పొరుగింటి కలహం విన వేడుక

poruginti kalaham vina veduka

Translation

A quarrel in the neighbor's house is a joy to hear.

Meaning

This proverb highlights a common human tendency to find entertainment or amusement in the conflicts and troubles of others, particularly neighbors, while ignoring one's own issues. It describes the voyeuristic pleasure people sometimes take in gossip and local drama.

Related Phrases

O lady neighbours! see the conduct of my husband. Inviting the sympathy of those who cannot interfere.

This expression is used to mock someone who unnecessarily broadcasts their private family matters or domestic trivialities to the entire neighborhood to gain sympathy or attention. It highlights the tendency of some people to make a public spectacle of their personal problems.

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.

Quarrelling in one's neighbour's house is pleasant to listen to.

This proverb is used to describe the human tendency to find interest or amusement in the problems or disputes of others, as long as they do not affect oneself. It highlights the schadenfreude or curiosity people have regarding private matters of their neighbors.

A neighbor's friendship exists only as long as one is prosperous.

This proverb highlights the fickle nature of relationships based on social or financial status. It suggests that neighbors or associates are friendly and supportive only when you are wealthy or influential, but they may distance themselves or disappear when you face hardships.

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.

Like melting ghee for the neighbor's pancakes.

This expression describes a situation where someone works hard or spends resources on something that only benefits others and provides no benefit to themselves. It is used to highlight wasted effort or misplaced generosity where the doer gains nothing.

She prepared the seasoning for the pancakes being cooked in the neighbor's house.

This proverb is used to describe someone who is overly eager, meddlesome, or makes premature preparations based on someone else's resources or actions without being asked. It highlights the foolishness of depending on or intervening in matters that do not belong to oneself.

The neighbour's cat is the ally of the house cat. Both join in mischief.

This expression is used to describe a situation where two people, often who should be at odds or are expected to be rivals, secretly collaborate or help each other for mutual benefit. It is frequently used to highlight how internal and external parties might conspire together, often in a negative or mischievous context.

Inviting someone who won't come is a celebration.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone makes a grand or polite gesture knowing full well that it won't be accepted or fulfilled. It implies a sense of relief or hollow formality, where the host offers something for the sake of appearances because they are certain the other person will decline, thus saving the host from any real effort or expense.