ఇంటినుండి వెళ్ళగొట్టగా, దొంతులు సవరించినట్లు

intinundi vellagottaga, dontulu savarinchinatlu

Translation

Like tidying up the stacks of pots after being kicked out of the house

Meaning

This expression describes a situation where someone performs a trivial or pointless task in a desperate attempt to save face or maintain dignity while facing a major humiliation or total rejection. It refers to a person who, upon being expelled from a home, stays back to organize the kitchen pots instead of leaving immediately, showing an inability to grasp the gravity of their situation.

Related Phrases

Like a fox coming to straighten a dog's tail.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where an unqualified person tries to fix something they don't understand, or when someone uses a deceptive or useless method to solve a problem. It implies that the intervention is both unnecessary and likely motivated by trickery, as a fox cannot truly 'fix' a dog's nature.

Illusionary worldly life - stack of clay pots

This expression highlights the fragility and impermanence of worldly life and family bonds. Just as a stack of clay pots can shatter completely with a single fall, human life and attachments are temporary and can break or end at any moment.

Why worry about that which has already passed?

This expression is used to advise someone against dwelling on the past or mourning over things that cannot be changed. It is the Telugu equivalent of the English proverb 'There is no use crying over spilled milk.' It encourages focusing on the future instead of wasting energy on past mistakes or misfortunes.

Like breaking the milk-yielding pot oneself

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone foolishly destroys their own source of livelihood, prosperity, or a highly beneficial resource through their own reckless actions or bad temper.

They said to drive the person without resourcefulness out of the village.

This proverb emphasizes the importance of intelligence and resourcefulness (upayamu) in society. It suggests that a person who lacks the wit to solve problems or contribute effectively is a burden to the community, highlighting that brains are often more valued than brawn or mere presence.

If one marries a blind woman because the dowry (oli) is low, she might end up breaking all the stacked pots.

This proverb warns against being penny-wise and pound-foolish. It describes a situation where someone chooses a cheaper or easier option to save money (like paying a smaller bride price), only to suffer much greater losses or damages later due to the inherent flaws or lack of suitability of that choice. It is used when a shortcut or cheap solution leads to expensive consequences.

Putting on fine clothes when turned out of the house; adorning the threshold when driven out by the husband. Trying to please when too late.

This proverb is used to describe a person who tries to maintain a false appearance of dignity or vanity even after facing a humiliating defeat or loss. It refers to someone who acts pretentious or focuses on superficialities when their fundamental situation is ruined or when they have been rejected.

Pundits and such are like a quarter seer of fenugreek seeds; if you toss them up and strike, they jump seven times.

This is a humorous and mocking rhyming chant or 'sameta' used to poke fun at teachers or scholars (Pantulu). It suggests that despite their status, they can be easily rattled or made to jump around. It is often used by children or in a lighthearted, albeit disrespectful, way to diminish the authority of a teacher.

Going to a sister's house after losing everything is better than going to a mother-in-law's house out of anger.

This proverb highlights social dynamics and self-respect. It suggests that while seeking refuge with a sister when in genuine need (even if financially ruined) is acceptable, going to a mother-in-law's house due to a petty argument or spite is humiliating and ill-advised. It emphasizes that pride should not dictate one's actions, and one should be mindful of where they seek support based on the situation.

The morning dawns before the shepherds' marriage is begun. They have so many disputes that nothing can be settled.

This proverb is used to describe an event or task that took an excessively long time to complete, or a situation where people were kept waiting or busy until daybreak. It often implies a sense of exhaustion or the completion of a long, drawn-out process.