పుంటికూర తిన్నా పుట్టిల్లు, పాయసం తిన్నా పరాయిగడ్డ

puntikura tinna puttillu, payasam tinna parayigadda

Translation

Gongura at the parental home is better than Kheer at a stranger's land.

Meaning

This expression highlights that even a simple or poor meal (represented by the common sour leaf Gongura) eaten at one's own home/birthplace is far more satisfying and comforting than a rich feast (represented by the sweet Kheer) served at an unfamiliar or foreign place. It emphasizes the value of belonging, freedom, and the emotional comfort of home over material luxury elsewhere.

Related Phrases

If you eat the root [of garlick] there is a smell, if you eat a clove of it there is a smell. Whether you do a little evil or much, it is alike bad.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a person faces the same consequence or reputation regardless of the magnitude of their actions. It is often applied to bad habits or wrongdoings, implying that even a small mistake carries the same stigma or negative outcome as a larger one.

* El rio pasado, el santo olvido. † Passato il punto, gabbato il santo.

Whether the daughters-in-law of the house eat or the chickens eat, it will not go to waste.

This proverb suggests that money or resources spent within the family or on its assets are never truly lost. Just as feeding the household's chickens eventually benefits the family (through eggs or meat), food eaten by the family members contributes to the strength and well-being of the household itself. It is used to justify internal expenses that might otherwise seem like a loss.

Though he eat ten Tûms of food he will say he is starving ; and though he eat five Tûms, he will say it is a fast.

This proverb is used to describe an insatiable appetite or a situation where no matter how much is consumed or provided, it never seems to be enough or satisfying. It can also refer to people who constantly complain of lack despite having plenty.

The one who ate food and the one who received kicks will never forget.

This proverb highlights that some experiences leave an indelible mark on a person's memory. It specifically refers to acts of extreme kindness (giving food to the hungry) and acts of extreme humiliation or physical pain (getting beaten). Both the person who was helped in their time of need and the person who was wronged/punished will remember those moments forever.

When asked what she ate with, she replied she ate with hunger.

This expression highlights that hunger is the best sauce. It implies that when someone is genuinely hungry, the specific side dishes or quality of food do not matter as much as the satisfaction of eating. It is used to describe a situation where necessity or intense desire makes even the simplest thing seem wonderful.

Even after eating ten measures it is an empty stomach; even after eating five measures it is a fast.

This proverb is used to describe a person with an insatiable appetite or a bottomless pit for a stomach. It refers to a situation where no matter how much someone is given or how much they consume, they act as if they have received nothing at all or remain unsatisfied.

One who eats pulagamu is a virtuous soul, one who drinks payasam is a sinner.

This is a humorous or sarcastic expression used to comment on shifting priorities or hygiene. Pulagamu (a simple rice and dal dish) is often associated with traditional rituals or humble living, while Payasam is a luxury dessert. It can also imply that someone who settles for simple, honest food is blessed, whereas those indulging in luxuries might be cutting corners or acting out of greed.

Even after eating ten measures it is an empty stomach, even after eating five measures it is a fast.

This proverb is used to describe a person with an insatiable appetite or someone who is never satisfied no matter how much they receive. It figuratively refers to a situation where a massive amount of effort or resources are consumed, yet the result remains as if nothing was done at all.

Even if there are eight types of wealth at the mother-in-law's house, it's still the mother-in-law's house; even if you eat the simplest food at your parents' house, it's still your parents' house.

This proverb highlights the comfort, freedom, and emotional belonging a woman feels at her parental home versus the formal or sometimes restrictive environment of her marital home. It suggests that material wealth cannot replace the unconditional love and ease found in one's place of birth.

The one who ate food and the one who received beatings will never forget.

This proverb highlights how human memory is deeply impacted by both kindness and suffering. A person will always remember the one who helped them during hunger (gratitude), just as someone will never forget the person who caused them physical or emotional pain (resentment).