Know the Etymology: 449
Place Name of the Day: Wednesday, 07 December 2016

Gal-amuṇa, Daha-amuṇa, Amuṇu-kolē

க₃ல்-அமுண, த₃ஹ-அமுண, அமுணு-கொலே
Gal-amuṇa, Daha-amuṇa, Amuṇu-kolē

Gal+amuṇa
Amuṇu+dahaya
Amuṇu+kolē

The stone-built barrage dam (to divert water for irrigation)

The field of the capacity of sowing ten Amuṇas of paddy (20 -25 acres)

The barrage bank, or the barrage that serves as a ford

Amuṇa1	(singular), Amuṇu (plural): a low dam or barrage across a canal or stream to divert water for irrigation, the bank in a paddy field; "Ketvalaṭa diya gẹṇima sańdahā ẹḷa dōḷa ādiya haras kara bańdina āvaraṇa bẹmma" (Sinhala, Sorata, Clough); Avuṇu: = Aṃuṇu, "Diya navatvana aṃuṇubẹmma" (Sinhala, Sorata); Avaraṇa: dam (Brahmi inscriptions no. 1199, 1215, Inscriptions of Ceylon, Vol I); Āvrāṇa: dam (Sanskrit, CDIAL 1451a); Am, Ām: water (Tamil, DED 187); Ampaṇam: gutter for rainwater, narrow watercourse, aqueduct (Tamil, Caṅkam diction, Neṭunalvāṭai 96-97; Tivākaram 7: 207)
Amuṇa2	(singular), Amuṇu: (plural) a cubic measure of paddy and other grain, usually of 8 Paṟai, equivalent to 5 bushels in Kandy and 6 bushels in Colombo; a measure of land that could be sown with one Amuṇa of paddy, usually 2 acres in the Central Province and 2 ½ acres in other parts; a measure of areca nuts, usually 23,000 to 28,000 (Sinhala, Clough, Sorata, Codrington); Avaṇam: a cubic measure of paddy as well as measure of land (Eezham Tamil, Vanni and East); Amaṇam, Avaṇam: A measure of 20,000 areca nuts (Tamil, DED 263, inscription, 1614 CE, SII, iv, 401); Avaṇam: A weight measure (Malayalam, DED 263); Ampaṇam: A cubic measure of grain (Tamil, DED 263, Caṅkam diction, Patiṟṟuppattu 66: 8-9); boat (Tamil, Cūṭāmaṇi, 11: 182); Ampi: boat (Tamil, DED 177); Ammaṇa: trough, a measure of capacity (Pali, CDIAL 688); Armaṇa: a cubic measure equal to one Droṇa (Sanskrit, CDIAL 688); Am, Ām: water (Tamil, DED 187); Ambhas: water (Sanskrit, CDIAL 577); Amiḻ: (verb) to be immersed (Tamil, DED 167, note the possibility of Ḻ/ Ṇ change); Amukku: (verb) to press in or under as a vessel into water (Tamil, DED 169)
Kolē1	from Kol: bank, shore, bank of a river; "Kūla, Ivura" (Sinhala, Sorata); Kūla: shore, bank, heap, mound, pond, pool (Sinhala, Clough); 1. Kulai: bank of a river (Tamil, 7th century CE, Cuntarar Tēvāram, 7: 13: 1); bridge, ford, causeway (Tamil, Kulacēkara Āḻvār10: 7); bank of a river, dam on the side of a river, bordering bank (Tamil, inscriptions, 946 CE, SII, viii, 689; 911 CE, SII, viii, 621; 992 CE, SII, xiii, 170); Kulaiy-veṭṭi: the compulsory labour to raise the banks of a river (Tamil, inscription, 911 CE, SII, viii, 621); Kulai: (verb) to bend, curve as in shooting a bow (Tamil, Chaṅkam diction); notch at the end of a bow to keep the string in check (Tamil, DED 1812); Kula: end of bow (Malayalam, DED 1812); Gole: notched extremity or horn of a bow (Kannada, DED 1812); Kulavu: (verb) to bend, curve (Tamil, DED 2136); 2. Kūlyā, Kūliya: belonging to a bank (Sanskrit, CDIAL 3352, 3417, possible Dravidian origin suggested); Kūla: declivity, shore, heap, mound, bank (Sanskrit, CDIAL 3416, possible Dravidian origin suggested for Kūla also, CDIAL 3352); slope, bank of a river (Pali, CDIAL 3416); 3. Kōṭu: bank of stream or pool (Tamil, DED 2200); 4. Kurampu: artificial bank, dam, causeway, bund, ridge in a rice field, boundary, limit, (Tamil, DED 1772)
Kolē2	as in Kolē-atu: an improvised bridge made across the banks of a stream involving trees on either side, "Ẹlaka degoḍa gas sambandha kara sệdū pālama" (spoken Sinhala, Sorata); Kolo, Kolava: rope bridge, "Vẹl-pālama" (spoken Sinhala, Sorata); Kolē: (singular), Kola: (plural) ferry (Sinhala, Clough); Kulai: bridge, ford, causeway (Tamil, Kulacēkara Āḻvār, 10: 7); the etymology of this shade of meaning is unclear. May be related to Kolē 1 and Kulai as bank, but may also be related to Koḷuvu: (verb) to cause to hold, clasp, buckle up, hook on, (Tamil, DED 2151)
Daha: Dahaya, Dasaya	ten (Sinhala); Daśa: ten (Sanskrit, CDIAL 6227); Dasa, Daha: ten (Prakrit, CDIAL 6227)

* * *

The word Amuṇa (Amuṇu in plural and in combinations) is used in two different sets of meanings in Sinhala.

In place names it is mostly used to mean a low dam or barrage built across a stream or canal to divert water for irrigation purposes.

The etymology of Amuṇa in this shade of meaning is traced to Avaraṇa found used in two of the early Brahmi inscriptions in the island. In meaning a barrage, Avuṇa in Sinhala means the same as Amuṇa. CDIAL cites Āvrāṇa as the cognate in Sanskrit, tracing the word to Vrāṇa as meaning pent up or rivers (CDIAL 1451a). No other IA cognates have been cited by CDIAL.

* * *

A cubic measure of grain is another meaning for Amuṇa in Sinhala. The measure was in popular use in old times. One Amuṇa was roughly 5 bushels in Kandy and 6 bushels in Colombo.

Deriving from the cubic-measure meaning, the word also stood for a measure of paddy field having the sowing capacity of that cubic measure of paddy. It was roughly 2 acres in Kandy and 2.5 acres in Colombo. In some place names, Amuṇa could be found used in this sense of meaning.

Avaṇam was the equivalent term in Eezham Tamil usage, especially in Vanni and in the East of the island.

Amuṇa in Sinhala and Amaṇam/ Avaṇam in Tamil were also used as terms meaning a measure of areca nuts. The latter terms are listed as Dravidian (DED 263).

All the said terms, basically meaning a measure of capacity, correspond to Ampaṇam in old Tamil, Ammaṇa in Pali, and Armaṇa in Sanskrit, meaning the same.

A measure of capacity, a trough and a boat usually share etymology because of structural affinities. The etymological origins of the words cited above seem to be coming from Am meaning water in Tamil/ Dravidian (DED 187) and Ambhas meaning the same in Sanskrit.

Note the presence of the verb forms Amiḻ and Amukku in Tamil/ Dravidian (DED 167, 169) for immersing or pressing a vessel into water, which is functionally related to the origins of capacity measure.

There is a probability that Amuṇa, even in meaning a dam, may be related to Am meaning water.

* * *

Ampaṇam as a measure of paddy:

"நெல்லின் அம்பண அளவை விரிந்து உறை போகிய ஆர் பதம் நல்கும்" (பதிற்றுப்பத்து 66:8-9)

"Nelliṉ ampaṇa aḷavai virintu uṟai pōkkiya ār patam nalkum" (Patiṟṟuppattu 66: 8-9)

Immeasurable quantity of food coming from the gift of overwhelming Ampaṇa measures of paddy


Grain merchants measuring with Ampaṇam:

நிறை கோல் துலாத்தர், பறைக்கட் பராரையர்
அம்பண அளவையர், எங்கணும் திரிதரக்
காலம் அன்றியும் கருங்கறி மூடையொடு
கூலம் குவித்த கூல வீதியும் (சிலப்பதிகாரம் 14: 208-11)

"Niṟai kōl tulāttar, paṟaikkaṭ parāraiyar,
Ampaṇa aḷavaiyar eṅkaṇum tiritarak
Kālam aṉṟiyum karuṅkaṟi muṭaiyoṭu
Kūlam kuvitta kūla vītiyum" (Cilappatikāram 14: 208-211)

The street of grain merchants, where irrespective of seasons grains are heaped along with bags of black pepper, and where (the merchants) those who wield scales, those who are noisy with their Paṟai measure (a smaller measure than Ampaṇam) and those who measure with Ampaṇam wander everywhere

Amaṇam as measure of areca nuts:

"பாக்கு சுவந்திரம் பொக்காயம் உள்ப்பட அமணத்துக்கு மூன்று மாப்பணமும்" (1614 CE, South Indian Inscriptions IV, 401)

"Pākku cuvantiram pokkāyam uḷppaṭa amaṇattukku muṉṟu māppaṇamum" (1614 CE, South Indian Inscriptions IV, 401)

Areca nuts, inclusive of rights and taxes, three Mā-paṇam (of money) for one Amaṇam (of measure)

Ampaṇam as gutter:

"நிலவுப் பயன் கொள்ளும் நெடுவெண் முற்றத்து கிம்புரிப் பகுவாய் அம்பணம் நிறையக் கலிழ்ந்து வீழ் அருவிப்பாடு விறந்து" (நெடுநல்வாடை 96-97)

"Nilavup payaṉ koḷḷum neṭuveṇ muṟṟattu kimpurip pakuvāy ampaṇam

Niṟaiyak kaliḻntu vīḻ aruvippāṭu viṟantu" (Neṭunalvāṭai 96-97)

From the grand white terrace meant for enjoying moonlight, resembling the sound of a stream, rainwater would fall turbulently through the full gutter, the mouth of which is shaped like the gaping mouth of a shark.


Ampa'nam as aqueduct, gutter or narrow watercourse:

"நீர்ப் பத்தர்க்கு அம்பணம் தூம்பு நேர்ப" (திவாகரம் 7:207)

Nīrp pattarkku ampaṇam tūmpu nērpa" (Tivākaram 7: 207)

Ampaṇam and Tūmpu are words for aqueduct

* * *

The place name component Kolē in Sinhala means a bank, riverbank or an improvised bridge, rope-bridge, ford etc. made across banks (see boxes on Kolē 1 and Kolē 2).

Sanskrit has the term Kūla for a bank (CDIAL 3416) and the terms Kūlyā and Kūliya meaning, 'belonging to a bank' (CDIAL 3352, 3417). CDIAL however notes possible Dravidian origins for the terms, citing Kuḷam in Tamil (CDIAL 3352).

Tamil has a word form Kulai, identical in meanings to Kolē in Sinhala (see boxes above). Kulai is found used in Tamil literature and inscriptions since 7th century CE. Whether the word form has direct Dravidian origins or is routed through Sanskrit/ Prakrit is uncertain.

* * *

Kulai as bank of a river:

"அருவித் திரள் மா மணி உந்திக் குலை ஆரக் கொணர்ந்து ஏற்றிi" (7th century CE, சுந்தரர் தேவாரம், 7: 13: 1)

"Aruvit tiraḷ mā maṇi untik kulai ārak koṇarntu ēṟṟi" (7th century CE, Cuntarar Tēvāram, 7: 13: 1)

The river flow bringing big gems and depositing them in abundance in the bank


"காவிரி பெருகிக் குலை உடைத்து" (Tamil inscription, 946 CE, SII, viii, 689)

"Kāviri perukik kulai uṭaittu" (Tamil inscription, 946 CE, SII, viii, 689)

The Kaaviri River flooded and breached the bank


Kulai meaning an artificial dam or bank:

“நிபந்தத்துக்கு வ்ரோத₃ஞ் செய்வான் காவிரி குலை குத்தினான் பாவங் கொள்வான்” (Tamil inscription, c. 900 CE, AVNM, 6, p. 14)

“Nipantattukku vrōdañ ceytāṉ kāviri kulai kuttināṉ pāvaṅ koḷvāṉ” (Tamil inscription, c. 900 CE, AVNM, 6, p. 14)

One who goes against the stipulations (of the endowment), would get the sin of breaching the bank of the Kāviri River

* * *

Kulai as bridge, ford or causeway:

"குலை கட்டி மறு கரையை அதனால் ஏறி" (குலசேகர ஆழ்வார், 10: 7)

"Kulai kaṭṭi maṟu karaiyai ataṉāl ēṟi" (Kulacēkara Āḻvār, 10: 7)

Building the causeway and reaching the opposite bank through that

* * *

Gal-amuṇa is found as a place name in Kundasale division, Kandy district; Mahawewa division, Puttalam district; Lankapura division, Polonnaruwa district and Siyambalanduwa division, Moneragala district.

Daha-amuṇa is in Angunakolapelessa division of Hambantota district.

Amuṇu-kolē is in Nochchiyagama division of Anuradhapura district. The place name in the form Amuṇa-kolē is found in Polpithigama division of Kurunegala district and in Kobeigane division of Kurunegala district.

* * *

Some related place names:

Amuṇu/ Amuṇa/ Amuṇē as a low dam or barrage:

Amuṇu-goḍa: Gampaha, Gampaha

Amuṇu-kuṁbura: Mahara, Gampaha

Amuṇu-gama: Kundasale, Kandy; Ampanpola, Kurunegala; Wariyapola, Kurunegala; Polgahawela, Kurunegala

Amuṇu-pura: Yatinuwara, Kandy

Amuṇu-puraya: Udapalatha, Kandy

Amuṇu-vẹva: Nawagattegama, Puttalam

Kiri-amuṇu-kolē: Thalawa, Anuradhapura

Amuṇu-vẹṭiya: Ipalogama, Anuradhapura

Amuṇu-tẹnna: Ratnapura, Ratnapura

Vil-amuṇa: Medadumbara, Kandy

Hattoṭa-amuṇa: Laggala-Pallegala, Matale

Amuṇē-kańdura: Medagama, Moneragala

Amuṇē-kuṭṭiya: Matara Four Gravets, Matara. Kuṭṭiya: = Kẹṭiya (Sorata)

* * *

Hamuṇa: H added to Amuṇa

Doḷa-hamuṇa: The barrage across the hill stream; Panduwasnuwara West, Kurunegala

* * *

Amuṇu/ Amuṇa as measure of paddy field:

Amuṇu-dahaya: The ten Amuṇas of paddy field; Tissa North, Thissamaharama, Hambantota (Metric Sheet)

Tissa-amuṇa: The thirty Amuṇas of paddy field; Medirigiriya, Polonnaruwa

* * *

Kolē:

Kara-kolē: The shore bank; or the bank ford; Nikaweratiya division, Kurunegala district

Kiri-amuṇu-kolē: Thalawa division, Anuradhapura district. The bank of the paddy-field tract, in which each ridged block is of 4 Maṇikā (measure of grain) sowing capacity; or the dam-ford by the side of the 4-Maṇikā blocks of paddy fields; Kiriya: ground sufficient to sow 4 Maṇikā, i.e., 64 Las of paddy (Sinhala, Clough); Kiri: 4 Amuṇas; "Amuṇu hatara" (Sinhala, Sorata); Kiri-amuṇa-baa: paddy field parts set aside as beds of 4-Amuṇa sowing capacity each (Sinhala, Sorata). Amuṇa in this context means the ridges dividing the paddy field parts. Another possibility is Kiri meaning Śri differentiating the place from another Amuṇu-kolē in the same district


Revised: Wednesday, 07 December 2016, 22:43

First published: Sunday, 07 February 2016, 12:01