Know the Etymology: 453
Place Name of the Day: Thursday, 18 February 2016

Wadawa

வத₃வ
Vadava

Wada+wa

The cattle station or the station of cattle herders

The enclosure for cattle or elephants

Wada

cow pen, station of cowherds, enclosure for elephants or cattle, “Vrajaya, Gaala”, (Sinhala, Sorata); cattle pen, sheepfold (Sinhala, Clough); 1. Vraja: cow pen, cattle shed (Sanskrit, Rig Vedic, CDIAL 12224); Vaja: cattle shed (Pali, CDIAL 12224); 2. Vathi: (verb) to dwell, abide, sojourn, sleep; (noun) lair, nest (Tamil, DED 5246); lodging for animals, birds and humans (Tamil, Changkam diction); Pathi: (verb) to be imprinted, to perch, occupy, settle; (noun) abode, town, city, village (Tamil, DED 3911)

In toponymic context, the Sinhala place name component Wada means a cattle station or a station of cattle herders.

In meaning, the closest cognate for Wada could be trace to Vaja (Ja/ Da change) meaning a cattle shed in Pali, which in turn could be traced to Vraja in Sanskrit meaning the same (CDIAL 12224; Vraja > Vaja > Vada).

But in word form, the closest cognate is Vathi in Tamil/ Dravidian (DED 5246), generally meaning an abode or lodging of animals, birds and humans.

Ample examples could be seen in Changkam Tamil diction for the verb and noun usage of Vathi in the meanings, lair, nest, abode, lodging, sleeping place etc. In contemporary Tamil, Vathi-idam (Vathividam) means quarters of stay or living.

Vathi is listed as Dravidian, probably because of the presence of the verb form and related words such as Pathi (DED 3911).

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“Maa vathi cheara” (Kaliththokai 119: 11)

“மா வதி சேர” (கலித்தொகை 119: 11)

As the animals reached their lodgings (in the evening)


“Pu'l'lum maavum pulampodu vathiya (Ku'runthokai, 118: 1)

“புள்ளும் மாவும் புலம்பொடு வதிய (குறுந்தொகை, 118: 1)

As birds and animals grudgingly settled in their lodgings (at dusk)


“Pozhil vathi veanil” (Pathittuppaththu, 48: 15)

“பொழில் வதி வேனில்” (பதிற்றுப்பத்து, 48: 15)

The sojourn at a grove during summer

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Wadawa is a place in Alawwa division of Kurunegala district

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Some related place names:

Wada-wala: The cattle-pen forest or the forest stationed by cattle herders; Hanguranketha division, Nuwara Eliya district

Wada-kada: The cattle-pen forest or the forest stationed by cattle herders; Polgahawela division, Kurunegala district

Wada-wala-kanda: The hill of the cattle-pen forest or the hill of the forest stationed by cattle herders; Udadumbara division, Kandy district

First published: Thursday, 18 February 2016, 21:20