అత్తకు మొగుడల్లుడు

attaku mogudalludu

Translation

The son-in-law is the husband to the mother-in-law.

Meaning

This expression is used to describe a situation where a person who is supposed to be subordinate or younger ends up dominating or controlling the person who should be in charge. It highlights an ironic reversal of roles or a situation where someone finds a match for their stubbornness or authority.

Related Phrases

If the crying woman's husband returns, my husband will return too.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone waits for others to act or succeed before taking initiative themselves, or a situation where one's fate is tied to the general outcome of a group. It is often used to mock someone who lacks independent drive and simply follows the crowd's luck or progress.

If the weeping widow's husband returns, mine will come also. Stolid indifference. Want of feeling.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone's own success or progress is entirely dependent on another person's outcome. It reflects a state of helplessness or a wait-and-see approach, implying 'if it can happen for them, it will eventually happen for me too.'

I have saved [ money ] live separate with me, husband. Said by a wife to her husband to induce him to quit his father's house. After he had yielded to her importance and left his father's house, he enquired the amount of her savings when she replied "I have saved myself for you."

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone refuses to acknowledge the truth or a problem even when it is hidden or subtly suggested. It highlights a person's stubbornness or lack of intuition in understanding a situation despite efforts to be discreet.

A rude son-in-law for a mother-in-law who doesn't exist.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone is showing arrogance or making a fuss over a person who is not present or a situation that does not exist. It highlights the pointlessness of showing off or being difficult when there is no one there to be affected by it.

The live-in son-in-law is the master of the entire household.

This proverb describes a situation where a son-in-law who moves into his wife's parental home (Illarikam) eventually starts dominating or controlling the entire family. It is often used to remark on someone who enters a group or family in a subordinate position but eventually takes over or causes trouble for everyone involved.

A husband to Nannamma, and a husband to Timmanna's mother.

This expression is used to describe someone who is extremely clever, cunning, or a 'know-it-all' who thinks they can outsmart anyone. It refers to a person who claims superiority over those who are already considered experts or authorities in a particular field, often used in a sarcastic tone to highlight someone's overconfidence or manipulative nature.

Just like pinching along with the son-in-law.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone takes advantage of a specific occasion to sneak in their own petty or mischievous actions. It refers to a story where a mother-in-law, while performing a ritual to ward off the evil eye for her son-in-law, uses the proximity to secretly pinch him. It highlights behavior where a person performs a malicious act under the guise of doing something formal or necessary.

A flame-of-the-forest leaf for the husband, a banana leaf for the son-in-law.

This proverb describes unfair partiality or double standards within a household. It refers to a situation where a woman treats her husband poorly (giving him a small, rough leaf to eat from) while showing excessive hospitality or preference toward her son-in-law (giving him a large, premium banana leaf). It is used to mock people who value outsiders or guests more than their own family members.

Six parts for Hasta, three parts for Chitta.

This is an agricultural proverb related to the lunar mansions (Nakshatras) and rainfall. It suggests that during the 'Hasta' rain season, there will be six parts of rain (heavy rainfall), whereas during the 'Chitta' season, there will be only three parts (moderate rainfall). It is used by farmers to predict water availability for their crops.

If the son-in-law is my daughter's husband, is the pinch that came with the son-in-law my husband?

This proverb is used to mock someone who makes absurd or nonsensical comparisons, or someone who draws illogical conclusions from a simple fact. It highlights the foolishness of trying to establish unnecessary or impossible relationships between unrelated things.