కొండంత రెడ్డి పోగా పిడికెడు బొచ్చుకు ఏడ్చినట్టు
kondanta reddi poga pidikedu bochchuku edchinattu
When the big Reddy died they wept only for the handful of his hair. Indifferent to a great loss, but lamenting over some trifle that went with it. Fear not the loss of the bell more than the loss of the steeplce.
This expression is used to describe a situation where someone experiences a massive, significant loss but ignores it and instead worries or complains about a trivial, insignificant loss. It highlights a lack of perspective or misplaced priorities during a crisis.
Related Phrases
తిలాః పాపహరా నిత్యం, తలా పిడికెడు పిడికెడు.
tilah papahara nityam, tala pidikedu pidikedu.
Sesamum seed always takes away sin, [give them ] a hand- ful a head.
This expression is used sarcastically to describe people who use a religious or moral justification to indulge their greed or over-consume something. While the first part is a religious sentiment about the purifying nature of sesame seeds, the second part humorously demands a large quantity for everyone, highlighting human selfishness under the guise of piety.
Tila is the Sesamum Indicum. A jocose proverb, half Sanscrit, half Telugu.
కొండంత మొగుడే పోగా, పిడికెడు బొచ్చుకు ఏడ్పెందుకు?
kondanta mogude poga, pidikedu bochchuku edpenduku?
When a husband as big as a mountain is gone, why cry over a handful of hair?
This expression is used to describe a situation where someone has suffered a massive, irreparable loss but is unnecessarily worrying about a trivial or minor detail. It suggests that once the core or most important thing is lost, worrying about small peripheral matters is meaningless.
నూనె పోగొట్టుకొన్నవాడూ ఏడ్చినాడు, బొండాపకాయల వాడూ పొర్లి పొర్లి ఏడ్చినాడు.
nune pogottukonnavadu edchinadu, bondapakayala vadu porli porli edchinadu.
The man who lost the oil cried, and the cocoanut man cried bitterly. A bullock laden with pots of oil belonging to one man and unpeeled cocoanuts belonging to another rolled over. The pots broke, but the cocoanuts were none the worse. The first man cried quietly, but the second was loud in his lamentations. Making a fuss about nothing.
This proverb describes a situation where someone with a minor or insignificant loss (or no loss at all) makes a much bigger scene than the person who suffered a genuine, significant loss. It is used to mock those who overreact or feign distress for attention when they have little at stake compared to others.
ఏటిక పిడికెడు ధనము.
etika pidikedu dhanamu.
A handful of wealth for the river.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where money is spent on something completely useless or lost in a way that provides no return. Just as throwing a handful of money into a flowing river is a waste, it refers to futile expenditures or lost investments.
కొండంత మొగుడు పోగా పిడికెడు బొచ్చుకేడ్చిందట
kondanta mogudu poga pidikedu bochchukedchindata
When a husband as big as a mountain passed away, she cried for a handful of hair.
This proverb is used to describe a person who ignores a massive loss and instead focuses on or complains about a trivial, insignificant matter. It highlights a lack of perspective or misplaced priorities during a crisis.
ఎరుక పిడికెడు ధనము.
eruka pidikedu dhanamu.
Acquaintance is a handful of money.
This proverb highlights the value of having contacts, awareness, or specific knowledge. It suggests that knowing someone or knowing 'how' things work is as valuable as having physical money in your hand, emphasizing that social networking and information are assets.
అత్త చస్తే కోడలు యేడ్చినట్టు.
atta chaste kodalu yedchinattu.
Like the daughter-in-law lamenting the death of her mother- in-law. Feigned sorrow. Crocodile tears.
This expression is used to describe someone showing fake grief or insincere sympathy. Historically, the relationship between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law in some households was seen as antagonistic; therefore, the daughter-in-law's crying is perceived as a mere formality or 'crocodile tears' rather than genuine sorrow.
తిలా పాపం తలా పిడికెడు
tila papam tala pidikedu
A sesame seed of sin for each, a handful for everyone.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where a group of people collectively share the responsibility or blame for a wrongdoing. It implies that even if an individual's contribution to a bad deed is small (like a sesame seed), when everyone participates, the collective sin becomes large, and everyone must bear their portion of the consequence.
పిల్ల పిడికెడు గూని గంపెడు.
pilla pidikedu guni gampedu.
The child is a handful, but the hunchback is a basketful.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where a person's defects, faults, or problems are much larger than the person themselves. It is often applied to small individuals who have surprisingly large issues or when a minor task comes with a disproportionately large burden of complications.
పిడికెడు బిచ్చం పెట్టలేనివాడు అడిగినదంతా ఇచ్చునా?
pidikedu bichcham pettalenivadu adiginadanta ichchuna?
Will he who cannot even give a handful of alms give everything one asks for?
This expression is used to describe a person who is extremely stingy or lacks the capacity for small acts of kindness. It implies that if someone refuses to help with even a tiny, trivial request, it is foolish to expect them to fulfill a large or significant demand. It highlights the gap between a person's known behavior and unrealistic expectations placed upon them.