Villages named after deer and antelope across Tamil Nadu, researcher V.SIVARANJANI informs

 

Palkarai V.Sivaranjani, a researcher at the Ramanathapuram Archaeological Research Foundation, has found that villages named after the name of deer and antelope told in Tamil literature are widespread across Tamil Nadu. Regarding this, V. Sivaranjani said,

There are more than 100 villages under the common name of deer, such as Manur, Manupatti, Mankanur, Mankarattupalayam, Mankulam, Mancheri, Mankadu, and Mankundu. There are also villages named after the names of deer and antelope species.

Based on the antlers of deer mentioned in Tamil literature, they are divided into two species: Iralai (Antelope) and Kalai (Deer). Antelope Possess horns, which are a permanent, unbranched structure. Deer have antlers, which are shed annually and regrow. In the Antelope species, Iralai (blackbuck), Navvi (Chinkara), Maraiyan (Nilgai), in the Deer species, Uzhai (Chital) and Kadaman (sambar) are mentioned in Tamil literature. There are villages all over Tamil Nadu with their names.

Antelope

Tevaram calls the male blackbuck with horns and dark body ‘Karuman’. There are many villages with this name like Karmangudi, Karumangadu, Karumangkulam, Karumapalayam, Karumanjirai, Karumapuram, Karumanthurai, Karumanur. Because of its twisted horns, it was called Murukkuman, and because it lives in grasslands, it was called Pulvai. There are villages with names like Murukkodai, Murukkampattu, Murukkambadi, Murukkankuttai, Murukkanparai, Pulvaikkulam, Pulvaikkarai, Pulvaipatti. It is called Maraiyan (Nilgai) because it resembles a cow, and there are villages named after it like Maraikulam, Maraiyur, and Marainadu.

Deer

Chital, a Deer species, the spotted deer with antlers is also called Uzai, Kalaiman. There are places with this name like Kalaikurichivayal, Kalaikudipatti, Kalaiyanvilakam, Kalaiyanur, Kalaiyur, Kalaikulam, Uzhayur, Uzhakudi, Pulliman Kombai, Pulimankulam.

The deer with antlers without spots is called kadaman (sambar). There are many places with this name like Kadamankulam, Kadamakuttai, Kadamanur. The fact that villages across Tamil Nadu are named after deer and antelope species mentioned in Sangam literature, which is over 2000 years old, is evidence of the continuity of culture.

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