Know the Etymology: 418
Place Name of the Day: Sunday, 06 September 2015

Kanniyaa, Aa'ndan-kanniya/ Aa'ndaan-kea'ni

கன்னியா, ஆண்ட₃ன்-கன்னிய/ ஆண்டான்-கேணி
Kaṉṉiyā, Āṇḍaṉ-kanniya/ Āṇṭāṉ-kēṇi

Kanniyaa
Aa'ndan+kan'niya
Aa'ndaan+kea'ni

The structure built for the springs

The lord's constructed pond of spring water

Kanniyaa	The name of a place in the Trincomalee district, where a structure was built in ancient times for a cluster of seven hot-water springs considered sacred (Eezham Tamil and Sinhala);
Kanniya	a seldom-found place name suffix for which there is no relevant meaning in Sinhala or Tamil, but examples show that the term corresponds to Kea'ni in Tamil, meaning a small constructed pond of underground water (Sinhala or Sinhalicised place names)
Kea'ni	small tank, well, ditch, trench (Tamil, DED 1998); a constructed pond of underground water (Tamil, Ma'nimeakalai); a small constructed pond dug out to get underground water or built around a natural spring (Tamil usage); temporary well or tank, hole dug in a river's bed, a mine (Malayalam, DED 1998); temporary well or tank, hole dug in a river's bed (Kannada, DED 1998); Ki'na'ru: well (Tamil, Malayalam, DED 1998); Ki'ndu; (verb) to dig up, to burrow (Tamil, DED 1542); Ke'ndu: to dig (Tamil, DED 1542), note the parallels in word formation; Thoa'ndu: to dig, hollow, scoop out (Tamil, DED 3549) > Thoa'ni: boat, canoe (Tamil); Ki'ndu/ Ke'ndu > Kea'ni (DED 1542, 1998); Kani: large cavity, cave, cavern, hole, pit, “Guhaawa” (Sinhala, Sorata); Khani: mine (Sinhala, Clough);
Aa'ndaan	owner, lord, master, god, (Tamil, DED 5157); from Aa'l: (verb) to rule, reign over, control, manage, keep or maintain in use (Tamil, DED 5157); Aadchi: lordship, ownership, government, rule, reign, use, possession (Tamil, DED 5157); Aa'nduwa: government, ruling, reign (Sinhala)

Kanniyaa is the name of an ancient place in Trincomalee district, well known for its hot water springs considered sacred. Seven square wells in a cluster are built here within an open rectangular structure used for bathing.

There is no relevant toponymic meaning in Tamil or Sinhala for this place name. The folklore of this place says Ravana of the Ramayana epic struck the earth to create the wells for his mother to take bath.

The name and the seven wells may remind of the folk believes about Seven Maidens (Kanya, Kanni: maiden), or the seven sacred rivers in the form of maidens, but this doesn't explain the other Kanniya place name suffixes found elsewhere in the island.

Looking at other examples, it seems that the term Kanniya corresponds to Kea'ni in Tamil, meaning a pond constructed for underground water.

Note the example, Ne'lum-kanniya in Anuradhapura district. As Ne'lum means blue lotus, it is deducible that Kanniya means a pond. The linguistic pattern of Kanniya corresponding to Kea'ni could also be seen in the recent examples of Sinhalcisation: Aa'ndaan-kea'ni > Aa'ndan-kanniya or Aa'ndan-kan'niya.

Also note that Sinhala diction has a word Kani, meaning a cave, cavern, large cavity, hole or pit (Guhaawa), which corresponds to Kea'ni in Dravidian (DED 1998) meaning ditch, trench, mine etc., besides meaning a source of underground water. Another Sinhala word Khani means a mine (see box above).

See column on Maruthang-kea'ni for further etymological discussions on Kea'ni.

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Aa'ndaan meaning an owner, lord, master as well as god, in Tamil/ Dravidian (DED 5157), comes from the verb root Aa'l, meaning to rule or reign over. Coming from the same root, the noun Aadchi means lordship, ownership, government, rule, reign, possession etc. Aa'ndai, meaning a master or lord and Aa'ndavan meaning God are related words. Aa'nduwa in Sinhala, meaning government, ruling or reign, shares the same etymology.

Usage example for Aa'nda:

“Kolli aa'nda val vil oariyum” (Pu'ranaanoo'ru, 158: 5)

“கொல்லி ஆண்ட வல் வில் ஓரியும்” (புறநானூறு, 158: 5)

The mighty-bowed Oari who ruled the Kolli hills

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Kanniya is located in Trincomalee Town and Gravets division of Trincomalee district.

Aa'ndan-kanniya/ Aa'ndaan-kea'ni (sometimes written as Aa'ndan-kan'niya in recent Sinhala renderings, and Andan-kanni in the One Inch Sheet) is in Katpitti division of Puththa'lam district.

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Some related place names:

Kanniya:

Ne'lum-kanniya: The blue-lotus pond; N. Palatha division, Anuradhapura district

Ponnan-kanniya: Madampe division, Puththa'lam district. While Kanniya possibly means a pond, the prefix part is uncertain to explain as many place names in this district got mutilated beyond recognition due to language replacement over a century

Panaa-kanniya: probably, the mine to do work; Hali-Ela division, Badulla district. Khani: mine, especially of precious stones (Sinhala)

Aa'ndaan:

Aa'ndaan-ku'lam: The tank of the lord; Maanthai West division, Mannaar district; Karaith'riappattu division, Mullaiththeevu district; Trincomalee Town and Gravets division, Trincomalee district

Aa'ndaar-cheddi-ve'li: The expanse of the merchant lord; Naanaaddaan division, Mannaar district

First published: Sunday, 06 September 2015, 13:09