Word origins

• pettahA town, sometimes fortified, outside a fort.
• Pidaria Hindu deity, consort of Shiva.
• PillaiyarSynonym of Ganesha.
• Pillayar Suzhia sacred symbol, used by Hindus in South India and Sri Lanka to draw it at beginning of diaries, notebooks, etc. before writing anything new.
• pollamA district in India held in feudal tenure by a poligar.
• PoonamalleeA neighbourhood and taluk in the west of Chennai, India.
• poppadomA thin, crisp Indian food made from lentil flour, optionally spiced or flavoured in various ways and either grilled or deep-fried, which may be eaten on its own as a snack, with chutneys as a starter, or as an accompaniment to a meal.
• PuducherryA union territory in southern India, consisting of four geographically separated exclaves of former French India, namely its capital, Karaikal, Yanam, and Mahe.
• punnaiAny of several trees, of the genus Calophyllum, from parts of India and Malaysia
• quirpeleThe Indian mongoose
• rasamA spicy South Indian soup made with tamarind juice.
• rasavalliA tropical plant of the species Dioscorea alata, cultivated for its edible root.
• Shevaroy HillsA mountain range, the site of a major hill station, near the city of Salem in Tamil Nadu state, southern India.
• SivagangaA district of Tamil Nadu, India.
• soolama trident, a trishula; a sacred weapon used by Hindu deities.
• Southern ProvinceA province in Sierra Leone. Capital: Bo.
• Sudalai Madana Dravidian folk religion deity, considered to be a son of Shiva and Parvati.
• sulama trident, a trishula; a sacred weapon used by Hindu deities.
• Tamilakamthe region of South India comprising the modern Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, parts of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, where Tamil was the natural language
• TamilanSynonym of Tamilian.
• Tamil EelamThe Tamil-majority provinces of Sri Lanka, comprising of the north and eastern areas.
• tarryarA watchman.
• thaaliIn parts of South Asia, a necklace that is knotted around a bride's neck by the groom as an auspicious symbol.
• thalaikoothalThe traditional practice of senicide or euthanasia, carried out by family members, observed in some parts of southern districts of Tamil Nadu state of India.
• ThamirabaraniA river in Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu, India.
• ThiruvallikeniA neighborhood of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
• Thoothukudia port city and district in Tamil Nadu, India.
• thosaiDosa; a crepe made from fermented lentils and rice originating from South Indian cuisine
• TindivanamA town in Tamil Nadu, India.
• totyA low-caste laborer hired as a messenger etc.
• UdhagamandalamA city and a municipality in the Nilgiris district of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
• upmaAn Indian porridge of dry roasted semolina or coarse rice flour, often with vegetables and seasonings.
• uthappamA pancake made from rice and lentil flour with tomatoes, spices etc.
• Uva ProvinceA province of Sri Lanka. Capital and largest city: Badulla.
• vadaiA type of fritter made from lentils or gram flour.
• valariA traditional weapon resembling a boomerang, primarily used by the Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent.
• varattiCakes of dried cow dung used for fuel.
• vatakkiruttalThe Tamil ritual of fasting till death.
• VatteluttuAn abugida writing system originating from the ancient Tamil people of South India.
• VellalarA member of a non-homogenous group of castes in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala and northeastern parts of Sri Lanka, traditionally associated with the landed gentry and agriculture.
• veshtiA dhoti.
• VibhavaThe second year of the 60-year cycle of the Tamil calendar.
• Viluppurama city and district in Tamil Nadu, India.
• VirodhiThe twenty-third year of the 60-year cycle of the Tamil calendar.
• VirudhachalamA town in Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu, India.
• yazhA fretless harp of ancient Tamil origin, with a variable number of gut strings, characterized by a boat-shaped resonator.
• yercumThe plant Calotropis gigantea.
• yerilake