తూర్పున ఇంద్రధనుస్సు వేస్తే తుంగమడిలోను, పడమర ఇంద్రధనుస్సు వేస్తే బండ మీదను పశువులను కట్టాలి.

turpuna indradhanussu veste tungamadilonu, padamara indradhanussu veste banda midanu pashuvulanu kattali.

Translation

If a rainbow appears in the east, tie cattle in the marshy fields; if a rainbow appears in the west, tie cattle on a rock.

Meaning

This is a traditional agricultural proverb related to weather prediction. A rainbow in the east occurs when the sun is in the west (evening), signifying the end of rain and approaching dry weather, making marshy lands safe for cattle. A rainbow in the west occurs when the sun is in the east (morning), signaling heavy incoming rain, requiring cattle to be moved to high, rocky ground to avoid floods.

Related Phrases

Performing a religious offering or ceremony amidst a crowd's commotion.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone quietly finishes their personal work or gains a selfish advantage while everyone else is busy or distracted by a large event or chaos. It is similar to 'making hay while the sun shines' but often implies taking advantage of a busy situation to slip in one's own agenda.

Performing a feast/ceremony in the middle of a crowd or rush.

This expression is used to describe a person taking advantage of a busy or chaotic situation to accomplish their own personal tasks or selfish motives unnoticed. It is similar to the English concept of 'making hay while the sun shines,' but often carries a slightly opportunistic or sneaky connotation.

If put on the finger it's a twist, if put on the leg it's a shackle.

This proverb describes someone who is extremely cunning, manipulative, or versatile in making excuses. It refers to a person who can adapt their behavior or arguments to any situation just to get their way—if you try to catch them one way, they twist out of it; if you try another, they bind you instead.

A rainbow in the east, rain in the distance

This is a weather-related observation or proverb. Since the sun rises in the east and a rainbow appears opposite the sun, a morning rainbow (in the west) usually signifies approaching rain, whereas an evening rainbow in the east suggests the storm has already passed or is far away.

If put on the finger it goes to the toe, and if put on the toe it goes to the finger.

This expression is used to describe a person who is extremely manipulative, inconsistent, or shifty in their speech. It refers to someone who changes their story or logic constantly to suit their convenience, making it impossible to pin them down to a single fact or commitment.

If a rainbow appears in the east, even the roots of the nut-grass won't get wet; if it appears in the west, all the lowlands will be filled.

This is a traditional Telugu meteorological observation (sameta). It suggests that a rainbow in the east during the evening indicates no rain, while a rainbow in the west during the morning predicts heavy rainfall that will fill up all ditches and low-lying areas.

If a rain cloud forms in the east, not even a blade of grass will get wet.

This is a traditional agricultural proverb used to predict weather patterns. It suggests that in certain geographical regions, clouds appearing in the east do not result in local rainfall. It is used to describe situations that look promising but yield no actual results or to indicate that a particular sign is misleading.

If it rains from the west, even ruined pits will fill up; if it rains from the east, even the water-grass roots will dry up.

This is a traditional agricultural proverb related to monsoon patterns in the Telugu regions. It suggests that rainfall coming from the west (Southwest monsoon) is abundant and reliable enough to fill every dry pond, whereas rain clouds from the east (Northeast monsoon) are often insufficient or inconsistent, leading to drought-like conditions where even moisture-loving plants like 'tunga' grass wither away.

If a flood cloud forms in the east, not even a blade of grass will get wet.

This is a traditional agricultural proverb related to weather patterns. In certain regions of Andhra Pradesh, it is believed that clouds forming or moving from the east (during specific seasons) do not result in rain. It is used to describe situations that appear promising or threatening but result in no actual outcome or impact.

If it rains in the east, the plowing ox bellows.

This is a traditional agricultural proverb. It means that rainfall from the eastern direction (indicative of the monsoon or favorable winds) is a sign of good agricultural prospects. The ox bellows in joy or readiness, signaling that the season for plowing and farming has successfully begun.