ఇల్లు అలికితే పండగవుతుందా? తోరణం కడితే పెళ్ళవుతుందా?

illu alikite pandagavutunda? toranam kadite pellavutunda?

Translation

Does cleaning the house make it a festival? Does hanging a garland make it a wedding?

Meaning

This expression is used to convey that superficial preparations or external appearances do not equate to the actual occurrence of a major event. It implies that just because you have started the basic groundwork, it doesn't mean the grand result is guaranteed or complete. It is often used to caution someone against premature celebration or oversimplification of a complex task.

Related Phrases

If a human's eye falls on it, even a black stone will break into pieces.

This proverb highlights the destructive power of the 'evil eye' or jealousy. It suggests that human envy is so potent that it can cause damage to even the strongest, most inanimate objects like a solid rock. It is used to caution people about the consequences of attracting too much attention or envy from others.

His speech will answer for flour or for a thunderbolt. Said of an ambiguous speech.

This expression is used to describe a person who speaks with clever ambiguity or doublespeak. Their words are crafted in such a way that they can be interpreted in two completely different ways depending on the outcome, allowing them to claim they were right regardless of what happens.

If a decorative festoon (toranam) is tied to a war-drum (veeranam), someone asked if it meant the grandfather was getting married.

This proverb is used to mock someone who makes absurd or foolish assumptions based on a small, unrelated observation. It highlights a lack of context or common sense, where a person jumps to a ridiculous conclusion—like assuming an elderly grandfather's wedding just because they see a festive decoration on a drum.

No matter what anyone does, can she become a wife to the house or can it become a pot for the stack?

This proverb is used to highlight that certain natural roles or essential positions cannot be replaced or replicated by others, no matter how hard they try. Just as a specific pot is needed to fit a stack (donti) or a specific person fulfills the role of a wife (aalii) in a household, some things are irreplaceable and unique to their purpose.

A small grain becomes a mountain

This expression is used to describe a situation that starts as a minor issue but escalates into a major problem, or when someone exaggerates a tiny matter into something significant. It is similar to the English idiom 'to make a mountain out of a molehill'.

If spoken, it becomes a scandal; if not spoken, it becomes a source of contempt.

This proverb describes a 'catch-22' or a dilemma where a person is stuck between two bad options. It is used when pointing out a mistake might lead to public embarrassment or unwanted drama (aaradi), but staying silent might lead others to take one's patience for granted or treat them with disrespect (alusu).

Will a dream come true? Can a crow become a cuckoo!

This expression is used to convey extreme skepticism or to dismiss an idea as impossible. It suggests that just as a crow can never transform into a melodious cuckoo, certain unrealistic dreams or expectations will never manifest into reality. It is often used to ground someone who is being overly idealistic or delusional.

Does a donkey lay an egg? Does a kite (bird) give birth to a child?

This proverb is used to point out the impossibility of an event or to mock someone's absurd expectations. It emphasizes that things must happen according to their inherent nature; just as donkeys don't lay eggs and birds don't give birth like mammals, one cannot expect results that defy logic or character.

Can a hunchback ever become a steady base?

This expression is used to suggest that some things are fundamentally flawed or permanently out of shape and cannot be used for a purpose that requires perfection. It is often applied to people's character or deep-seated habits, implying that a person's basic nature or a significant defect cannot be easily changed or rectified to suit a specific need.

Will an onion ever become a jasmine flower? Will a mistress ever become a wife?

This is a traditional Telugu proverb used to express the idea that things have an inherent nature or status that cannot be changed. It suggests that a substitute or an informal arrangement can never truly replace or equate to the original, formal, or sanctified version of something. It is often used to emphasize that some boundaries or social roles are permanent.