PLACES: Barangay Lingga

I spent months searching for the meaning of the word “Lingga.” Curiosity urged me to learn where Barangay Lingga of Calamba got its name. To no avail after storming the internet and going over dusty history books I inherited from my teacher mother, I failed to find any source. I supposed that Lingga is a Tagalog word that described a place near a lake or sea since there are other lakeside barangays in the country, like the one in Pila, Laguna that is named Lingga. However I discovered later that there are other places in Asia that is called Lingga, like the Lingga Island in Indonesia. Lingga Island is located south of the Riau Islands off the east coast of Sumatra..

Another place called Lingga is a small coastal fishing town in Sri Aman Division in Sarawak, east Malaysia. Malaysia’s Lingga was controlled by the White Rajahs during the period of British colonization. Under the colonial rule, it developed from a rural area into a bustling small town.

But what does “Lingga” mean and where did these places got their names? I have to seek the help of Google to translate Malay documents to find the answers to my quest. Lingga of the Riau Island in Indonesia derived its name from the profile of Mount Daik which is shaped like the Hindu Lingga

The Sanskrit term, “Lingga”, has a number of definitions ranging from symbol to phallus, and more specifically, the "genital organ of Śiva worshipped in the form of a Phallus." In Shaivite Hindu temples, the lingga is a smooth cylindrical mass symbolizing Shiva, and is worshipped as a symbol of generative power. It is found at the center of the temple often resting in the middle of a rimmed, disc-shaped “yoni”, a representation of Shakti. An egg shaped oval Lingga is also the closest representation of the formless aspect of the Divine. The shape of a Lingga maximizes the length of time for which it can hold energy in harmony and balance.

Aha! Lingga is a statue. It is an object of veneration or worship by the Hindus. It is a vertical object, an abstract rendition of an erect penis, representing the genitals of god Shiva, a symbol of fertility. Yes, Lingga means phallus.

I wonder if Barangay Lingga residents would accept this, but since most of our ancestors came from Indonesia and are Malays, and the predominant religion in the country before the Spaniards came was Hinduism, this could be the truth if not very close to the truth.

If this is factual or accurate, would Barangay Lingga residents advocate changing their Barangay’s name, like Barangay Milagrosa that changed its name from “Tulo?”

(Photo above shows the image of "Lingga" representing the genitals of the god Shiva)