a variety of plants, seems to be connected to the arc and spoke-like leaves of those plants: two spokes, three spokes, four spokes or arc leaf with multiple spokes.

The Sanskrit diction also has a word Aara, meaning the spoke of a wheel. But the basic quality of a spoke, i.e., binding, uniting etc., found in the usages of the root Aar are listed as Dravidian by the Dravidian Etymological Dictionary (368, 369). The root Aa is Sanskrit also has the meaning ‘annexing’ (Monier Williams).

Winslow’s Tamil dictionary lists Neer-aarai (Marsilea quadrifolia), Pu’li-aarai, Vall-aarai, Chev-aarai and Va’ra’l-aarai as types of Aarai. Some are edible, some medicinal and the last is used for fodder.

The aquatic Neer-aarai (Marsilea minuta), commonly called Aaraik-keerai in Tamil, is edible.

Another variety of it Marsilea quadrifolia, is called Aaral in Malayalam.

The semi-aquatic creeper Vallaarai (Hydrocotyle asiatica), having arched leaves of multiple spokes, is a popular edible green and a medicinal herb in Tamil and Sinhala traditions. Vall-aarai could be etymologically explained as the ‘sturdy aarai’ (of course the leaves are of strong fibers).

In Sinhala, Vallaarai is called Gotu-ko’la, which is etymologically Dravidian and means the ‘arching leaf’. Gotu: cup (Sinhala); Koadu: arched, curved (Tamil, DED 2054 a); Kola: leaf (Sinhala); Kuzhai: leaf (Tamil, DED 2149); Kulai: bunch (Tamil DED 1810)

Vallaarai could also be explained through the term Vallari, which in Sanskrit means a creeper.

On the use of the term Aarai for an aquatic creeper:

“கோரை எழுந்து கிடந்த குளத்தினில் ஆரை படர்ந்து தொடர்ந்து கிடந்தது” (திருமந்திரம் 29:11)

“Koarai ezhunthu kidantha ku’laththinil aarai padarnthu thodarnthu kidanthathu”

Aarai crept and pervaded the (drying) pond where once the water-grass stood (Thirumanthiram 29:11)




* * *

Pattai and its cognate Paththai, meaning a thicket are especially of Eezham Tamil usage.

For the word Pattai, the Madras Tamil Lexicon gives the meanings, bushes, low shrubbery and underwood, and cites the usage examples from the Vaishnava commentaries called Eedu. But, the word was not in popular usage in the literature of Tamil Nadu.

However, the etymological root Pattu, from which the word Pattai/ Paththai seems to have come, is Dravidian, meaning to spread, seize, creep, adhere etc., as a verb. The root Paa itself corresponds to spreading, pervading etc in Tamil (DED 3949, 4088).

The word Pattam in Tamil means multitude and the phrases Pattip-padarthal, Patti-va’laithal etc., are used for vegetation spreading in an area.

Pattai/ Paththai is a very popular word in Eezham Tamil for a thicket and the Eezham Tamil usage is comparable to a Sinhala word Bædda that means a forest, wood, thicket or a jungle.

Another etymological possibility is the root Paa that means tree in general in Sinhala with corresponding cognates in Dravidian languages. See column on Madam-pe.

* * *

Aaraipp-pattai is a large village and is a divisional headquarters in Batticaloa district.

Prof E. Balasundaram, a native of Batticaloa, gives the place name as Aaraip-pattai (Eezhaththu Idap Peyar Aayvu, 2002, p 59). The old official records also mention the name as Aaraip-pattai.

But the name of the division is often miss-spelt today as Aaraip-pattu. Since people consider the word Pattai (thicket) as demeaning to a prestigious village, the name of the village has also nowadays become ‘Aaraiyampathi’.

Similar tendency could be noticed in the change of place names Ka’l’liyang-kaadu > Kalviyang-kaadu; Karampan > Karampon; Punnaalai > Ponnaalai; Pot-paththai > Potpathi and so on.

* * *

Some related place names:

Aarai/ Aarthi/ Aaththi:

Aaraip-paththaich-cheanai: The slash and burn cultivation field in the thicket of Aarai shrub; Moothoor division, Trincomalee district. This place name is a confirming example that the Batticaloa Aaraip-pattai is not Aaraip-pattu.

Aarththiyadi: Aarththi-adi: The locality of Bauhinia shrubs or trees; Thenmaraadchi division, Jaffna district (Balasundaram, ibid. p418)

Aarththi-mayiliddi: The place of Aarththi Mayilai shrubs; Valikaamam North division, Jaffna district. Aarththi and Mayilai both mean the Bauhinia shrub. The name of the village Mayiliddi itself has come from the Mayilai (Bauhinia) shrub.

Aaththiyadi: The locality of Aaththi (Bauhinia) shrubs; or the locality of Aththi trees; Vadamaraadchi Southwest Division, Jaffna district

Aaththik-kaadu: The jungle or thicket of Aaththi (Bauhinia) shrubs; Nalloor division, Jaffna district

Aaththik-koayil: The temple in the locality of Bauhinia shrubs; Vadamaraadchi Northeast division, Jaffna district

* * *

Pattai:

Eechchilam-pattai: The thicket of Eegnchu palms: Verukal or Eechchilam-pattai division, Trincomalee district. Like, Aaraip-pattai, this place is also often miss-spelt as Eechchilam-pattu.

First published: Sunday, 18 September 2011, 06:17