Know the Etymology: 477
Place Name of the Day: Wednesday, 20 July 2016

Bōlāna, Balana

போ₃லான, ப₃லன
Bōlāna, Balana

Bōl+āna
Balana

The ownership-marked paddy field

The watching place or the protecting place

Bōl	a sign that marks the ownership of a paddy field, this sign is usually a white piece of cloth; “Himiyan ẹtibava ẹṅvīmaṭa kuṁburuvala tẹbū lakuṇāk” (Sinhala, Sorata); Bōlatu: “Himiyan ẹtibava ẹṅgavīmaṭa elvā tabana atta” (Sinhala, Sorata); probably related to Bal. See box on Balana
Balana	looking, watching, overlooking, superintending, protecting; “Avalōkanaya karaṇa, pālanaya karaṇa, sōyana, rakina” (Sinhala, Sorata); Bhāla: observation (Sanskrit, CDIAL 9473); Bhālayatē: beholds (Sanskrit, CDIAL 9474); Pār: (verb) to see, look at, look for, know, inspect (Tamil, DED 4091)

Bōl in Sinhala means a sign marking the ownership of a paddy field. The sign is usually a white cloth tied on sticks. The sign means that the field is watched and protected.

The etymology of Bōlāna could be related to another Sinhala term Balana, meaning beholding, overlooking, superintending and protecting.

Balana also is a toponymic term, meaning a watching place.

The etymology of Balana corresponds to Bhāla in Sanskrit meaning observation (CDIAL 9473). Comparable terms in Tamil/ Dravidian are Pār (verb) and Pārvai (noun).

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Bōlāna is noticed as a place name in Ambalantota division of Hambantota district; Mirigama division of Gampaha district and Wennapuwa division of Puttalam district.

Balana is in Yatinuwara division of Kandy district.

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Some related place names:

Bōla:

Kuḍā-bōlāna: The smaller part of Bōlāna village; Ambalantota, Hambantota

Mā-bōla: The big ownership-marked paddy field; Wattala, Gampaha

Bōla-valāna: The ownership-marked paddy field; or the ownership- marked grove; Negombo, Gampaha; Valān: grove, forest (Sinhala, Clough); Valan: plural of Valańda: sign, mark, spot, token (Sinhala, Clough)

Bōla-gala: The rocky hill having an ownership mark; Divulapitiya, Gampaha

Bōla-vatta: The ownership-marked garden or grove; Wennapuwa, Puttalam

Bola-ganda-vela: Walapane, Nuwara Eliya

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Balana:

Balana-gala: The watch hill; Pathadumbara, Kandy

Balaṅ-toṭa: The guarded ferry point; Pasbage Korale, Kandy

Balaṅ-goḍa: The watch hill; Balangoda, Ratnapura

Gala-balana-kanda: The hill having a watch place at the peak; Dehiovita, Kegalle; Galag: Kandu muduna (Sorata)

First published: Wednesday, 20 July 2016, 22:59