Know the Etymology: 255
Place Name of the Day: Wednesday, 22 May 2013

Peeliyadi, Udu-peella, Gal-pihilla

பீலியடி,
உடு₃-பீல்ல,
க₃ல்-பிஹில்ல
Pīliyaṭi, Uḍu-pīlla, Gal-pihilla

Peeli+adi
Udu+peella
Gal+pihilla

The locality of the aqueduct

The upper aqueduct

The stone aqueduct

Peeli	1. Water trough or spout for irrigation (Eezham Tamil, Winslow, MTL); aqueduct, “Pihili” (Sinhala, Sorata); Peelik-koddu: water trough (Eezham Tamil, Winslow, MTL); Peelip-paddai: a large basket for bailing water and emptying into an aqueduct for irrigation (Eezham Tamil, Winslow, MTL); Pilaa'ru, Piraa'ru: a sub-canal (Tamil inscriptions, 955 CE, 983 CE, SII xvii, 696; SII, xix, 321); Peeliduthal, Peeriduthal: (verb) to stream, to gush out, flow, flow as mother's milk (Tamil, MTL, DED 4222); Peeram: Mother's milk (Tamil, DED 4222); Peer: (verb) to stream (Tamil, DED 4222); stiffening of nipple (Tamil); to suck (Kannada, DED 4223); 2. Peeli, Peeri: straw (Tamil, DED 4226); Peeli: toe ring of a woman (Tamil, DED 4227); small trumpet (Tamil);
Peella	also Pihilla: spout, aqueduct, conduit, gutter, sewer (Sinhala, Clough)
Pihilla	spout, gutter, also Peella (Sinhala, Clough); Pihili, Pihi'li: water trough, aqueduct, “Droa'niya, pra'naaliya, peella” (Sinhala, Sorata)
Adi	foot, base, bottom, a locative ending (Tamil, DED 72); Adiya: foot, footstep, the bottom of anything (Sinhala)
Udu	(adjective) high (Sinhala); Oordhva: being above (Sanskrit, CDIAL 2426); Uddha: being above (Pali, CDIAL 2426); Udda, Uddi, Uddu: height (Kannada, DED 621); Uyar; (verb) to rise, be high, elevated (Tamil, DED 646)
Gal	stone, rock (Sinhala); Kal: stone, rock (Tamil, DED 1298)

Peeli in Eezham Tamil and Peeli, Peella, Pihilla, Pihili and Pihi'li in Sinhala mean a spout, aqueduct, conduit, gutter, sewer etc.

Some common examples are a half-open and extended spout coming from a trough used in well irrigation; a concave and half open apparatus that taps or diverts water from down-flowing rivulets to spout as a fall at an appropriate height for the public to take bath or collect water; such an apparatus used in small-scale irrigation, and gutters on the roof.

Peelik-koddu, meaning the trough (Koddu) from which water flows through the spout (Peeli) and Peelip-paddai, a large basket (Paddai) used in drawing water from a well to feed a trough and spout (Peeli), are some phrases found used in Eezham Tamil.

The words are related to two entries found in the Dravidian etymological Dictionary, DED 4222 and DED 4227.

The words Peeliduthal and Peeriduthal (L > R) listed under DED 4222 mean, streaming, gushing out, flowing etc., in Tamil.

Peeli or Peeri (L > R), listed under DED 4227, means a straw, and in that sense a straw-pipe, trumpet etc., in Tamil.

Tamil inscriptions come out with two more related words, Pilaa'ru and Piraa'ru, meaning a sub-canal.

* * *

Pilaa'ru meaning a sub-canal:

“Kudinilaththin keezharukey poana pilaa'ruppada pilaattukku kizhakkum” (983 CE, South Indian Inscriptions, xix, 321)

“குடிநிலத்தின் கீழருகெய் போன பிலாறுப்பட பிலாற்றுக்கு கிழக்கும்” (983 CE, South Indian Inscriptions, xix, 321)

Including the sub-canal that flows on the east of the settlement land and the east of the sub-canal

Piraa'ru meaning a sub-canal:

“Ivvoor nilaththukku keezh piraa'ru ennudaiya nilam” (South Indian Inscriptions, xvii, 656a.)

“இவ்வூர் நிலத்துக்கு கீழ் பிராறு என்னுடைய நிலம்” (South Indian Inscriptions, xvii, 656a.)

The sub-canal (locality) east of this village land is my land

* * *

Peeliyadi is a place in Tricomalee Town and Gravets division of Trincomalee district

Udu-peella is in Welimada division of Badulla district

Gal-pihilla is in Kundasale division of Kandy district

* * *

Some related place names:

Peeli:

Peelik-ku'lam: The tank fed by an aqueduct; Oddusuddaan division, Mullaiththeevu district

Peeliyaa'ru: Peeli-aa'ru: The aqueduct flowing like a river; or a sub-canal; Poaratheevuppattu division, Batticaloa district

* * *

Peella:

Udu-peelle-goda: The bank/ village of the upper aqueduct; Hakmana division, Matara district

Peella-watta: The garden of the aqueduct; Minuwangoda division, Gampaha district

* * *

Pihilla:

Do'la-pihilla: The aqueduct of the hill stream; Pujapitiya division, Kandy district

Pihilla-de'niya: The valley or side of the aqueduct/ canal; Pathadumbara division, Kandy district

Raja-pihilla: The king's canal or aqueduct; Harispattuwa division, Kandy district

Pihila-yaaya: The expanse or field of the aqueduct or canal; Galewela division, Matale district

Mæda-pihilla: The middle aqueduct or canal; Naula division, Matale district

Udu-pihilla: The upper aqueduct or canal; Ukuwela division, Matale district


Revised: Thursday, 18 February 2016, 17:28

First published: Wednesday, 22 May 2013, 22:22