How to name a village?

All of us are familiar with naming children. Some creative blokes have the chance to name their plays, films, paintings, stories and books. But, have we ever named our city, town, country or village?

Adivasis have this excellent habit / opportunity to name their villages. As they live in small settlements and some families keep moving their houses based on land available, they form villages. And, when set up houses in the new settlement, they give a wonderful name for the village. It is always based on some landmark around. No, no, not that 'tall blue building' or 'congested road juction' etc., but something nice and natural like 'big jack fruit tree' or 'the valley with a view' or 'flat land full of banana trees' or something like that.

ADAM naming Animals

Even in our villages, many of the old people are called கருப்பாயி or வெள்ளையன் or மூக்கன் etc. (meaning, girl with dark skin, boy with a fair skin, one with a big nose). But, these days we have very modern names without any meaning whatsoever. The only criterion is that it should be hard to pronounce!

Anyway, here is a list of some names that we find in our place and the rough translations of these names:
முறம்பிலாவு - Murampilavu - A winnow-shaped land with a jack tree

கோழிக்கொல்லி - Kozhikolli - Valley where a tree called Kozhi is available

சக்கரக்குளம் - Chakkarakulam - Near a pond with sweet water

வாழவயல் - Vazhavayal - Wet land with banana trees

மாங்ஙம்வயல் - Mangamvayal - Wet land with Mango trees

காட்டிமட்டம் - Kaattimattam - a Flat land where bisons roam

புத்தூர் வயல் - Puthurvayal - A new village in flat land

அம்பலபாடி - Ambalapadi - Village near the temple

நரிவளப்பு - Narivalappu - Land where leopards can be circled

புலியாளம் - Puliyalam - Village where tigers stay

கல்கடவு - Kalkadavu - Stream with lot of stones

புளியம்வயல் - Puliyamvayal - Flat land with Tamarind trees

புளியம்பாறா - Puliyampara - Big stone near Tamarind tree

கருத்தங்குணி - Karuthankuni - Flat land with black soil

செம்பகத்தரா - Chembakathara - Valley with chembaka trees

மணல்வயல் - Manalvayal - Flat land with sandy soil

மணல்கொல்லி - Manalkolli - Valley with sandy soil

Factory மட்டம் - A flat land near the 'Tea Factory' (A modern settlement)

நெல்லிப்பிறா - Nellipira - Village near Amla trees

எருமைக் குளம் - Yerumaikulam - Near a pond where buffaloes swim

Aren't they lovely?