పక్కింటి పోట్లాట, పండగంత వేడుక

pakkinti potlata, pandaganta veduka

Translation

A fight in the neighbor's house is as festive as a celebration.

Meaning

This expression describes the human tendency to find entertainment or schadenfreude in the private conflicts or troubles of others. It is used to remark on people who enjoy gossiping or watching drama unfold in their neighborhood instead of minding their own business.

Related Phrases

A father-in-law was once a son-in-law in another house, and a mother-in-law was once a daughter-in-law in another house.

This proverb is used to remind people in positions of authority or seniority to be empathetic and humble. It emphasizes that everyone starts from a subordinate position and has faced similar struggles, so one should treat their juniors or family members with the same kindness they once wished for themselves.

Sparse crop is a celebration for the harvest; dense crop is a celebration for the eyes.

This proverb highlights a practical observation in farming. A sparse crop (pachuni panta) is easy to harvest and manage, making the work celebratory. Conversely, a dense, lush crop (ottu panta) is beautiful to look at and brings joy to the eyes, even if it requires more intensive labor during the harvest.

It is fun to sing a song one doesn't know, and fun to style a bald head.

This proverb describes a situation where someone enthusiastically attempts tasks they have no aptitude for or tries to manage resources that are non-existent. It is used to mock people who waste effort on futile, clumsy, or unnecessary actions just for the sake of appearances or out of ignorance.

The fun of setting food before a man who has had his dinner, or of anointing a shaven head.

This proverb is used to describe redundant or useless efforts. Just as serving food to someone with a full stomach or attempting to groom a bald head provides no real benefit, performing actions where they are not needed is a waste of resources and time.

Even if you go along with someone, do not walk behind them.

This proverb suggests that it is better to walk beside someone as an equal or companion rather than following them like a servant or subordinate. It emphasizes self-respect and warns against putting oneself in a position where one might be ignored or treated with less importance while traveling or working together.

A fight in the neighbor's house is as festive as a celebration; a homeless man is one who has renounced other women.

This proverb is a sarcastic take on human nature and forced virtues. The first part highlights the human tendency to find entertainment in others' domestic troubles. The second part mocks people who claim to be virtuous only because they lack the opportunity to be otherwise; a man with no house cannot host or entertain, so his 'abstinence' is due to necessity rather than character.

In a house where gantaloo (pearl millet) grows and a house where kanuju (foxtail millet) grows, there is no scarcity.

This is a traditional agricultural proverb highlighting the importance of growing hardy millet crops. It suggests that these crops are reliable and provide food security even during tough times, ensuring that the household never faces hunger or poverty.

A festival amidst a waste or loss

This expression is used to describe a situation where an unexpected positive event or celebration occurs during a time of significant loss, waste, or overall failure. It highlights an ironic or small consolation in a losing situation.

Serving a meal to one who has already eaten is like giving a head bath to a bald person.

This proverb describes redundant or futile actions. It highlights the absurdity of offering something to a person who neither needs it nor can benefit from it, emphasizing that such efforts are a complete waste of time and resources.

The lamp (wick) is of the size of a nail; illumination the size of a hill.

Even a small lamp can give a wide glow. Physical size does not always lead to insignificant actions. It is the largeness of purpose that makes the act big.