Solution to the Riddle

Umesh is right. The correct answer is വാരണം.

Interestingly വാരണം comes from വാരണ which means obstruction. Elephants were used in war as obstructions.

വാണം is the തത്ഭവം of ബാണം, arrow.

രണം is from Sanskrit. It means "that which makes noise", of course, a war does make some noise.

Not sure about വാര. My dictionary says it is of Portuguese origin. Anybody has the details?

A riddle

For a change, here is a riddle:

The answer is a three letter word. Say ABC with the following properties:

ABC means elephant
AB is a unit of measurement
BC means war
AC means rocket

What is the word?

Days of the week

The etymology of the days of the week is quite interesting.

• ഞായര്‍ comes from നേരം (time) which in turn comes from നേര്‍ (straight)
• തിങ്കള്‍ = തിണ്‍് + കള്‍ The root തിണ്‍് means firm. I don't quite know how it relates to the moon.
• ചൊവ്വ is the variant of ചെവ്വ which in turn comes from ചെം meaning 'red
• ബുധന്‍ is from Sanskrit and it means intelligent
• വ്യാഴം No idea. Could it be related to വ്യാളം meaning 'vengeful'?
• വെള്ളി is from വെള്‍്, white
• ശനി is from Sanskrit ശനൈഃ <- ശം that which ameliorates

Thus we have the seven days of the week.

aaab words

With generous from Sanskrit, it is possible to coin (reasonably long) words which contain only one or two alphabets.

Some example
കാകാകാരം = കാക + ആകാരം (in the shape of a crow)
പാപാപാരം = പാപ + അപാരം (sea of sin)

(These words explain the title - aaab words :-)

Can you think of some more?

By the way, you can also use mallu roots for such words. e.g.

നാനാനനന്‍് = നാന്‍ + ആനനന്‍ (four faced) = Brahma