Know the Etymology: 496
Place Name of the Day: Wednesday, 31 August 2016

Vẹhẹra, Piriveṇa, Pansal-handiya

வெ[æ]ஹெ[æ]ர, பிரிவெண, பன்ஸல்-ஹந்தி₃ய
Vẹhẹra, Piriveṇa, Pansal-handiya

Vẹhẹra
Piri+veṇa
Pansala+handiya

The Buddhist monastery/ temple

The Buddhist monastic chamber/ educational institution

The junction having a small Buddhist temple/ monk's residence

Vẹhẹra	also Vehera, Veher, Vēr, Vahara, Vahera, Vaheraka, Vihara: = Vihāraya: 1. enclosed grove-monastery where Buddhist monks reside; "Bhikṣūn vasana prakārādiyen vaṭa kaḷa ārāmaya; 2. image house where an image of Buddha is kept for worship; Piḷimageya; 3. dwelling, residing; Visīma" (Sinhala, Sorata); Vihāra: arrangement, roaming, pleasure ground, monastery (Sanskrit, CDIAL 12033); walking about, sojourning, monastery (Pali, Prakrit, CDIAL 12033)
Piriveṇa	building, house, priest's residence, hermit's cell, cell or hut forming a monk's private chamber in a Buddhist monastery, a college attached to a Buddhist monastery (Sinhala, Clough); Piri-ven: 1. a residence of Buddhist monks located inside Mahavihāra; "Mahāvihārayak tuḷa tibena saṅghāvāsaviśeṣayak"; 2. an educational institution where Buddhist monks reside; "Bhikṣūn visit pavatvana vidyāsthānaya" (Sinhala, Sorata); Piri-veṇa, Piri-maḷu, Piru-van: = Pariveṇa (Sinhala, Sorata); Parivēṇa: a monk's or nun's cell (Sanskrit, Pali, Sinhala, CDIAL 7883, cognates not noted in other IA languages); Pari: around, on every side, encircling (Sinhala, Clough); = Piri: around, surrounding, on every side, encircling (Sinhala, Clough); Paritas: round about (Sanskrit, Atharva Vedic, CDIAL 7830); everywhere, all around (Sanskrit, CDIAL 7830); Paritō: around (Pali, CDIAL 7830); Veṇa, Ven, Van: related to Vẹni: like, similar, resembling (Sinhala, Clough); Vẹnna: sort, form (Sinhala, Clough); from Varṇa: appearance, colour, class (Sanskrit, Rig Vedic, CDIAL 11338); Vaṇṇin: having the appearance of (Pali, CDIAL 11344)
Pansala	residence of a Buddhist priest (Sinhala, Clough); a small hut made of leaves, residence of a Buddhist monk, "Koḷa sevū kuḍā geya, Bhikṣūn vasana gṛhaya" (Sinhala, Sorata); from Parṇa-śāla: arbour (Sanskrit, CDIAL 7926); Paṇṇa-sāla: ascetic's hut (Pali, CDIAL 7926)
Handiya	(singular), Handi (plural): a joint (Sinhala, Clough); junction in the context of place names; = Sandiya, Sańdhiya: joint (Sinhala, Clough, Sorata); Canti: joint, junction in the context of place names (Tamil); Samdhi: joint (Sanskrit, Rig Vedic, CDIAL 12913); Sandhi: joint (Pali, CDIAL 12913)

Vẹhẹra, Vehera, Veher, Vēr and Vihara in Sinhala are variations of Vihāra, meaning an enclosed Buddhist monastery or an image house where the image of Buddha is worshipped. The meanings have come from the term originally standing for an arrangement, pleasure ground, walking about, sojourning etc., in Sanskrit and Pali (CDIAL 12033)

Piriveṇa, Pariveṇa, Piriven, Pirimaḷu and Piruvan in Sinhala basically mean a Buddhist ascetic chamber, but in common usage they mostly mean a Buddhist monastic educational institution. They correspond to Parivēṇa in Sanskrit and Pali meaning a cell where a monk or nun resides. The phrase is made of two components, Pari meaning anything surrounding (CDIAL 7830) and Vēṇa related to Varṇa meaning appearance or resemblance (CDIAL 11344).

Pansala in Sinhala, basically meaning a small hut made of leaves serving as the residence of a Buddhist monk, also stands for a small Buddhist temple. The Sinhala term and its Pali form Paṇṇa-sāla are cognates of Parṇa-śāla meaning an arbour in Sanskrit (CDIAL 7926). Parṇa means foliage (Rig Vedic, CDIAL 7918) and S´āla means a shed (Atharva Vedic, CDIAL 12414) in Sanskrit.

Handiya in Sinhala and Canti in Tamil, commonly used to mean a junction of roads in the context of toponymy, correspond to Samdhi meaning a joint in Rig Vedic Sanskrit (CDIAL 12913, S/ H/ C change).

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Vẹhẹra comes as the name of a place in Kurunegala division of Kurunegala district.

Piriveṇa is found as the name of a place in Ratmalana division of Colombo district.

Pansal-handiya is a place in Dankotuwa division of Puttalam district.

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Some related place names:

Vẹhẹra:

Yaṭi-vẹhẹra: The Buddhist monastery/ temple at the lower location (compared to another one at the higher location); Galewela, Matale

Nika-vẹhẹra: The Buddhist monastery/ temple identified by the presence of Nika shrubs or trees of the Vitex species; Polpithigama, Kurunegala

Tal-vẹhẹra: The Buddhist monastery/ temple identified by the presence of palmyra/ talipot palms; Polpithigama, Kurunegala

Siyambalā-vẹhẹra: The Buddhist monastery/ temple identified by the presence of a tamarind tree or trees; Ibbagamuwa, Kurunegala

Kitul-vẹhẹra: The Buddhist monastery/ temple identified by the presence of Kitul palms; Wariyapola, Kurunegala

Varakā-vẹhẹra: The Buddhist monastery/ temple identified by the presence of a jack tree or jack trees; Rideegama, Kurunegala

Ipul-vẹhẹra: The Buddhist monastery/ temple found with blue lotus; Palagala, Anuradhapura. Ipula: = Upula: blue lotus (Sinhala, Clough)

Vẹli-vẹhẹra: The Buddhist monastery/ temple in the sandy locality; Panduwasnuwara East, Kurunegala

Lihini-vẹhẹra: The Buddhist monastery/ temple identified by the presence of Lihiṇi birds; Rideegama, Kurunegala; Lihiṇiyā: certain kinds of birds (Sinhala, Clough)

Vẹhẹra-gala-tẹnna: The high-ground plain of Vẹhẹra-gala (the monastery hill); Bandarawela, Badulla

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Vera:

Koṭa-vera: Uva Paranagama, Badulla

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Vēra:

Vēra-golla: Seethawaka, Colombo

Vēra-gala: Padukka, Colombo; Beruwala, Kalutara; Giribawa, Kurunegala; Ganewatta, Kurunegala; Warakapola, Kegalle

Vēra-hẹra: Kesbewa, Colombo; Dompe, Gampaha; Pannala, Kurunegala; Godakawela, Ratnapura

Vēra-goḍa-mulla: Divulapitiya, Gampaha

Vēra-goḍa: Mirigama, Gampaha; Hikkaduwa, Galle; Lunugala, Badulla; Siyambalanduwa, Moneragala; Mawanella, Kegalle; Galigamuwa, Kurunegala; Warakapola, Kegalle

Vēra-vatta: Panadura, Kalutara; Madurawala, Kalutara

Vēra-gama: Minipe. Kandy; Rattota, Matale; Elapatha, Ratnapura

Vēra-gaň-toṭa: Minipe, Kandy

Vēra-piṭṭiya: Madadumbara, Kandy

Vēra-tẹnna: Medadumbara, Kandy

Vēra-wala: Udadumbara, Kandy

Vēra-gala-watta: Galewala, Matale; Narammala, Kurunegala

Vēra-gam-piṭa: Matara Four Gravets, Matara

Vēra-dūva: Matara Four Gravets, Matata

Vēra-pola: Wariyapola, Kurunegala

Vēra-vẹlla: Mallawapitiya, Kurunegala

Vēra-kē: Mawanella, Kegalle. Kē: = "Keta", paddy field (Sorata)

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Vehera:

Koṭa-vehera: Koṭavehera, Kurunegala; Ampara, Ampara; Thanamalvila, Moneragala

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Vahara, Vaheraka:

Vaharaka: Ruwanwella, Kegalle

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Vihāra:

Vihāra: Ratmalana, Colombo

Vihāra-kuṁbura: Dombe, Gampaha

Vihāra-kanda: Beruwala, Kalutara

Vihāra-gama: Palindanuwara, Kalutara; Udunuwara, Kandy; Wilgamuwa, Matale; Rattota, Matale; Nikaweratiya, Kurunegala; Anaimadu, Puttalam; Medirigiriya, Polonnaruwa

Vihāra-pāra: Matale, Matale

Vihāra-goda: Balapitiya, Galle

Vihāra-hēna: Kotapola, Matara

Vihāra-gala: Sooriyawewa, Hambantota; Haldummulla, Badulla

Vihāra-kallanchiya; Nuwaragam Palatha, Anuradhapura

Gal-vihāra-wẹwa: Thambuttegama, Anuradhapura

Vihāra-kẹlē: Haputale, Badulla

Vihāra-mulla: Moneragala, Moneragala

Vihāra-wela: Imbulpe, Ratnapura

Vihāra-kańda: Dehiovita, Kegalle

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Vihārē:

Aḷu-vihārē: Matale, Matale

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Pansala:

Pansal-goḍa: The bank/ hill/ village having a small Buddhist temple; Lahugala, Ampara

Pansil-goḍa: The bank/ hill/ village having a small Buddhist temple; Minuwangoda, Gampaha. Pansil: toponymic variation of Pansal

Pansal-goḍẹlla: The mound or hill having a small Buddhist temple; Kantalai, Trincomalee; Lankapura, Polonnaruwa

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Handiya:

Paraṇa-handiya: The old junction; Divulapitiya, Gampaha

Dēva-handiya: Udadumbara, Kandy

Dēvāla-handiya: Pallama, Puttalam

Ūragasmaň-handiya: Karandeniya, Galle

Mẹdavacciya-handiya: Horowpothana, Anuradhapura

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Canti:

Canti-veḷi: The open space of the junction; Koralaippattu, Batticaloa

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First published: Wednesday, 31 August 2016, 17:58