Know the Etymology: 334
Place Name of the Day: Sunday, 23 March 2014

Kola-munna, Anguna-kola-pelessa

கொலமுன்ன
அங்கு₃ணகொள பெ[æ]லெ[æ]ஸ்ஸ
Kolamunna
Aṅgkuṇakoḷa Pælæssa

Kola+munna
Angku'na+ko'la+pælæssa

The verdured (foliage-green) front or edge

The open parkland having Angu'na foliage (plants)

Kola	(plural), Kole (singular), sometimes written as Ko'la: Leaf, branch, herbs (Sinhala); A place of verdure, a place of foliage or greenness of a particular kind of vegetation (Sinhala, in the context of place names); Kola-kura: Bud, young shoots of the leaves (Sinhala); Kola-tura: Tree (Sinhala); Kola-pata: leaf of a book or tree (Sinhala); Kola-nelanawaa: To weed, to pluck out weeds (Sinhala); Kola-puwa: Spathe of the flower of the coconut tree (Sinhala, Kulai-poo, Tamil, Kulai: to shoot forth as a bunch, bunch or fruits or flowers, Tamil, DED 1810); Kola-paata: Green, literally meaning leafy colour (Sinhala); Dun-kola: tobacco (Sinhala); Gas-kolan: Trees and leaves, trees in general (Sinhala); Ku'lu: Un-blossomed flower (Sinhala); Kolu, Koluwaa, Kollaa: Young lad, youngster (Sinhala); Kuzha: Young, tender (Tamil, DED 2149); Kozhunthu: Tender leaf, shoot, tender twig, tendril, anything young, tenderness (Tamil, DED 2149); Kuzhai: (verb) To cause to sprout or shot forth; (noun) Tender leaf, sprout, shoot (Tamil, DED 2149); Foliage in general (Tamil, Natti'nai 54: 9); Jungle (Tamil, Pingkalam Lexicon, 10: 378); Ku'laku: leaves or foliage as animal food (Tamil, Changkam diction, Ku'runthokai, 136: 3-4)
Kolombuwa	Log of wood to sit upon (Sinhala); Kollææwa: outrigger of a fishing canoe (Sinhala); Ko'lu: Log of wood such as of screw pines etc., as in Ko'lu-ashi, a platform or seat of logs (Dhivehi/ Maldivian); Kozhu: Stout stem of a tree (Tamil, from Kozhu meaning fat, plump, DED 2146); Kozhu-kompu: A pole supporting a creeper, support, central upright branch of a tree (Tamil, from Kozhu DED 2146, DED 2147, or from Ko'lu, Ko'luvu: to cause to hold, DED 2151). See column on Colombo for other meanings of Kozhu
Munna	Front, edge (Sinhala); from Muna: End, top, extremity, tip, point (Sinhala); Mune: Tip, point, front, point of any sharp instrument (Sinhala); Moona: Face, countenance (Sinhala); Mun: In front (Tamil, DED 5020); Munai: Front, face, edge, cape, headland, sharpened end (Tamil, DED 5020); Munnam: In front (Tamil, DED 5020); Face (Tamil, Changkam usage). See columns on Kalmunai and Munthal.
Angu'na	Also Angu'na-wæla, Hoya: A creeping plant or twining shrub of the Asclepiadaceae (milkweed) family or Asclepiadoideae subfamily, of which there are several species in the island. The plant is noted for its milky juice (Sinhala); Angu'na, Angu'nu, Anganaa: Woman (Sinhala); Anhenun: Women (Dhivehi/ Maldivian); Anganaa: Woman (Sanskrit, Pali, CDIAL 119, etymology is traced to Austro-Asiatic); Angkanai: Woman (Tamil, lexicons and literary, Karuvoorth-theavar Thiruvisaippaa, 6:8); Kiri-Angu'na: Wattakaka volubilis, Dregea volubilis, Hoya viridiflora, a creeper the leaves of which are popularly used in the treatment of diabetes (Sinhala, it is called Ku'rignchaa in Eezham Tamil and Kodip-paalai in Tamil medicinal texts); Titta-anguna: Leptadenia reticulate (Sinhala)
Pælæssa	A forest eco system (Sinhala, Madduma Bandara 2009); open park country, Pelessa grassland (Sinhala, National Wetland Directory of Sri Lanka). See column on Iluk-pelessa for etymology.

The word Kola in Sinhala commonly means leaves as well as branches. It also means herbs. Kole is the singular form of the word.

With a name of a plant as prefix, Kola means the leaf or foliage of that plant, as in the phrases Angu'na-kola, Weni-wæl-kola, Maana-kola, Dun-kola (tobacco) etc.

See box for Kola-related phrases such as Kola-kura, Kola-pata, Kola-tura, etc., in Sinhala, meaning young shoots, leaves and trees. Gas-kolan in Sinhala means leaves and trees or trees in general.

In Sinhala place names, Kola in some instances means a place found with the foliage of a particular plant (means the plant itself), and in some other instances generally means a place of verdure, i.e., a place of greenness because of the foliage of vegetation found in that place.

The Sinhala word Kola/ Kole, corresponds to the Tamil/ Dravidian word Kuzhai, commonly meaning foliage in general as well as tender leaves, sprouts, shoots etc. (DED 2149). There is another related word Ku'laku in Tamil that means foliage or leaves as food for animals. Kuzhai also means a jungle in Tamil lexicons.

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Kuzhai meaning foliage in general:

“Thazhaiyoar koy kuzhai arumpiya kumari gnaazhal” (Natti'nai, 54: 8-9)

“தழையோர் கொய் குழை அரும்பிய குமரி ஞாழல்” (நற்றிணை, 54: 8-9)

The young Gnaazhal tree with sprouting foliage or bunches of leaves that used to be plucked by those who cover them by leaf-dress


Kuzhai meaning young leaves as well as a jungle:

“Kakanamum changkum chea'rum kaadum ku'ndalamum tha'lirum kuzhalum kuzhaiyea (Pingkala Nika'ndu, 10: 378)

“ககனமும் சங்கும் சேறும் காடும் குண்டலமும் தளிரும் குழலும் குழையே (பிங்கல நிகண்டு, 10: 378)

Sky, conch, mud, jungle, earring, tender leaf and long hair of women are called Kuzhai


Ku'laku meaning foliage or leaf-food for animals:

“Yaanai ku'laku men'ru” (Ku'runthokai 136: 3)

“யானை குளகு மென்று” (குறுந்தொகை 136: 3)

Elephant chewing the foliage food

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The suffix Munna in Sinhala place names is a form of the word Muna, meaning a front or edge. The word is also related to another Sinhala word Mune, meaning the same.

In certain other contexts, especially in the context of coastal place names, Muna/ Mune means a point, tip, cape, promontory or an extreme point. But in other contexts, as such in the place names Kola-munna, Goda-munna etc., Munna means a frontier or edge of a natural feature.

For instance, Kola-munna is the front or edge of a leafy jungle stretch and Goda-munna is the front, edge or base of a hillock range lying between the Mahaweli River and the backwaters of Victoria reservoir.

Another related word Moona in Sinhala means face.

Munna, Muna, Mune and Moona in Sinhala are cognates of the Tamil/ Dravidian root word Mun (DED 5020), meaning in front, and its derivatives Munai (front, point, edge), Munnam (in front, face) etc.

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Angu'na is a creeping plant or twining shrub belonging to the milkweed family of plants known as Asclepiadaceae. Some take it as a sub-family called Asclepiadoideae.

Several species of the Angu'na plant are found in the island. The plant, recognized for its milky juice, is compared to a woman, and has been given with the name Angu'na, as the word also means a woman in Sinhala.

Angu'na and Anga'na meaning a woman in Sinhala are cognates of Anganaa meaning a woman in Sanskrit and Pali. A Comparative Dictionary of Indo-Aryan Languages notes the word as of Austro-Asiatic etymology (CDIAL 119); Angkanai is a cognate found in the literary usage of Tamil (after 10-11century CE) and the form Anhenun is found in the Dhivehi language of the Maldives.

One variety of Anku'na, called Kiri-angu'na, is well recognized in the treatment of diabetes. It is called Ku'rignchaa or Kodip-paalai in Tamil.

See column on Iluk-pelessa for etymological discussions on the Sinhala word Pælæssa, meaning an open-parkland or a jungle cum grassland ecosystem.

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Kola-munna is a place in Kesbewa division of Colombo district.

Anguna-kola-pelessa (Angu'na-ko'la-pælæssa) is a divisional headquarters in Hambantota district

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Some related place names:

Kola/ Ko'la:

Weniwel-kola: The (place of) Weni-wæl creeper (Coscinium fenestratum) foliage (plants); Homagama division, Colombo district

Maa-ko'la: Probably, the big verdured place; Biyagama division, Gampaha district

Giri-ko'la: The hill of verdure; Agalawatta division, Kalutara district

Ala-kola-maditta: The circle found with the foliage of yam-plants; Hatharaliyadda division, Kandy district

Ala-kola-mada: The muddy area or field found with the foliage of yam plants; Rattota division, Matale district; Rideegama division, Kurunegala district

Ala-ko'la-wewa: The tank in the locality found with the foliage of yam plants; Walapane division, Nuwara Eliya district

Ala-kola-deniya: The rising ground of the valley found with the foliage of yam plants; Kurunegala division, Kurunegala district

Ala-kola-gala: also Ala-kola-gaala: The rocky hill found with the foliage of yam plants; Welimada division, Badulla district; Lunugala division, Badulla district

Ala-kola-ælla: The rapid or waterfall in the locality found with the foliage of yam plants; Imbulpe division, Ratnapura district

Hæra-kola: The (place of) foliage of seizing or climbing plants/ creepers; GI Korale, Kandy district

Path-kola-golla: The garden or grove to get banana leaves; Galewela division, Matale district. Path-kola: banana leaves (Sinhala)

Dumbu-kola: The (place of) tobacco leaves; Ukuwela division, Matale district

Maa'na-kola: The verdure of citronella grass; Hanguranketha division, Nuwara Eliya district. Maana: a cultivated variety of citronella

Gahala-kola-deniya: The rising ground of the valley found with the foliage of Gahala yam; Yakkalamulla division, Galle district. Gahala: A yam, Colocasia antiquorum, (Sinhala)

Aba-ko'la-wewa: The tank of mustard plants (where mustard is cultivated); Weeraketiya division, Hambantota district; Ambanpola division, Kurunegala district

Meema'na-kola-deniya: Probably a changed form of Meewana-kola-deniya: The rising ground of the valley found with the fern called spleenwort; Katuwana division, Hambantota district. Meewana-kola: Fern, Diplazium esculentum (Sinhala)

Ko'laweni-gama: The verdured village; Kotapola division, Matara district

Wathu-kola-kanda: The hill covered with the foliage of a garden or grove; Kirinda-Puhulwella division, Matara district

Lee-ko'la-pitiya: The high ground or plain of Lee-kola plant; Rasnayakapura division, Kurunegala district

Lee-kola-wewa: The tank in the locality of Lee-kola plants; Kobeigane division, Kurunegala district

Thalaa-ko'la-wewa: Also Thalaa-kola-wewa: The tank in the locality of basil herbs; Rasnayakapura division, Kurunegala district; Polpithigama division, Kurunegala district; Medirigiriya division, Polonnaruwa district; Anamaduwa division, Puththa'lam district. Thalaa: The basil plant of which there are 22 species and varieties in the island (Sinhala); Thalaa-kola: The leaf of the holy basil (Sinhala); Thalaa: A tree Cathartocarpus fistula (Sinhala)

Pus-kola-de'niya: The rising ground of the valley to get Talipot leaves for writing purposes; Narammala division, Kurunegala district

Kolambala-mulla: Kola-ambala-mulla: The corner of the verdured public place; Polgahawela division, Kurunegala district

Hen-kola-wela: Hean-ko'la-wela: The fields of slash and burn vegetation (jungle); Hingurakgoda division, Polonnaruwa district

Pothu-kola-deniya: The rising ground of the valley found with the foliage of reed grass; or the rising ground of the valley covered by a range of foliage; Galigamuwa division, Kegalle district

Miyana-kola-thenna: The highland plain having tree branches with beehives; Eheliyagoda division, Ratnapura district

Kolanda-gala: Probably, the verdured rocky hill; Ratnapura division, Ratnapura district

Thora-kola-yaya: Thoara-kola-yaaya: The expanse found with the foliage of Cassia vegetation; Embilipitiya division, Ratnapura district. Thoara: Cassia of which there are several species (Sinhala)

Naa-kola-gane: The jungle covered with the foliage of Naa trees; Ehetuwewa division, Kurunegala district

Indi-kola-pælæssa: The open-parkland found with the foliage of date palms; Sevanagala division, Moneragala district

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Kola/ Ko'la as prefix:

Kola-watta: The verdured garden or grove; Attanagalla division, Gampaha district

Kola-pathana: The verdured grassland; Kothmale division, Nuwara Eliya district

Ko'laman-thalaawa: The verdured grassland; Padiyathalawa division, Ampaa'rai district

Iha-kola-gama: The front part of the verdured village; Nikaweratiya division, Kurunegala district

Ko'la-pælali-kanda: The hill to make tats or blinds from twigs, branches and leaves; or the hill of leafy plants; Mallawapitiya division, Kurunegala district. Pælali: plural of Pælælla: tat, blind, door etc., made of open wicker work (Sinhala); Pæla: plant, shrub (Sinhala)

Ko'la-thenna: The highland plain covered with foliage of vegetation; Haputale division, Badulla district

Ko'la-mediriya: The verdured temple site; Bandaragama division Kalutara district

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Munna:

Goda-munna: The high ground or hillock range front or edge; Medadumbara division, Kandy district

Seeni-munna: The front or edge of a thicket of Seeni shrubs; Lunugamvehera division, Hambantota district

Wadu-munna: The carpentry front (probably the front or edge of the forest for carpentry); Panduwasnuwara division, Kurunegala district

Kavudu-munna: The front or edge of Kavudu-boa (Ammonita) tree jungle; Pannala division, Kurunegala district

Paha'la-ko'la-munna: The back part of the Ko'la-munna village; Bamunukotuwa division, Kurunegala district

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Angu'na:

Angu'na-kola-wæwa: The tank in the locality found with Angu'na plants; Lunugamvehera division, Hambantota division

Angunaa-wala: The jungle of Angunaa plants; Udunuwara division, Kandy district

Anguna-wæl-pælæssa: The open parkland of Anguna creepers; Dambulla division, Matale district

Angu'na-vila: The pond or marsh in the locality of Angu'na plants; Munthal division, Puththa'lam district

Angunaachchiya: Anguna-aachchiya: The area coming under the control of a woman

First published: Monday, 24 March 2014, 11:19