The elephant naLagiri/nalagiri

[Georg von Simson]

Swaminathan Madhuresan asked:
>The jAtaka usage is nAlAgiri. Does IA grammar allow
>for this development from naLa/nala-giri?
>Ie., like nara -> nArAyaNa and naLa -> nALAyaNI,
>could the jAtaka 'nAlA-giri' can be developed from 'nala-giri'?

There is no such direct way from nala-giri to nAlAgiri. This latter form of
the name seems to presuppose a feminine nAlA, known by some sanskrit
lexicographers beside nAlI with the meaning "hollow stalk", "reed".