The primitive words, employed by various tribes, were carried to
different regions during the course of human migrations in the face of growing
civilization in the world. The evidences in support of this statement have been
preserved even today like fossils in the form of similar sounding primitive place
names found all over the world.
Ira, Irde, Iruvail and Iruavttur are some of the place names
based on the prefix Ira in Karavali Tulunadu. Most of us have no idea regarding
the origin or meaning of these place names even though a few may venture that ‘Iruvattur’ means twenty villages by analogy with ‘Irva’ for the
number twenty in Tulu language. (In that case, if it was allusion to the
cluster of twenty villages, the place name should have been Iruva-oor instead
of Irvattur.)
Tribes named after Ira like Irula probably were distributed all over India once upon a time. Presently, the Irula tribes (they speak Irula language) are found distributed in parts of Tamilnadu and Kerala. They are well versed in the art of catching poisonous snakes and collecting venoms from the snakes. Some people think that the name Irula is derived from the Dravidian word Irul for darkness. We shall also discuss other possibilities of the origin of the word in this post.
Tribes named after Ira like Irula probably were distributed all over India once upon a time. Presently, the Irula tribes (they speak Irula language) are found distributed in parts of Tamilnadu and Kerala. They are well versed in the art of catching poisonous snakes and collecting venoms from the snakes. Some people think that the name Irula is derived from the Dravidian word Irul for darkness. We shall also discuss other possibilities of the origin of the word in this post.
Wild mushrooms in Iravattur Village near Karkala. |
The interesting and mysterious fact is that the Ira place names are not exclusive to
Tulunadu but are found all over India and other parts of the world.
Ira and Iruva
Ira was the sky Goddess among Polynesian tribes. Similarly Iruva
was the Sun God among the African tribes. Analogy between Ira (Sky Goddess) and
Iruva (Sun God) are evident, even though now it is difficult to say who
borrowed the concept from whom. However based on the cults, we can conclude
that the primitive word Ira represented God/Goddess of the sky or the Sun God in
primitive ancient cultures.
Also we can see that names of Iran and Iraq are based
on this string Ira. Similarly, the name of the River Irrawaddy (also known formerly
as Irāvati or simply Rāvi) in Myanmar (Burma) is also based
on this string Ira. Myanmar has recently changed the name.
The term Ira also exists as a personal name among Munda tribal people of Orissa, Bihar and Chattisgarh region.
The term Ira also exists as a personal name among Munda tribal people of Orissa, Bihar and Chattisgarh region.
Ira place names in
India
There are numerous places in different parts of India named
after the ancient Sun God Ira.
Andhra Pradesh: Iruvada, Iravada , Iravennu, Irapadu, Iragai,
Iradapalli,Iragavaram, Irgampalli, Irasalagundam, Irangal, Iranbanda, Iridi,
Irvendi, etc.
Bihar:
Irki, Iruri etc.
Chattisgarh: Irai,
Iraf, Iraikhurd, Iraikalen, Iragaon, Iraguda,Iradali, Irakadand, Irakbutta, Irakbatti,
Irpanar, Irpa etc.
Gujarath:
Irana etc
Jammu & Kashmir:
Irazi Samba, Irkamoo etc.
Jharkhand: Irawal, Irki, Irkia etc.
Karnataka: Ira, Iruvattur, Iruvail, Irde, Iranatti, Iragodu,
Iraksandra,Iragasandra, Iranghatta,
Irangalu, Iravalli, Irankarhalli, Iralevalamudi, Iragapalli, Irakarahalli,
Iragamuttanahlli, Iragabanhalli, Iragareddihalli, Iragapalli, Iruvakki etc
Kerala: Iravan, Irapuram, Irikkur, Iriveri, Iroopara, etc
Maharastra: Irri, Irala, Irla, Irle, Irapur, Irali, Iropara, Irpundi,
Irpanpalli, Irpanar, Irapur, Iralad, Irlad, Irachivadi, Irur, Irgaon, Irle,
Irlevadi, ruha, Irthal etc.
Orissa: Irapikote, Iralgonda,Irda, IRibina, Iripiguda, Irpiguda,
Irpisaru, Irpikota, Iriputa, Iralgonda, etc.
Punjab: Irak etc
Rajasthan: Irniya, Iraniyan, Iras, Irniya, Irli, etc.
Tamilnadu: Iravancheri, Iravadanallur, Iruvappapuram Iranda(n)kattalai,
Iraiyanur, Irangur, Iravimangalam, Irandayiravilagam, Iravancheri, Irungur,
Iravinivayal,Irur, Irupp, Iravadnallur, Irichi, Iriniyam, Iraipuvari Irulancheri,
Irumbedu, Irumbuli, Iranyasidhi,
Irukkur, Irungalur, Iruveli, Irunjirai,
Irulapatti, etc
Tripura: Irani, etc
Uttar Pradesh:
radatpur, Iradat nagar, Iradatganj, Iran Gokulpur, etc.
Uttarkhand: Irak, Irani, Irawal gaon, Irailli, Irakst, Irha etc.
West Bengal: Irda, Irkha, etc.
Cult of Sun God
The ancient cult of Sun worship can be traced to primitive days
of civilization all over the world. It is interesting that some of these
primitive words have been distributed in different parts of the world thanks to
the migration of ancient tribes in search of better pastures. Even though
presently the ancient word Ira has lost significance in our culture as a
consequence of evolution of languages, it seems the string Ira evolved into Ravi in later years of the history. One of the rivers of Punjab is
known as Rāvi. Similarly, the Myanmar (Burma) River Irrawaddy /Irāvati is also
sometimes known as Rāvi.
 327. Ira, Irde, Iruvattur villages.
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