Language: Sinhalese
Source: Standard literature

Description

Gal-bindu (ගල් බින්දු) is the name for a decorative motif that consists of diamond-shaped spots.¹

Gal means "stone" and bindu means drop, spot or speck.²

The pattern is alternatively referred to as simply bindu.

Gal-bindu lacquerwork decoration on the shaft of a Sinhalese patisthānaya.
Sold by Mandarin Mansion in 2019.

According to Coomaraswamy, a related pattern is called binduva (බිඳුව) or "drops" which looks like this:

Binnduva lacquerwork decoration on the shaft of a Sinhalese patisthānaya.
Sold by Mandarin Mansion in 2019.

In a Sinhalese-English dictionary of 1892, bindu and binduva are said to be synonymous so perhaps the appearance of both patterns under different names in Coomaraswamy's work was unintentional.²

Overview of Sinhalese decorative lacquer work

Upper part of a lacquered staff.
From colored drawings by Ethel M. Coomaraswamy.

The above image shows two sections of Sinhalese lacquered staffs. The decorative motifs are as follows:

A. Vẹlpota or pāhaḍe vẹlpota
B. Ādāra-koṇḍu
C. Gal-bindu (ගල් බින්දු) or mori binduva
D. Kola vẹla ("leafy branch") or kaḷas-dangaya
E. Pāhaḍe or palā peti
F. Lanu-dangaya
G. Patura
H. Bō-kola ("bō-leaf")
K. Binduva (බිඳුව) or tani binduva³

Notes
1. See Ananda K. Coomaraswamy; Medieaval Sinhalese Art, Pantheon Books, New York, Second Edition of the 1908 original, 1956. Page 216-217.
2. Benjamin Clough; A Sinhalese-English dictionary, Wesleyan mission press, Colombo, 1892. Page 423.
3. Ananda K. Coomaraswamy; Medieaval Sinhalese Art, Pantheon Books, New York, Second Edition of the 1908 original, 1956. Explanation of plate XXIV.