Book Title: Indian Antiquary Vol 60
Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications
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OCTOBER, 1931 ]
PLACE NAMES
197
bullock ; Mauhar* from mau (deer) are of this description. The prototypes of these in Aryan dialects are profusely found, for instance, Richhai from richha, a bear; Bagholi and Baghpur from bagh, a tiger; Bhainswahi and Bhainsdehi from bhains, a buffalo; Hathigadh, Hathikhoj and Hathnavar from háthi, an elephant; Unția from int, a camel ; Ghodamar from ghoda, a horse ; Gadhabh&ta from gadha, an ass; Hiranpuri from hiran, a deer; Gaikhuri from gai, a cow; Billiband and Manjarkhed from billi or mdnjar, a cat; and so on.
Both tree and animal names are usually joined with some terms indicating water, which on the face of it affords a better way for distinction than their solitary names, thus we have
Aunrabandhå =aunrd (a tree) +bandh (embankment). Semartal semar (a tree) +di (tank). Bilsara Ebel (a tree) +ear (tank). Amanald =dma (a tree) +náld (brook). Champájhar =champá (a tree) +jhar (spring, source). Kusumsard = kusum (a tree) +sar (tank). Jampani =jdmun (a tree) +pání (water). Jamtard =jdmun (a tree) Hard (tank). Piparod =pipar (a tree) +ud (water). Bandarchuk =-bandar (monkey)+chud (well, spring). Baghdabri =bågh (tiger) +dabri (pool). Hathbandh hathi (elephant) +bandh (embankment).
Hathisara =hathi (elephant) +sara (tank). It may be added that water, or a store of water, is itself a feature which has given names to many villages, instead of the double characteristic shown in the foregoing paragraph ; for instance, Kak (a well), Jhiria (springlet), Pañohdhára (five streams), Chikaldabra (muddy marsh), Saugor (sea), Mahasamundra (ocean), Janapani (old water).
Reptiles, insects and birds have also contributed their names to a number of villages. Nagpur, the capital of the Central Provinces, means a city of cobras. Dhamangaon, a town in Berår, is named after another variety of snakes, Magarmuh&, a village in the Jubbulpore District, means crocodile-faced,' situated as it is close to the Narmada river. Gidhaurà (' vulture ridden'), Kukrikhapa (hamlet of fowls'), Kauakhapa ('crow hamlet'). Chelhiâ (kite '), Undari ('full of mice'), Kekradih (orab wasteland') and Jhinguri ('full of crickets) are other examples of this class.
There are a number of village-names which are onomatopæic. They represent the peculiar sound heard in the variety of the habitations, either by the fall, or flow of water or by chirping of birds, etc. These are Damdama, Daldali, Murmur, Mulmul, Burbur, Buj. buja, Lutluta, Rigriga, Bidbida, Dhabdhabe, Tulbul, Turturiya, Cheūmeũ, etc.
(To be continued.)
4 If it is derived from an Aryan source, it would mean the forest of mahud trees. There are instances where the name yield meanings both in aboriginal as also in Sanskritic languages, but their signification bas to be judged from environmente, e.g., MailApur, & quarter of the Madras City, means in Aryan dialecte a dirty town, but in Dravidian, it means peacock town. The first interpretation in this case cannot hold good in view of the foot that Mailapur is perhaps the cleaneat quarter of the city, and has nover been known to have been a dirty quarter:
