OF BHARATAVARSA OR INDIA. 
139 
The derivation of the word Kodagii is a disputed point 
among scholars. Dr. Griindert feels inclined to connect it 
with kotu, steep, the Rev. F. Kittel connects it with the root 
had, and Bishop Caldwell gives as its meaning either curved 
or west. I believe that Kodagu or Kudaku is in reality a 
name, and that the signification West is derived from it. 
To the Tamil people Kudagii is a western, but to the 
Malayalis it is an eastern district. We find thus that the 
king of Cera is called in Tamil the king of the West or 
Kudakon (Kudako and Kudanatan) , while the king of Kofinu 
or Cera is in Malayalam the king of the East_, and Cerakarru 
is a name of the East-wind. Kohhu signifies according to 
Dr. Gundert mountain-declivity , and, though a general name 
of the Cera (or Kerala) country, it is particularly applied 
to the Coimbatore district. Moreover, kudakku for west is a 
special Tamil expression and not found in the other kindred 
tongues. Even Tamil generally uses in its stead the more 
common term merku. I feel therefore inclined to explain 
the Tamil meaning of kudakku, as tvest from the situation 
of the Kurg country which occupies a prominent position. 
Just in the same way the south-wind is called in Tamil 
Colakam after the southern Cola country whence it blows.^' 
" Kurg is Kodagu in Kanarese, Tiilu and Telugu, Kudaku and Kudakam 
in Tamil, and Kutaku or Kotaku in Malaj^alam. Kutavan and Kutaman 
signify in Malay&Iam a predial slave, while Kutiyan means a slave in Kui'g. 
The latter term may have been perhaps derived from the word kuti, house. 
With respect to the interchange of g and v compare in Telugu pogu and povu, 
ean-ing ; pagadamu and pamdamu, coral ; aguta and avnta, to be. Consult 
C. P. Brown's Telugu Grammar, and see Parti, p. 56. 
Respecting the name Kodagu the Rev. P. Kittel makes the following re- 
marks in a note to his article " Three Kongu Inscriptions " in the Indian 
Antiquary, vol. VI, pp. 99-103 : " As evinced by the pronunciation of Kan- 
arese, Kodaga, and other peoples, the name of the countrj' is Kongu (not KOngu 
with the long Sanskrits ) ; an inhabitant of that country, now-a-days often 
identified with the Koj'ambuttur (Coimbatore) district, is called a Konga. 
Thus also Kodagu (Coorg) is the country, and Kodaga, a native of Coorg. 
Kongini, Konguni, Kongani are Sanskritized forms. Though Kongu and 
Kodagu more than probably have the same root {Kud), there seems to be no 
historical proof for the identity of the names. Among the Kodagas of our 
time there is a well-known family called the Koiiga house, — a secondary 
