Know the Etymology: 316
Place Name of the Day: Monday, 19 December 2016

Āṉaiyiṟavu, Valaiyiṟavu

ஆனையிறவு, வலையிறவு
Āṉaiyiṟavu, Valaiyiṟavu

Āṉai+iṟavu
Valai+iṟavu

The Elephant Pass

The place where fishing nets are laid; or the pass through fishing nets

Iṟavu1	a pass, passage (Eezham Tamil word form, Jaffna place name); from Iṟa: (verb) to go beyond (Tamil, DED 515); Iṟappu: passing through (Tamil, DED 515)
Iṟavu2	probably meaning where something is laid down (Eezham Tamil word form, Batticaloa place name); from, Iṟakku: (verb) to lower, let down, put down (Tamil, DED 516)
Valai	net (Tamil, DED 5288); Vala: (verb) to encircle, surround, spin as a spider its thread, plait, weave, string in a series, tie, bind (Tamil, DED 5288)
Āṉai	elephant (Tamil, DED 5161). See Āṉai-viḻuntāṉ-kuḷam for etymology

The component Iṟavu, as noticed in the place name Āṉaiyiṟavu in Jaffna Peninsula, means a pass or passage. The strategic place is popularly known as Elephant Pass in the English rendering of Āṉaiyiṟavu.

Iṟavu in the meaning of a pass or passage is an Eezham Tamil word form. It corresponds to an old Tamil/ Dravidian verb, Iṟa (DED 515), meaning to go beyond and to the adverbs and nouns such as Iranta meaning crossed over and Irappu meaning passing through. The usages could be widely seen in the Caṅkam diction.

Iṟavu, as in the place name Valaiyiṟavu in Batticaloa, seems to be meaning a place where something is laid down (fishing net in this case), and corresponds to the Tamil/ Dravidian verb Iṟakku (DED 516), meaning to lower or to put down. The pass meaning is also possible and in that case it has to be interpreted that it is a pass going through the waters of fishing nets.

Valai meaning net in Tamil/ Dravidian (DED 5288) derives from the verb Vala (see box for the meanings). See other columns for discussion on Āṉai meaning elephant in Tamil/ Dravidian.

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Iṟa-related verbs and nouns in Caṅkam Tamil usage:

"இன்னா அருஞ் சுரம் இறத்தல் இனிதோ" (குறுந்தொகை, 363: 5-6)

"Iṉṉā aruñ curam iṟattal iṉitō" (Kuṟuntokai, 363: 5-6)

Is it pleasant to pass through a troublesome and difficult desert land?


"இறப்பு அருங் குன்றம் இறந்த யாமே" (குறுந்தொகை, 209: 3-4 )

"Iṟappu aruṅ kuṉṟam iṟanta yāmē" (Kuṟuntokai, 209: 3-4)

Myself, crossing over the hills difficult to cross through…


"இத் தெரு இறப்போன்" (அகநானூறு, 66: 9)

"It teru iṟappōṉ" (Akanāṉūṟu, 66: 9)

The man who passes through this street

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Āṉaiyiṟavu (Āṉai-iṟavu), called in English as Elephant Pass, is in Pachchilaippalli division of Kilinochchi district. The place has a causeway linking Jaffna Peninsula with the main island. In the past, the shallow lagoon was passable for elephants.

Valaiyiṟavu (Valai-iṟavu) is in Manmunai North division of Batticaloa district (One Inch Sheet). The place is in the locality of a passage in Batticaloa Lagoon. There was a ferry at this place earlier, which is now replaced by a bridge.

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Some related place names:

Valai:

Valaip-pāṭu: Poonakari, Kilinochchi

Valai-vāṭi: Koralaippattu, Batticaloa

Valaiñar-maṭam: Karathuraippattu, Mullaiththeevu

Periya-valaiyaṉ-kaṭṭu: Madu, Mannar

Ciṉṉa-valaiyaṉ-kaṭṭu: Madu, Mannar




Revised: Monday, 19 December 2016, 11:37

First published: Tuesday, 28 January 2014, 03:45