దండుగకు ఒప్పదురుగాని, పండుగ కొప్పరు

dandugaku oppadurugani, panduga kopparu

Translation

They agree to a penalty but not to a festival.

Meaning

This expression is used to describe people who are willing to spend money on useless things, penalties, or unnecessary losses but hesitate or refuse to spend money on something auspicious, joyful, or beneficial. It highlights poor priorities and the irony of people's spending habits.

Related Phrases

The woman who celebrates too early forgets the actual festival.

This proverb is used to describe someone who gets overly excited or spends all their resources/energy before the actual event or opportunity arrives. It serves as a warning against premature celebration and lack of foresight.

A Bhagavatam performance that is a waste of oil

This expression is used to describe an activity, project, or performance that is so poorly executed or ineffective that it doesn't even justify the basic cost of the resources consumed (like the oil used in lamps for light during an old-time play). It signifies a complete waste of time, effort, and resources.

A festival in the middle of a loss

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone finds a small reason to celebrate or gains a minor benefit amidst a significant loss or a wasteful expenditure. It refers to making the best of a bad situation or finding a silver lining in a calamity.

Seeing the husband is a waste, seeing the lover is a festival.

This is a bold, satirical proverb used to describe a person who neglects their duties or legitimate relationships (like a husband) in favor of forbidden or exciting external attractions (like a lover). It is used to mock people who find no value in the things they already possess but are overjoyed by things that are fleeting or improper.

The day the crop ripens is the festival day.

This expression is used to convey that the real celebration or reward occurs only when efforts yield fruit. It emphasizes that success and prosperity are the true causes for celebration, rather than just the arrival of a calendar date.

While giving, it's Kamuni festival (sadness/burning), while taking, it's Diwali festival (joy/light).

This expression describes the dual nature of people who are very happy and eager when receiving money or favors (like the brightness of Diwali) but become extremely reluctant, sad, or delay indefinitely when they have to pay back or give something (symbolized by the burning/destruction of Kamudu). It is used to criticize hypocrisy in financial dealings or stinginess.

It is not that we don't have the medicine, it's just that there is a shortage of people to shed tears.

This proverb is used to mock someone who makes grand claims about their capabilities or possessions but gives silly, illogical, or impossible excuses for not being able to use them or deliver results. It highlights the absurdity of having a solution but lacking a ridiculous requirement for it to work.

For a wrong step, everyone contributes a bit.

This proverb is used when a mistake or a blunder occurs, and everyone involved (or the community) has to share the burden of the resulting penalty or loss. It highlights collective responsibility or the shared consequences of an individual's error.

When you have resources, it is Ugadi (New Year); when you don't, it is Kamuni Panduga (Holi).

This proverb describes the volatility of human life or financial status. 'Ugadi' represents prosperity, feasting, and joy, while 'Kamuni Panduga' (traditionally associated with burning/ash) represents a state of lack or simplicity. It is used to describe people who live lavishly when they have money and live very simply or suffer when they do not, or to emphasize that one's circumstances dictate their lifestyle.

An extra expense on top of a festival expense

This expression is used to describe a situation where an unexpected or unnecessary additional expense occurs at a time when one is already spending heavily, typically during a celebration or crisis. It signifies the burden of 'wasteful' costs added to already high costs.