sri-lanka-13-full-pdf-ebook.pdf

Language

GLOSSARY

GLOSSARY

ambalama – wayside shelter
for pilgrims
Aurudu – Sinhalese and
Tamil New Year, celebrated
on 14 April
Avalokitesvara – the
bodhisattva of compassion
Ayurveda – traditional
system of medicine that
uses herbs and oils to heal
and rejuvenate

bailas – folk tunes based
on Portuguese, African and
local music styles
baobab – water-storing tree
(Adansonia digitata), prob-
ably introduced to Mannar
Island and the Vanni in
northern Sri Lanka by Arab
traders
bodhi tree – large spreading
tree (Ficus religiosa); the
tree under which the Bud-
dha sat when he attained
enlightenment, and the
many descendants grown
from cuttings of this tree
bodhisattva – divine being
who, although capable of
attaining nirvana, chooses to
reside on the human plane
to help ordinary people
attain salvation
Brahmi – early Indian script
used from the 5th century BC
bund – built-up bank or dyke
surrounding a tank
Burgher – Sri Lankan
Eurasian, generally
descended from Por-
tuguese-Sinhalese or
Dutch-Sinhalese intermar-
riage

cadjan – coconut fronds
woven into mats and used
as building material
Ceylon – British-colonial
name for Sri Lanka
chetiya – Buddhist shrine
Chola – powerful ancient
South Indian kingdom that
invaded Sri Lanka on several
occasions

CTB – Central Transport

Board, the state bus network

dagoba – Buddhist monu-

ment composed of a solid

hemisphere containing relics

of the Buddha or a Buddhist

saint; a stupa

devale – complex designed

for worshipping a Hindu or

Sri Lankan deity

dharma – the word used by

both Hindus and Buddhists

to refer to their respective

moral codes of behaviour

eelam – Tamil word for

precious land

gala – rock

ganga – river

gedige – hollow temple with

thick walls and a corbelled

roof

gopuram – gateway tower

guardstones – carved stones

that flank doorways or

entrances to temples

Hanuman – the monkey king

from the Ramayana

Jataka tales – stories of the

previous lives of the Buddha

juggernaut – decorated tem-

ple cart dragged through the

streets during Hindu festivals

(sometimes called a ‘car’)

kachcheri – administrative

office

kadé – Sinhalese name for

a streetside hut (also called

boutiques); called unavakam

by Tamils

Karava – fisherfolk of Indian

descent

karma – Hindu-Buddhist

principle of retributive

justice for past deeds

Kataragama – see Murugan

kiri bath – dessert of rice

cooked in coconut milk

kolam – meaning costume

or guise, it refers to masked

dance-drama; also the

rice-flour designs that adorn

buildings in Tamil areas

kovil – Hindu temple ded-

icated to the worship of

Shiva

kulam – Tamil word for tank

lakh – 100,000; unit of

measurement in Sri Lanka

and India

lingam – phallic symbol;

symbol of Shiva

LT TE – Liberation Tigers of

Tamil Eelam, also known as

the Tamil Tigers; separatist

group fighting for an inde-

pendent Tamil Eelam in the

North and the East

Maha – northeast monsoon

season

Mahaweli Ganga – Sri Lan-

ka’s longest river, starting

near Adam’s Peak and

reaching the sea near Trin-

comalee

Mahayana – later form of

Buddhism prevalent in

Korea, Japan and China;

literally means ‘greater

vehicle’

Mahinda – son of the Indian

Buddhist emperor Ashoka,

credited with introducing

Buddhism to Sri Lanka

mahout – elephant master

Maitreya – future Buddha

makara – mythical beast

combining a lion, a pig and

an elephant, often carved

into temple staircases

makara torana – ornamental

archway

mandapaya – a raised plat-

form with decorative pillars

masala – mix (often spices)

moonstone – semiprecious

stone; also a carved ‘door-

step’ at temple entrances

mudra – symbolic hand posi-

tion of a Buddha image

Murugan – Hindu god of war;

also known as Skanda and

Kataragama