ఏనుగు మీద ఎండవేసినట్లు

This expression is used to describe a person who is extremely unpredictable in their generosity. When they choose to give, they give in massive, overwhelming quantities (like the 'milk' or yield of a giant elephant), but they might also go long periods without giving anything at all. It refers to a temperament that is erratic—either total abundance or nothing.

This expression is used to describe a state of indecision or procrastination. It refers to someone who keeps a task or a decision lingering for a long time without either completing it or rejecting it, much like keeping food in the mouth without chewing or swallowing.

This expression is used to describe a situation or an asset (like a business, project, or luxury item) that yields high results or prestige but requires an equally high level of maintenance and expenditure. It signifies that big ventures come with big responsibilities and costs.

This expression is used to describe something that is fixed, permanent, or impossible to undo. Just as a wet knot becomes tighter and harder to untie, and turmeric applied to a cauterized wound stays fixed to the skin, this phrase refers to a decision or situation that is finalized and unchangeable.

This expression describes a situation where someone causes total chaos or massive destruction, often by being reckless, overly powerful, or out of control. It is used when an individual or an entity ruins something valuable or organized in a short amount of time through unrestrained actions.

This expression describes a situation where someone is performing a redundant or unnecessary task. It refers to a person watching over something that is already safe or in a state where guarding it serves no practical purpose, similar to 'locking the stable door after the horse has bolted' or performing a futile, over-protective action.

This expression refers to someone who focuses on outward appearances, vanity, or superficial shows of status while lacking actual substance, property, or a solid foundation. It describes a person who prioritizes pride and showing off over practical stability.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone adds insult to injury or makes a painful situation even worse with their actions or words. It is the Telugu equivalent of 'rubbing salt in the wound'.

This proverb refers to a situation where something appears whole on the outside but is completely empty or hollow inside. It originates from the myth that when an elephant eats a wood-apple (Velagapandu), the pulp is digested through the shell, leaving the fruit looking intact but empty when it passes through. It is used to describe wasted efforts, lost opportunities, or things that have lost their internal substance despite outward appearances.

This proverb describes a situation where an innocent person or an auxiliary object has to suffer or undergo a process simply because they are associated with the main subject. Just as a basket (daagara) must sit in the sun for as long as it takes the vegetables inside (varugu) to dry, a person might be stuck in a tedious situation due to their companionship with someone else.