Know the Etymology: 1
Place Name of the Day: Monday, 06 March 2017

Kiḷi-nocci, Nocci-mōṭṭai, Nocciyā-gama, Nika-vala

கிளிநொச்சி, நொச்சி-மோட்டை, நொச்சியா-க₃ம, நி[க்]கவல
Kiḷi-nocci, Nocci-mōṭṭai, Nocciyā-gama, Nika-vala

Kiḷi+nocci
Nocci+mōṭṭai
Nocciyā+gama
Nika+vala

The village of parrots

The natural pond in the locality of Nocci (Vitex) shrubs

The village of Nocci (Vitex) shrubs or the Nocci type of village

The jungle or thicket of Nika (Vitex) shrubs

Nocci1	also Veṇ-nocci: the five-leaved chaste tree, Vitex negundo; also Karu-nocci: the three-leaved chaste tree, Vitex trifolia (Tamil, DED 3781); Nīr-nocci: a kind of Nocci, Water peacock's-foot tree, Vitex leucoxylon (Tamil, MTL); Kāṭṭu-nocci: a kind of Nocci, also called Kāṭṭu-mayilam, Kāṭṭu-mayilai, Vitex altissima, Vitex leucoxylon (Tamil, MTL); Pū-nocci: a species of Nocci, noticed in the Eezham Tamil place names; Nocci: Vitex negundo or Vitex trifolia (Malayalam, DED 3781); Noccili: Vitex trifolia (Telugu, DED 3781); Nekki: Vitex negundo or Vitex trifolia (Kannada, DED 3781); Vitex trifolia (Tulu, DED 3781); note the C/ K interchange; Nika: Vitex species (Sinhala, Clough); Lokki: Vitex leucoxylon ? (Telugu, DED 3781); note the N/ L and C/ K interchange; Nīrguli: Vitex negundo (Gondi, DED 3781); Nirguṇḍī: Vitex negundo (Sanskrit, CDIAL 7308, cited by DED 3781);
Nocci2	the surrounding wall of a fort/ town/ village (Tamil, MTL, Akanānūṟu, 122: 21); probably related to the Nocci shrub that grows densely as a hedge around fort walls and moats
Nocci3	a Caṅkam Tamil literary theme on defending a fort or fort wall in which the defenders wear garlands made of Nocci flowers (Tamil, MTL, Tolkāppiyam, Poruḷ, Puṟat-tiṇai-iyal, 68)
Nocci4	city, town, village, hamlet, probably because they are protected by enclosures (Tamil, c. 8th century CE, Tivākaram, 5: 97; 5: 103, also Piṅkalam and Cūṭāmaṇi); Nocci-niyamam: name of a village or town in the Caṅkam times, probably because it was a protected town or village of a trade guild (from the name of a poet, Nocci-niyamaṅ-kiḻār, who authored some poems in Akanāṉūṟu, Puṟanānūṟu and Naṟṟiṇai)
Nika	also Nika-gaha: shrub and tree of the Vitex species (Sinhala, Clough); Kaḷu-nika: a variety of Nika of dark-coloured flowers, "Kaḷu pẹhẹṭi mal ẹṭi nikagasa" (Sinhala, Sorata); the closest cognate of Nika is Nekki: Vitex negundo or Vitex trifolia (Kannada, DED 3781); Vitex trifolia (Tulu, DED 3781); note the C/ K interchange between Tamil/ Malayalam and Kannada/ Tulu/ Sinhala); Nocci: Vitex species (Tamil, Malayalam, DED 3871); Nirguṇḍī: Vitex negundo (Sanskrit, CDIAL 7308); Nigguṇḍī: Vitex negundo (Pali, CDIAL 7308); Nīrguli: Vitex negundo (Gondi, DED 3781); Nīr-nocci: Vitex leucoxylon (Tamil, MTL); Śephālikā: Vitex negundo (Sanskrit, CDIAL 12608); Sinduvāra: Vitex negundo (Sanskrit, CDIAL 13412)
Kiḷi	also Kiḷḷai: parrot (Tamil, DED 1584, Kuṟuntokai, 67: 1-2; 133: 1-2); Kiḷi: parrot (Malayalam, DED 1584); Kiḷy: parrot (Kota, Toda, DED 1584); Giḷi, Giṇi: parrot (Kannada, Tulu, DED 1584, note the Ḷ/ Ṇ interchange); Kil: parrot (Parji, DED 1584); Killin: parrot (Gadba, DED 1584); Ciluka: parrat (Telugu, DED 1584, note the K/ C interchange); Kīra: parrot (Sanskrit, Pali, Prakrit, CDIAL 3198, note the Ḷ/ R interchange); Giravā, Girā: parrot (Sinhala, Clough); Girā: parrot (Dhivehi/ Maldivian)
Mōṭṭai	natural pond (Eezham Tamil); Mōḻai: pool, subterranean watercourse, cleft, crevice (Tamil, DED 4994). See column 57
Gama	village (Sinhala). See column 36
Vala	forest (Sinhala); Vallai: forest (Tamil, DED 5289).

The Tamil place-name component Nocci, found in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, and its Sinhala form Nocciya found in the North Central and North Western Provinces, either mean the shrubs of the Vitex species, or they mean a village or town.

Nocci as a suffix in Kiḷi-nocci, means a village or town and as a prefix in Nocci-mōṭṭai, means the Vitex shrub.

The primary meaning of Nocci in Tamil/ Dravidian (DED 3781) is the Vitex shrub, of which there are different kinds: Veṇ-nocci (Nocci of white flower, Vitex negundo), Karu-nocci (Nocci of dark-coloured flower, Vitex trifolia), Nīr-nocci (the aquatic Nocci, Vitex leucoxylon), Kāṭṭu-nocci (the wild Nocci, Vitex altissima) and Pū-nocci (a species noticed in place names, identified by its flower). Note the varieties coming in the related place names given below.

Nocci usually grows as a dense bush or thicket. Probably because of its nature of abundantly growing around moats, embankments and fort walls, a protective wall and a protected village also have gained the term Nocci in old Tamil usages.

A poet of the Caṅkam classics, Nocci-niyamaṅ-Kiḻār, had come from a village or town named, Nocci-niyamam. As Niyamam means a mercantile or guild settlement, Nocci in this case seems to be meaning a wall or fence.

In the Caṅkam Tamil classics, there was also a poetic theme, Noccit-tiṇai that stood for defending a fort wall and the defenders used to wear garlands made of the flowers of Nocci.

See boxes above and examples given below for the meanings and usages of the term Nocci.

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Reference to Nocci (Vitex trifolia) in Caṅkam literature:

"மயில் அடி இலைய மாக் குரல் நொச்சி" (குறுந்தொகை, 138: 3)

"Mayil aṭi ilaiya māk kāl nocci" (Kuṟuntokai, 138: 3)

The Nocci of big foliage, the leaves of which are like a peacock's foot (trifolia)


Nocci meaning fort/ city wall or vegetation around such a wall:

"நொச்சி வேலித் தித்தன் உறந்தை" (அகநானூறு 122: 21)

"Nocci vēlit Tittaṉ Uṟantai" (Akanāṉūṟu, 122: 21)

The Uṟantai (today's Trichi, a major city during Caṅkam times, also called Uṟaiyūr) of Tittaṉ (name of a ruler), protected by Nocci (wall)


Nocci as a Caṅkam literary theme on defending a fort wall:

"அகத்தோன் வீழ்ந்த நொச்சியாலும்" (தொல்காப்பியம், பொருளதிகாரம், புறத்திணையியல், 68)

"Akattōṉ vīḻnta nocciyālum" (Tolkāppiyam, Puruḷatikāram, Puṟattiṇaiyiyal, 68)

The defence staged by insiders of a fort was called Nocci [This is one of the 12 sub-themes of the Uḻiñai theme that talks about conquering the fort of an enemy]


Nocci meaning a town or major village:

"பாக்கம், பட்டினம், நொச்சி, இருக்கை, வேலி…நாடில் ஊர் என நவின்றிசினோரே" (திவாகர நிகண்டு, 5: 97)

Pākkam paṭṭiṉam nocci irukkai vēli…nāṭil ūr eṉa naviṉṟicinōrē" (Tivākaram, 5: 97)

Pākkam, Paṭṭiṉam, Nocci, Irukkai, Vēli… in seeking meaning it is said that they all mean Ūr (village or town)


Nocci meaning a hamlet:

"பட்டு நொச்சியும் பள்ளியும் சிற்றூர்" (திவாகர நிகண்டு, 5: 103)

"Paṭṭu nocciyum paḷḷiyum ciṟṟūr" (Tivākaram, 5: 103)

Paṭṭu, Nocci and Paḷḷi mean a Ciṟrūr (Ciṟu-ūr: small village or hamlet)

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Nika is the commonly used Sinhala word for the Vitex shrub.

Nika is also a word of Dravidian etymology. It is a cognate of Nocci by C/ K interchange and the closest parallel is Nekki in Kannada and Tulu, meaning the Vitex shrub (DED 3781).

A considerable number of Dravidian toponymic components found in Sinhala being closer to Kannada and Tulu than to Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu, is a feature noticed in many other examples too.

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Kiḷi and Kiḷḷai, meaning a parrot in Tamil, are listed as words of Dravidian etymology (DED 1584).

Kīra, meaning parrot in Sanskrit, Pali and Prakrit, is etymologically related to Kiḷi by L/ R interchange. Girāva and Girā are Sinhala equivalents.

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Kiḷinocci is headquarters of a district by its name in the Northern Province.

Nocci-mōṭṭai is a village in Vavuniya division of Vavuniya district.

Nocciyā-gama heads a division by its name in Anuradhapura district.

Nika-vala is in Dompe division of Gampaha district.

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Some related place names:

Nocci:

Noccik-kāṭu: Delft West, Delft, Jaffna (V. Almanac, 13-14); Kokkuvil, Jaffna (Balasundaram). Kāṭu: forest

Noccik-kuṇṭu: Ettalai, Kalpitti, Puttalam (One Inch Sheet). Kuṇṭu: waterhole, natural pond

Nocci-ōlai: Kōppāy, Jaffna; Urumpirāy, Jaffna (Balasundara, p. 347, 357). Ōlai: grove, thicket

Noccik-kuḷam: Tuṟainīlāvaṇai, Manmunai South Batticaloa (One Inch Sheet).

Periya-noccik-kuḷam: Cilāvattuṟai, Musali, Mannar (One Inch Sheet)

Ciṉṉa-noccik-kuḷam: Cilāvattuṟai, Musali, Mannar (One Inch Sheet)

Piḷḷai-noccik-kuḷam: Ceṭṭikuḷam, Vengalacheddikulam, Vavuniya (One Inch Sheet)

Kari-nocciyōṭai: Kari-nocci-ōṭai: near Māṅkēṇi, Koralaippattu, Batticaloa (One Inch sheet). Ōṭai: pond, watercourse; Kari-nocci: = Karu-nocci

Nīr-noccit-tāḻvu: Ariyālai, Jaffna (K. Almanac). Tāḻvu: low-lying land

Pū-noccik-kuḷam: Musali, Mannaar. Pū-nocci: probably a kind of Nocci

Pū-nocci-muṉai: Manmunai East, Batticaloa. Muṉai: point, front

Nocci-muṉai: The point or front of Nochchi shrubs; Ma'nmunai North division, Batticaloa district

Nocciyampati: Vaṇṇārpaṇṇai Northwest, Jaffna; Arāli West, Jaffna (V. Almanac, 13-14). Nocci+am+pati; Pati: town, city, village (Tamil, DED 3911); used in this case as a modern status-giving term to an old, Nocci-related place name. See column 324

Nocci-kuḷama: Morawewa, Trincomalee.

Nocciya: Galgamuwa, Kurunegala. May be used in the meaning of village in this case

Ańgu-nocciya: Medawachchiya, Anuradhapura. This is probably Ańgu-nāccciya, as there is another place Ihala-Ańgunācciya in Horowpothana, Anuradhapura.

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Nika:

Nika-vẹva: Maṇalāṟu, Mullaiththeevu; Polpithigama, Kurunegala; Horowpothana, Anuradhapura; Hinkurakgoda, Polonnaruwa; Thamankadawa, Polonnaruwa; Thanamalvila, Moneragala. Vẹva: tank, reservoir

Nika-tẹnna: Thumpane, Kandy; Hataraliyadda, Kandy. Tẹnna: high ground plain

Nika-vaṭavana: Dambulla, Matale. Vaṭavaṉa: a type of forest, see column 475

Nika-golla: Yatawatta, Matale; Ganewatta, Kurunegala. Golla: grove, forest

Nika-vẹlla: Rattota, Matale. Vẹlla: sandy place

Nika-vẹhẹra: Polpithigama, Kurunegala.

Nika-daḷupota: Ganewatta, Kurunegala. Probably, Dalu-pat: new cultivation field developed by the side of an old field, "Mul kuṁburaṭa vaḍā pasu va vagā karanṭa paṭan gat kuṁbura" (Sinhala, Sorata)

Nika-piṭiya: Panduwasnuwara West, Kurunegala; Elahera, Polonnaruwa; Aranayake, Kegalle. Piṭiya: see column 163

Kẹlệ-nika-vẹva: Kahatagasdigiliya, Anuradhapura. Kẹlệ: forest; either Kẹlệnika: equivalent to Kāṭṭu-nocci, wild Nika; or Nikavẹva in the jungle

Huruḷu-nika-vẹva: Galenbindunuwewa, Anuradhapura. Huruḷu, Huruḷu-vẹva: a former divisional name. Nika-vẹva of the Huruḷu division

Sudu-kanda - Nika-vẹva: Hingurakgoda, Polonnaruwa. Two villages joined

Nika-pota: Haldummulla, Badulla. Pota: range

Nika-goḍa: Ayagama, Ratnapura. Goḍa: bank, hill, village

Nika-hẹṭi-kanda: Attanagalla, Gampaha. Hẹṭi: multitude; Kanda: hill

Nika-hẹṭiya: Udunuwara, Kandy. Hẹṭi: multitude

Nikula: Naula, Matale. Nika-ula; Ula, Ulu: forest

Nika-vẹraṭiya: Nikaweratiya, Kurunegala

Nika-bẹdda: Passara, Badulla. Bẹdda: thicket

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Kiḷi:

Kiḷi-veṭṭi: Mūtūr, Trincomalee. Veṭṭi: open land

Kiḷi-ciṭṭi: Vatiri, Jaffna (HAM temple records). Ciṭṭi: high ground, mound

For old toponymic usage of Kiḷi in Tamil, note the place name Kiḷi-nallūr (inscription, 934 CE, SII, xxiii, 35)

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Girā:

Girā-talāna: Panduwasnuwara, Kurunegalka. Talā: high ground

Girā-kaḍuva: Pathadumbara, Kandy. Kaḍu: forest

Girā-gama: Yatinuwara, Kandy.

Girānē-gama: Palagala, Anuradhapura. Girā+āna+gama; Āna: place

Girā-ulla: GI Korale, Kandy. Ul: fountain, spring

Girāṃbē: Welimada, Badulla. Girāṁba: a species of mango tree; Girā-aṁba (Clough); Kiḷi-māṅkāy: a species of mango, which is long in shape with a pointed tip resembling parrot's beak (Eezham Tamil)

Girā-iṁbula: Seethawaka, Colombo. Girā-iṁbul: probably a species of silk cotton tree; parrot and the silk cotton tree are proverbial in South Asian languages ("Ilavu kātta kiḷi")

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Revised: Monday, 06 March 2017, 22:57
Revised: Tuesday, 05 August 2014, 22:07

First published: Wednesday, 13 June 2007, 01:00