Know the Etymology: 300
Place Name of the Day: Monday, 21 October 2013

Wavula-gala

வவுலக₃ல
Vavulagala

Wawula+gala

The rock or rocky hill of bats

Wawulaa

(singular), Wawuloa (plural): Bat, flying fox (Sinhala); Kiri-wawulaa: Small bat (Sinhala); Vaaval, Vavaal, Vauvaal: Bat (Tamil, DED 5370); Vaaval, Vavvaal, Vaatil, Aaval: Bat (Malayalam DED 5370); Baaval, Bavali, Baavul, Baavuli: Bat (Kannada, DED 5370); Baavali, Bavoli: Bat (Tulu, DED 5370); Cognates are found in Kodagu, Kolami and Kuwi also (DED 5370)

Gala

Stone, rock (Sinhala); Also a rocky hill or terrain in the context of place names (Sinhala); Gal: Plural of Gala (Sinhala); Kal: Also Kallu: Stone, rock (Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, DED 1298); Also a toponymical component standing for a rocky hill or rocky terrain (Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada); Cognates of Kal, meaning stone or rock are found in 19 Dravidian languages including Brahui of Pakistan (DED 1298)

Wawulaa means bat or flying fox in Sinhala. Wawuloa is the plural form of the word.

The closest cognates of this word of Dravidian etymology are Vaaval, Vavaal and Vauvaal in Tamil (DED 5370). Cognates are also found in the Dravidian languages, Malayaalam, Kannada, Tulu, Kodagu, Kolami and Kuwi.

Gala, meaning a rock, rocky hill or rocky terrain in the context of Sinhala place names, is another term of Dravidian etymology for which cognates are found in 19 Dravidian languages. Kal is the equivalent term in Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada (DED 1298)

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Early example for the usage of Vaaval in Changkam Tamil literature:

“Thaa-aval agnchi'rai noppa'rai vaaval pazhu maram padarum paiyu'l maalai” (Ku'runthokai 172:1)

“தா-அவல் அஞ்சிறை நொப்பறை வாவல் பழு மரம் படரும் பையுள் மாலை” (குறுந்தொகை 172:1)

In this painful evening (when I long for union with the separated lover), bats of broad and beautiful wings, and painful flutter, (also) fly towards fruit trees (longing for food).

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Wavula-gala is a place in Baddegama division of Galle district

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Some related place names:

Kiri-wavulaa: The (place of) small bat; Udanuwara division, Kandy district

Wavula-goda: The bank or hill of bats; Hikkaduwa division, Galle district

Wavulan-bokka: The creek of bats; Kirinda–Puhulwella division, Matara district

Wavul Ambe: The mango tree of bats; Dambulla division, Matale district

First published: Monday, 21 October 2013, 06:33