Know the Etymology: 402
Place Name of the Day: Sunday, 10 May 2015

Puzhuthi-vayal

புழுதிவயல்
Puḻuti-vayal

Puzhuthi+vayal

The loose, dusty-soiled, paddy field

Puzhuthi

dust, dusty sand, dry earth, dry and loose earth of fine sand, fine powder (Tamil, DED 4316); Poozhthi: dust (Tamil, DED 4316); Poozhi: powder, dust, sacred ashes (Tamil, DED 4316); loam earth (Tamil, Natti'nai, 121: 1); mud (Tamil, Thivaakaram, 5: 75); Puzhuthi-paadu: bed of loam earth found along water sources (Tamil, inscription, 691 CE, SII, I, 151); Bhoothi: wellbeing, earth, ground (Sanskrit, CDIAL 9553); ashes (Sanskrit, DED 4316); Pulin, Pulina: sand (Sinhala, Sorata); Pu'lina: = Pulina (Sinhala, Sorata); Pulina: sand, sediment, island, island of alluvial formation or one from which the water has recently withdrawn, small island or rock left in the middle of a river upon the falling of the waters (Sinhala, Clough); Foo: flour (Dhivehi/ Maldivian); Fushi, Futtaa: small islet, minor islet, unproductive islet, elevated land in the sea – all usually sandy (Dhivehi/ Maldivian); Puti: = Fushi, Futtaa (Old Dhivehi/ Maldivian). Both Zh > Sh change and Zh > T changes are possible. Poozhi, Podi: powder, dust, ash (Tamil, DED 4316, 4481)

Vayal

paddy field, agricultural tract, open space, plain (Tamil, DED 5258); Vayalai: open space, plain (Tamil, DED 5258); 1. Pai: greenness (Tamil, DED 3821); Payir: crop (Tamil, DED 3821); 2. Viyam: extensiveness (Tamil, DED 5404); Viyal: expansion, vastness (Tamil, DED 5404); Viyalu'l: open space (Tamil, DED 5404); Viyan: vastness (Tamil, DED 5404); Viyana: spreading, expanding (Sinhala); 3. Paay: (verb) to spread, extend; (noun) spreading, extension (Tamil, DED 4088); Paayal: bedding (Tamil, DED 4088); Vaaya: paddy field (Parji, DED 5258); field (Gondi, DED 5258); Yaaya: open country, expanse (Sinhala); Aay: open country, expanse (Eezham Tamil, place name suffix). See column on Changkaththaar-vayal.

Puzhuthi in Tamil commonly means, dust, dusty soil, dry and loose earth of fine sand, loam earth etc. Poozhthi and Poozhi are also forms of the word found in old literature. Additional meanings for the latter forms are ash and sacred ashes of the Saivites. All of them are listed as words of Dravidian etymology (DED 4316).

Pulin, Pulina and Pu'lina are cognates in Sinhala, primarily meaning sand, and also meaning sediment or island of sand/alluvial bank appearing in rivers and water bodies (Sorata and Clough).

Sanskrit has a word Bhoothi, meaning earth as well as ashes (CDIAL 9553), but the Sinhala words are obviously related to Dravidian.

In the Dhivehi language of the Maldives, Foo means flour and Fushi/ Futta means a minor island, islet or land elevated from the sea, which are usually sandy. The old Dhivehi form for the type of island was Puti. While one possibility is their relationship to Pitti/ Putti (mound, high ground plain), Poozhi > Putti or Poozhi > Fushi change is also possible, as in Kaazh > Kaashi for coconut in Dhivehi. Also note the Poozhi/ Podi formation in Tamil meaning powder, dust, ash etc.

* * *

Puzhuthi-vayal is usually a loamy, loose-earth, rain-fed, paddy field found in the alkaline tract of land. Sometimes, when the rains are delayed, such fields are tilled and sawn in advance, anticipating rains to come. The process is called Puzhuthi-vithaippu.

See box above and column on Changkaththaar-vayal for etymological discussion on Vayal meaning a paddy field in Tamil/ Dravidian.

* * *

Poozhi as dusty earth for dry farming:

“Vithaiyar kon'ra muthaiya poozhi idu mu'rai nirappiya eer ilai varakin kavaik kathir” (Natti'nai, 121: 1)

“விதையர் கொன்ற முதைய பூழி இடு முறை நிரப்பிய ஈர் இலை வரகின் கவைக் கதிர்” (நற்றிணை, 121: 1)

The branched cobs of the green-leaf millet crop, properly and densely cultivated in the loose earth of the old slash and burn field prepared by the cultivators.


Puzhuthi as loose dusty earth easy to plough:

“ Akazh puzhuthiyin ni'ran uzhum va'lai vaay naagnchiloan” (Paripaadal, 13; 32-33)

“அகழ் புழுதியின் நிறன் உழும் வளை வாய் நாஞ்சிலோன்” (பரிபாடல், 13; 32-33)

The one who wields the bent-tipped plough (Balarama an incarnation of Vishnu) and tills the chests (of enemies) just as tilling loose dusty earth


Puzhuthi-paadu as paddy-field bed of sedimentary soil:

“Perumpiduku kaalin puzhuthi paadum” (Tamil inscription, 691 CE, SII, I, 151)

“பெரும்பிடுகு காலின் புழுதி பாடும்” (Tamil inscription, 691 CE, SII, I, 151)

Also the bed/ paddy-field bed of loose sedimentary earth at the canal called Perumpiduku (named after a Pallava king)


* * *

Puzhuthi-vayal is a place in Munthal division of Puththa'lam district. This is a coastal alkaline stretch along a lagoon.

First published: Sunday, 10 May 2015, 18:33