వీరణానికి తోరణం కడితే తాతయ్యకు పెళ్ళా అందిట?

virananiki toranam kadite tatayyaku pella andita?

Translation

If a decorative festoon (toranam) is tied to a war-drum (veeranam), someone asked if it meant the grandfather was getting married.

Meaning

This proverb is used to mock someone who makes absurd or foolish assumptions based on a small, unrelated observation. It highlights a lack of context or common sense, where a person jumps to a ridiculous conclusion—like assuming an elderly grandfather's wedding just because they see a festive decoration on a drum.

Related Phrases

A house without a festoon, music without a big drum.

This expression describes something that is incomplete or lacks the essential elements that give it character or dignity. Just as a festive house is incomplete without a 'thoranam' (decorative leaf garland) and a musical band feels lackluster without the 'veeranam' (a type of powerful drum), a situation or object is seen as dull or ineffective when its primary decorative or functional feature is missing.

Does cleaning the house make it a festival? Does hanging a garland make it a wedding?

This expression is used to convey that superficial preparations or external appearances do not equate to the actual occurrence of a major event. It implies that just because you have started the basic groundwork, it doesn't mean the grand result is guaranteed or complete. It is often used to caution someone against premature celebration or oversimplification of a complex task.

Does the wedding get completed just because the decorative arch (toranam) is tied?

This expression is used to remind someone that starting a process or completing the preliminary rituals does not mean the entire task is finished. It emphasizes that a goal requires consistent effort until the very end, and one shouldn't celebrate or relax prematurely after just taking the first few steps.

When told the teachers were coming, they were asked to untie their loincloths to make decorative buntings.

This proverb describes a situation where someone acts with excessive or foolish enthusiasm to please someone in authority, even at the cost of their own dignity or basic needs. It is used to mock people who provide overboard, illogical, or self-destructive hospitality/service just to show off their devotion.

A daily wedding and a green festive garland

This expression describes a state of perpetual celebration, prosperity, and joy. It is used to refer to a place or a situation that is always lively, auspicious, and filled with festive activities, much like a house during a wedding ceremony.

Grandfather's wedding is whenever it is thought of

This expression is used to mock someone who wants something to happen instantly or impulsively without considering the necessary preparation, time, or feasibility. It highlights the absurdity of expecting major events to occur just because one suddenly had the idea.

Wedding music without a festoon or a drum.

This expression refers to a situation that lacks the necessary grandeur, preparation, or essential components despite having the outward appearance of an event. It is used to describe something that is hollow, incomplete, or poorly organized.

Grandfather's wedding the moment you think of it

This expression is used to describe someone who expects immediate results or wants to complete a task instantly without considering the necessary time, preparation, or logical sequence. It mocks the impatience of wanting complex things to happen as soon as they are mentioned.

Death is a better refuge for a man than living on a dowry.

This proverb emphasizes the social stigma and loss of self-respect associated with a man living off his wife's wealth or dowry (Aranam). It suggests that for a man with dignity, death is preferable to the humiliation of being dependent on his in-laws' property or a dowry-based lifestyle.

If you give a little to the whole community, each individual gets only a tiny bit like a fingernail.

This proverb is used to describe situations where a resource, when distributed among a very large group of people, results in each person receiving a negligible or insignificant amount. It highlights the dilution of benefits in over-crowded or large-scale distributions.