Girl · Tamil (from Sanskrit Maṇimekhalā) · Tamil
Manimegalai
மணிமேகலைSay it MUH-ni-may-guh-lai
- Meaning
- A jewelled girdle; the heroine of the Tamil epic Manimekalai Tamil Lexicon, p. 3044
- Say it
- MUH-ni-may-guh-lai
- Written
- மணிமேகலை
- Other spellings
- Manimekalai
Manimegalai
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Manimegalai meaning
Manimegalai (மணிமேகலை) is a Tamil girl's name.
A jewelled girdle; the heroine of the Tamil epic Manimekalai
Manimegalai (மணிமேகலை) comes from Sanskrit maṇi, "gem", and mekhalā, "girdle", so its plain meaning is a jewelled waist-belt. The Tamil Lexicon records it as that ornament, as a sea goddess who guarded islands at Indra's command, and above all as the daughter of Kōvalaṉ and Mātavi, heroine of the Buddhist epic Maṇimēkalai by Cāttaṉār, one of the five great Tamil epics. In the story she turns from courtly life to become a Buddhist nun who feeds the hungry from a magic begging bowl.
Source: Tamil Lexicon, University of Madras (1924–36), p. 3044 · entry maṇi-mēkalai¹ (மணிமேகலை) · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026
References: Tamil Lexicon, maṇimēkalai (மணிமேகலை), p. 3044 · Wikipedia, Manimekalai
Famous namesakes
- Manimekalai, heroine of the Tamil Buddhist epic
Spellings
Manimegalai · Manimekalai