Naalanda

நாலந்த
Nālanda

Naa+landa

The high ground cum low jungle having Naa trees

Landa

(singular); Landu (plural): High ground with low jungle, a place name suffix (Sinhala); Lan, Lanna, Lai, Langkan (adjectives); Laa, Le, Li, Lu (nouns): Island name components (Dhivehi/ Maldivian). See column on Lanka.

Naa

Also Naa-gaha, Naaga, Naaga-dru, Naaga-keasara, Naaga-kignjalka: The Iron Wood Tree that bears a white fragrant flower, Mesua ferrea (Sinhala); Chi’ru-naakam, Iru’l-maram, Naaka-che’npakam, Naaka-champangki: The Iron Wood Tree, Mesua ferrea (Tamil, MTL); Naaga- sampage: The Iron Wood Tree, Mesua ferrea (Kannada); Naakam: A flowering tree (Changkam Tamil Diction, Natti’nai 82:6; Chi’rupaa’naattuppadai 88; Paripaadal 12:80); Several trees, including, Cinnamon tree and Callophyllum inophyllum (Tamil, Pinkalam 10:685, Thivaakaram 4:62, MTL); Pun-naakam, Punnai: Calophyllum inophyllum (Tamil, Pinkalam lexicon); Naaga: Several plants, among which Mesua roxburghii is one (Sanskrit, Pali/ Prakrit); Naaga-kesara: Mesua roxburghii and its flower (Sanskrit)

Naalanda Gedige, photographed in late 19th century [Image courtesy: Lankapura.com]

The Sinhala place name Naalanda in Sri Lanka should not be confused with the name of the ancient Buddhist University, Nalanda in Bihar, India.

There is no evidence that the ancient monument Naalanda Gedige in Sri Lanka in the Naa-ula division of Matale district was named after Nalanda in Bihar. The said monument (Gedige) was rediscovered in the 19th century in a forest, which was then known as Naa-landa, meaning the “high ground cum low jungle, having Naa trees.”

Naa and Landa are common place-name components in Sinhala, meaning the Ironwood tree and high ground with low jungle respectively. (See the list of related place names for the usage of the words in the Sinhala place names.

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Landa in Sinhala is a common place-name component in Sinhala, meaning a high ground with low jungle. The plural form of the word is Landu.

The etymology of the word seems to be closely connected to Lan, Lanna, Lai, Langkan etc. (as adjectives), and Laa, Le, Li, Lu etc., (as nouns), coming as island name components in Maldivian, meaning land. The word also may be connected to Langkaa, meaning an island and is considered to be of Austro-Asiatic etymology.

See column on Langkaa for further discussions.

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Naa/ Naakam, Mesua ferrea, photographed in Hikkaduwa [Image courtesy: Wikipedia]

Naa/ Naakam, Mesua ferrea: foliage and flowers. Note the shape and pink colour of the young shoots resembling the Cinnamon leaves [Image courtesy: mayflowersnursery.com]

Naa/ Naakam, Mesua ferrea, flowers in detail [Image courtesy: rajaratarala.blogspot.com]

Naa is another common word in Sinhala for the Naa-gaha or the Naaga tree (Mesua ferrea, the Ironwood Tree) that bears a white fragrant flower, preferred as an offering to Buddha in the island.

The tree, known for its hard wood, is native to Sri Lanka and is usually found in the dry zone and lower wet zone.

In Sinhala mythology, the Naa tree is associated with the mythical visits of Buddha to the island. It is also believed that the future Buddha will attain enlightenment under a Naa tree. Hence, it is grown as a sacred tree in the Buddhist temples.

Naa is declared as the national tree of the Sri Lankan state since 1986.

In Tamil and Sanskrit usages, Naakam and Naaga respectively stand for several species of trees.

In Sanskrit/ Pali, one of the trees mean by the word Naaga is Mesua roxburghii, a relative of the Sinhala Naa/ Naaga.

Naakam is a flowering tree mentioned in the Changkam Tamil literature. But it seems that several trees, including the Ironwood Tree (Sinhala Naa), the Cinnamon tree, the foliage of which resembles very much like the Naa, and the coastal Punnai tree, were called by the common term Naakam in Tamil.

In Tamil usage, the Sinhala Naa or Ironwood Tree (Mesua ferrea) is specifically differentiated with a prefix or suffix such as in the phrases, Chiru-naakam (the small Naaka tree), Iru’l-naakam (the dark Naakam), Naaka-Che’npakam (the Naaka variety of the Che’npaka tree) and Naaka-Champangki (means the same as the previous one).

A similar usage could be found in Kannada too, in which the Ironwood or Mesua ferrea is differentiated by the term Naaga-Sambige (same as Naaka-Che’npakam/ Naaka Champangki in Tamil)

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Examples of references to the Naaka tree and its fragrant flowers in Changkam Tamil literature:

“போகிய நாகப் போக்கு அருங் கவலை” (நற்றிணை 82:6)

“Poakiya naakap poakku arung kavalai”

The branching and difficult path lined with tall Naaka trees (Natti’nai 82:6)

“நறு வீ உறைக்கும் நாக நெடு வழி” (சிறுபாணாற்றுப்படை 88)

“Na’ru vee u’raikkum naaka nedu vazhi”

The long way where the Naaka trees drop their fragrant flowers (Chi’rupaa’naattuppadai 88)

“நல்-இணர் நாகம், நறவம், சுரபுன்னை” (பரிபாடல் 12:80)

“Nal-i’nar naakam, na’ravam, churapunnai”

The Naaka tree of good bunches of flowers, the Na’ravam and Churapunnai trees (Paripaadal 12:80)

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Naalanda is in Naaula division of Matale district in the Central Province. The place is known for an ancient monument of possible Vajrayana (Tantric) Buddhist affinities, built in the 8th century CE in Dravidian/ Pallava style of Architecture.

The Gedige at Naalanda, Matale district: a temple, probably of Vajrayana (Tantric) Buddhist affinities, dateable to 8th century CE, built in Pallava/ Dravidian style of architecture [Image courtesy: Wikimedia Commons]

The back view of the Gedige at Naalanda, Matale district [Image courtesy: Wikimedia Commons]

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Some related place names:

Landa:

Mee-gaha-landa: The high ground cum low jungle having Mee trees (Bassia longifolia); Medadumbara div, Kandy dt.

Del-gas-landa: The high ground cum low jungle having Del trees (Artocarpus nobilis); Kundasale div., Kandy dt. Del: The wild breadfruit tree peculiar to the island.

Nuga-gaha-landa: The high ground cum low jungle having Nuga trees (Ficus alticima); Muthugama div., Kalutara dt. Nuga: The milky fig tree. The banyan tree, Ficus bengalensis is Mahaa-nuga, but it is also often called as Nuga.

Katu-kurundu-gaha-landa: The high ground of low jungle having Katu-kurundu plant (Scolopia crenata) ; Beruwala div., Kalutara dt. Katu-kurundu: a prickly plat used for fences (Sinhala)

Iluk-landa: The high ground cum low jungle having I’luk reed (Imperata arundinacea or Saccharum cylindricum); Madulla div., Moneragala dt.

Kos-landa: The high ground cum low jungle having Kos trees (Jack, Artocarpus integrifolia); Hildummulla div., Badulla dt. Kos:

Madawala-landa: The high ground cum low jungle in the muddy area/ forest; Weligepola div., Ratnapura dt; Damana div., Ampaa’rai dt.

Bora-landa: The high ground cum low jungle in the muddy or silted area; Welimada div., Badulla dt. Bora: Mud, clay, mire, sediment, dregs, lees, dross, refuse (Sinhala)

El-landa: The high ground cum low jungle in the locality of the stream; Meegahakivula div., Badulla dt.; Uva Paranagama div., Badulla dt.

Wara-landa: The high ground cum low jungle having Waraa tress or hogs; Lahugala div., Ampaa’rai dt. Waraa: Hog, the three myrobalans, Terminalia chebula, Terminalia belerica and Phyllanthus emblica (Sinhala). There are also other shrubs having the name.

Kalubulu-landa: The high ground cum low jungle having Ka’lu-bu’lu trees; Welimada div., Badulla dt. Bu’lu: Terminalia belerica tree, one of the three myrobalans, with grey flowers, kernals reckoned intoxicating. There are also other trees that have the component Bu’lu in their names (Sinhala)

Wathu-landa: The high ground cum low jungle that has become a grove or garden; Walapane div., Nuwara Eliya dt.

Meda-landa: The high ground cum low jungle in the middle; Pallepola div., Matale dt.

Demata-landa: The high ground cum low jungle having Demata shrub (Gmelina asiatica); Attanagala div., Gampaha dt. Demata: A shrub of which there are three species in the island, the root and bark are used medicinally and the nut chewed with betel (Sinhala)

Bubula-landa: The high ground cum low jungle having a spring of water; Beruwala div., Kalutara dt. Bubula: Spring of water for purposes of irrigation; Bibila: Bubble; Bibula: Fountain, spring or places where water oozes (Sinhala). The Sinhala place name Bibile in Moneragala district of Uva Province comes from the same etymology.


Naa:

Naa-wala: The jungle of Naa trees; Maharagama div., Colombo dt.

Naa-vinna: The jungle of Naa trees; Kotte div., Colombo dt. From Vini: wood, forest (Sinhala)

Naa-wana: The forst of Naa trees; Divulapitiya div., Gampaha dt; Kotavehera, Kurunegala

Naa-goda: The bank, high ground or hill of Naa trees; Ja-Ela div., Gampaha dt; Attanagala div., Gampaha dt; Galle division, Galle district; Naagoda division, Galle district.

Naa-kanda-pola: The market place in the locality of the hill of Naa trees; Dompe div., Gampaha dt.

Naa-maluwa: The terrace having a Naa tree; Dompe div., Gampaha dt.

Naa-thuduwa: The promontory having Naa trees; Mahara div., Gampaha dt.

Naa-hena: The slash and burn cultivation field having Naa trees; Kelaniya div., Gampaha dt.

Naa-kandala-goda: Probably, the bank or the hill of Naa trees; Beruwala div., Kalutara dt; Naa-kandala: Eheliyagoda div., Ratnapura dt.

Naa-golla: The grove of Naa trees; Yatawatta div., Matale dt.; Matale div., Matale dt.; Wilgamuva div., Matale dt.

Naa-gala: The rocky hill of Naa trees; Kotavehera div., Kurunegala dt.

Naa-pe: The jungle of Naa trees; Siyambalanduwa div., Moneragala dt.; Warakapola div., Kegalle dt.

First published: Friday, 09 December 2011, 05:33
Know the Etymology: 210
Place Name of the Day: Friday, 09 December 2011