Know the Etymology: 425
Place Name of the Day: Wednesday, 04 November 2015

Kema, Walas-kema

கெம, வலஸ்கெம
Kema, Valaskema

Kema
Walas+kema

The waterhole on the rocks

The rock-waterhole or pool frequented by bears

Kem

a waterhole or pool on rocks, a rock-pit, “Gal-poku'na, Gal-va'la” (Sinhala, Sorata); Kumi, Komi: a waterhole excavated on a rock (usage found in Early Brahmi inscriptions, nos. 712, 1228, 318, Paranavitana, 1970); 1. Kumbha: jar, pot (Sanskrit, Rig Vedic, CDIAL 3308); Kumbhee: large round pot (Pali, CDIAL, 3308); Kumee: pool (Prakrit, CDIAL 3308); 2. Gumma: depth (Kannada, DED 1818); Gumme: a deep pond (Kannada, DED 1818); Ku'lumpe: a hollow place where water accumulates (Kannada, DED 1818); Gurumpe: pond, pool, puddle (Tulu, DED 1818); Gurumpu: a low-lying place where water accumulates (Tulu, DED 1818); Gummi: pit (Gadba, DED 1818); Gumiya: grave (Gondi, DED 1818); Gumi: pit, hole in river (Konda, DED 1818); From the root Kuzhai, Kuzhi: pit, pond (Tamil, DED 1818); 3. Kamar: crack, chasm, cleft in the ground (Tamil, DED 1229); Kayam: depth, tank, water (Tamil, DED 1251); depth (Malayalam, DED 1251); Kazham: depth, body of water, tank (Malayalam, DED 1251); Kaya: depth as of water, swamp, deep (Tulu, DED 1251); 4. Kuttam: depth, pond (Tamil, DED 1669); Ku'ntam: deep cavity, pit, pool, (Tamil, DED 1669); Koddam: hollowness (Tamil, DED 2059); Kudam: waterpot (Tamil, DED 1651); 5. Kam: water, whiteness (Tamil, Pingkalam, 1: 57); Kama: fullness, raincloud, (Tamil, Ku'runthokai, 158: 3); Kamagn-chool: pregnant with water, raincloud (Ku'runthokai, 158: 3; Pathittuppaththu, 81: 2-3); Kam-maay, Ka'n-maay, Kammaa: irrigation tank, lake (spoken Tamil, Tamil Nadu, MTL)

Walassa

(singular), Walassu (plural), also Walahaa: bear (Sinhala); Bhallooka: bear (Sanskrit, CDIAL 9415); Bhalla: bear (Prakrit, CDIAL 9415); possible relationship with Malla: wrestler (Sanskrit, Pali, Prakrit, Dravidian origin noted, CDIAL 9907, DED 4730); Pallam: bear (Tamil, literary, Thivaakaram, 3: 43, 11: 331); Pallookam: bear (Tamil, Pingkalam, 8: 184, Choodaama'ni, 3: 20); the Tamil lexical forms are probably related to IA; possible relationship with Val, Valiya: strong, big, powerful (Tamil, Malayalam, DED 5276); Balisina: fat, stout (Telugu, DED 5276). See column on Valasgala

Kema is a place name component that is today confined mostly to the southeast part of the island.

It is predominantly noticed in the Yala forest and in the adjacent jungle tracts of the Ampaa'rai, Moneragala and Hambantota districts.

According to Sorata's Sinhala dictionary, Kema means a waterhole or pit in the rocks (“Galpoku'na, Galva'la”).

Cognate terms, Kumi and Komi, used in the same sense of meaning, could be found in the Brahmi inscriptions of the island (Inscriptions of Ceylon, Early Brahmi Inscriptions, Nos. 318, 712, 1228).

While one of the inscriptions (no. 712) comes from Moneragala district, the other two come from Kurunegala district, showing that in early times the term was in use outside of southeast as well.

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S. Paranavitana, who has studied and published the Brahmi inscriptions in 1970, and the Comparative Dictionary of Indo-Aryan Languages (CDIAL) that has come around the same time, compare Kema as well as the Brahmi cognates Kumi and Komi with Kumbha in Sanskrit and Kumbhee in Pali, meaning a jar or pot (Paranavitana, p. 106, CDIAL 3308).

However, there are other direct cognates in Dravidian. The closest ones are, Gumi in Konda, meaning a pit or hole in river, Gummi meaning a pit in Gadba and Gumme meaning a deep pond in Kannada (DED 1818). The words are related to Kuzhi in Tamil/ Dravidian, meaning a pit as well as a pond (DED 1818). Kumee in Prakrit, meaning a pool, seems to be more related to the Dravidian cognates.

Other comparisons could be made with the Tamil/ Dravidian terms, Kamar (cleft in the ground, DED 1229), Kayam (depth, pond, DED 1251) and Kuttam/ Ku'ntam (depth, deep cavity, pit, pool, DED 1669). Kama meaning fullness, especially of water, in Changkam Tamil usage, and Kammaay/ Kammaa meaning a tank in spoken Tamil of Tamil Nadu today, also need consideration.

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“Aalamum…kammum..neer enal aakum” (Pingkala Nika'ndu, 1:57)

“ஆலமும்…கம்மும்..நீர் எனல் ஆகும்” (பிங்கல நிகண்டு, 1:57)

Aalam…Kam..etc., mean water


“Kaalodu vantha kamagn-chool maamazhai” (Ku'runthokai, 158: 3)

“காலொடு வந்த கமஞ்-சூல் மாமழை” (குறுந்தொகை, 158: 3)

The heavy rains that have come with the wind bringing water-pregnant clouds


Kamagn-chool akal iru visumpin athir chinam si'ranthu (Pathittuppaththu, 81: 2-3)

கமஞ்-சூல் அகல் இரு விசும்பின் அதிர் சினம் சிறந்து (பதிற்றுப்பத்து, 81: 2-3)

The water-pregnant clouds (rainclouds) excelled in their thundering ferocity in the wide, stable, sky

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Kema, without any prefixes or suffixes, is found in the One-Inch Sheets as a term to mark a waterhole or pool in the following places: Kirinda area, Hambantota district; near Patanagala; many marked in Ruhunu National Park, Mahasilawakanda, Magumahavihare, Sithulpahuwa, Wewelgala, Gonagala, Pilmagala, (Kataragama One Inch Sheet); Dematagala, Godawelipokuna, Bowattgala, Athuru mithuru gala (Yala One Inch Sheet); Nelumpatpokuna, Itigala, Ittagala, Namalpokuna, Weheragalkanda, Bambaragastalawa, Julpallama, Baguregala, Kudimbegala, Rena-Attegala, Dambagahawala, Wedagama, Gangoda Arawa, Wessigewela, (Panama One Inch Sheet).

Walas-kema is a place noted in the Yala forest of Hambantota district (Yala One-Inch Sheet)

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Some related place names:

Kema:

Koattaya-kema: The waterhole of the fort; Wellawaya division, Moneragala district (6 km south of Wellawaya on the highway, remains of a fort and waterhole are found, One Inch Sheet).

Paralu-kema: The waterhole in the Paralu tree locality; Telulla area, Wellawaya division, Moneragala district (Buttala Metric Sheet). Para'lu: “Vealunu-ko'laya” (spoken Sinhala, Bibile dialect, Sorata)

Giri-miyanne-kema: The waterhole in the locality of hill-bees (hives); Yala forest; (Yala One Inch Sheet)

Oru-kema-yaaya: Probably, Uru-kema-yaaya: The expanse of the big waterhole or the expanse of the salty-earth waterhole; a place near Yakagala in Angunakolapelessa division, Hambantota district (Matara One Inch Sheet). Uru: big, salty earth, “Mahat, Lu'nukarabima” (Sinhala, Sorata)

Kaha-kema: The yellow (water) pond; or the waterhole in the locality of Kaha shrubs; (Kataragama Metric Sheet). Kaha: turmeric (Sinhala); a tree, also Kasa: Ixora shrub (Sinhala)

Padav-kema: 1. The boat pond; 2. The waterhole of the military encampment; (Kataragama Metric Sheet); Padawwa: boat (Sinhala, Clough); Padavu: boat (Sinhala, Sorata); Padaku, Padavu: boat (Tamil, DED 3838); ship. Large boat (Malayalam, DED 3838); Pada, Padavu: boat (Tulu, DED 3838); Padaviti: military encampment (Sinhala, Sorata); Padai-veedu: also Paadi: military encampment (Tamil, DED 3860+DED 5393); Padavi-gama: The military village (Lunugamvehera division, Hambantota district; Pada-thalayaa: captain, commander (Sinhala); Padaith-thalaivan: commander of an army (Tamil, DED 3860-DED 3103)

Bin-kema-hela: The rocky hill having a pit on the surface; (Kataragama Metric Sheet)

Padi-kema: The stepped waterhole (Kataragama One Inch Sheet. The place has a small waterhole). Padi: step, stair (Sinhala); step, stair (Tamil, DED 3850)

Doluk-kema-wæwa: Probably, Daluk-kema-hela: The tank in the locality of the waterhole of Daluk trees; (Kataragama Metric Sheet)

Banawal-kema: The tank in the locality of Bana creepers; (Kataragama One Inch Sheet). Probably, Baa'naa: a creeper, Ipomæa zeylanica (Sinhala)

Mudunthalaawa-kema: The waterhole of the high ground meadow; (Kataragama One Inch Sheet)

Malwariya-kema: The hill-lined pool; (Kataragama One Inch Sheet). This is a pool found on the edge of a rocky hillock.

Pas-kema: The mouldy waterhole (Kataragama One Inch Sheet)

Hendi-kema: Probably, Handi-kema: The waterhole at the junction (this is a road junction found with a waterhole, Kataragama Metric Sheet);

Walasa-kema: The waterhole frequented by bears; (Yala One Inch Sheet)

Wehera-kema: The waterhole of the Buddhist temple (Panama One Inch Sheet)

Aliyaa-kema: The waterhole frequented by elephants (Panama One Inch Sheet)

Tisnaula-kema: The waterhole probably named after the assembly of 30 priests of Buddha (a cave with inscriptions, ruins and a waterhole are found here, Panama One Inch Sheet)

Keme-gala: Weeraketiya division, Hambantota district

Kothala-kemiyaawa: Probably, the waterhole having a spout-like outlet; Anamaduwa division, Puththa'lam district; Kothala: vessel with a spout (Sinhala); Kemi: spout of a vessel of any kind, pedicle (Sinhala)

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Walassa:

Walas-wæwa: The tank frequented by bears; Galewala division, Matale district; Galgamuwa division, Kurunegala district; Kobeigane division, Kurunegala district; Galnewa division, Anuradhapura district

Walas-gala: The bear hill; a place near Yahahuwa, Kurunegala district, from where monks of the Asgiriya (synonym of Walasgala) chapter went to Kandy in the 14th century; there is another place by the name in Dickwella division, Matara district

Walas-mulla: The corner (locality) of bears; Walasmulla division, Hambantota district

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Walahaa:

Walahan-duwa: The water-surrounded place found with bears; Akmeemana division, Galle district

Walaha-pitiya: The high-ground plain of bears; Mahawewa division, Puththa'lam district

Walaha-vidda-wæva: The tank where bears were pieced (killed); Horowpothana division, Anuradhapura district

First published: Wednesday, 04 November 2015, 22:06