పల్లె తిరిగినా ఏడే చీరలు, పట్నం తిరిగినా ఏడే చీరలు

palle tirigina ede chiralu, patnam tirigina ede chiralu

Translation

Whether you roam the village or the city, you only have seven sarees.

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a person's basic status, limitations, or fortune remain unchanged regardless of their surroundings or efforts to change location. It implies that changing one's environment doesn't necessarily change one's inherent reality or possessions.

Related Phrases

Like being told to go around the village but only going around the mortar

This expression is used to describe someone who is extremely lazy or lacks initiative. It refers to a person who, when given a large task (circling the village), performs the smallest, most effortless version of it (circling the grinding stone inside the house) and claims they are finished.

Lending a silk saree and then following them around carrying a low wooden stool.

This expression describes a situation where someone helps another person or lends them something valuable, but then becomes overly anxious or intrusive about its safety. It refers to a person who, after doing a favor, constantly hovers over the recipient to ensure their belongings aren't damaged or soiled (the stool is meant for the person to sit on so the saree doesn't touch the ground). It is used to mock those who can't trust others even after offering help.

If a bull with a broken leg can climb the bank, won't a bull with a broken horn climb it too?

This proverb is used to highlight that if someone with a severe handicap or a major problem can succeed, then someone with a minor flaw or less significant hurdle can surely succeed as well. It encourages resilience by putting problems into perspective.

When told to go home and come back, he went to Ilaram and returned.

This expression is used to describe a person who does not understand instructions properly or takes an unnecessarily long and round-about way to do a simple task. It highlights inefficiency or foolishness in following directions.

Like wandering around with a grown-up daughter.

This expression is used to describe an awkward or burdensome situation where one has to constantly look after or accompany someone who is already grown up or a task that has become too large to handle easily. It often refers to the social and protective responsibility a parent feels for a daughter of marriageable age in traditional contexts, implying a sense of constant vigilance or a lingering responsibility that one cannot easily set aside.

Worn-out bronze and fermented (spoiled) rasam.

This expression is used to describe things that are either useless or highly unpleasant. 'Worn-out bronze' refers to an object that has lost its value or function through overuse, while 'fermented rasam' refers to something that was once good but has now turned foul or toxic. It is often used to criticize poor quality or the bad state of affairs.

A dog that turns against you and a porcupine are the same.

This expression is used to describe a person who suddenly turns hostile or betrays someone they were previously loyal to. Just as a porcupine is dangerous to touch, a formerly loyal person who turns against you becomes an extremely difficult and prickly enemy to handle.

Nothing can bite a dog that turns back to face it.

This proverb emphasizes that when you stand your ground and face a problem or an enemy bravely, they lose their power to harm you. It is used to encourage courage and resilience in the face of adversity, suggesting that fear attracts more trouble while confrontation can end it.

Even if a mat is torn, it won't become as small as a square seat.

This proverb is used to describe a person who has lost their wealth or status but still maintains a level of dignity or quality that is superior to those who were never in that position. It implies that a greatness that has declined is still greater than mediocrity.

When he was asked to walk round the house he walked round the shed.

This proverb suggests that success begins at home. If a person cannot manage their own domestic affairs or earn the respect of their family, they are unlikely to succeed in public life or handle community matters effectively.