Ambala-mogaru near Konaje is a village on the southern bank of River Netravathi. There are other villages in the region like Ammembala. Both these place names contain 'Ambala'(= temple) a word of Malayalam origin. The word appears to be popular in transitional areas between Tulunad and Kerala since the word Ambala is not quite common in northern Tulu region.
Ambala
The word Ambala possibly referred to shrines dedicated to the Mother Godess, under the matriarchial system of society. The 'Amba' in Ambala refers to the Mother Goddess. The Amba appears to be an ancient Prakrit word borrowed into Malayalam and Tulu. The '-la' suffix in the word employed to denote the 'shrine' is interesting. Was this '-la' suffix an attenuated version of 'ila' the habitation,.'illa' the house or 'ala' the river? The word Ambāla also exists in northen India as a place-name.
Ammembala
The other place name Ammembala is also interesting. Whether the 'amme' in Ammembala connotes 'father' as in Tulu or 'amma', the mother, needs to be studied.
Ambalapadi
Ambalapadi near Udupi again reflects another temple village, where the term Ambala specifically refers to the Mother Goddess, Kali.
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A Coastal estuary
Holegadde near Honavar,Uttara Kannada dist, Karnataka
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AmbalpaDi nera Udupi is a famous godess shrine
ReplyDeleteThank You, Narayan for prompting me. Amablapadi has been added.
ReplyDeleteAmba is a word used to denote Mother Godess
ReplyDeleteAmba=mother Goddess is right.But the spatial prefix word 'Am-' appears to be older than the cult of mother Goddess ('Shakti', 'Durga') proper in this terrain. It may also refer to cattle. Check the place names: Ammunje, Ammembala,Amtadi etc.
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