Practical wisdom in picturesque speech

[pavalamani pragasam]

Our ancestors were simple folks who lived close to Nature. Their observations of simple & deep truths of worldly wisdom were expressed in effective statements called proverbs.

Most of the younger generations are unaware of the treasure house of wisdom we have inherited from our forefathers. So I feel it is better to record some of the vivid sayings which mainly use beast & bird analogies.

I shall add on as I remember them. Please feel free to contribute to this precious collection by adding proverbs ( let us limit to animal, bird related ones), explaining, anayising, commenting-enjoying,in short, a delightful subject!

Let me start:

1.naay vaalai nimirththamudiyaathu

2.naayai kuLippaatti nadu veettil vaiththaalum naay nakkiththaan kudikkum

3.kaveri karai puraNdu Odinaalum naay nakkiththaan kudikkum

4.oru piLLai peththavanukku uRiyilE saappaadu, naalu piLLai peththavanukku naay sattiyilE

5.naayai kaNdaa kallai kaaNOm kallai kaNdaa naayai kaaNOm

6.naayai kallaal adippaanEn **** sumappaanEn

7.nari valam pOnaal enna idam pOnaal enna mElE vizunthu pidungaamal irunthaal sari

8.narikku naattaamai kuduththaa kidaikku reNdu aadu kEtkum

9.paarththaal pasu paaynthaal puli

10.pasuththOl pORRiya puli

11.paazaay pOvathai pasu vayiRRil pOdu

12.eruthukku nOvu kaakkaikku koNdaattam

13.oorkuruvi uyara uyara paRanthaalum parunthaakaathu

14.koorai ERi kOzi pidikkaathavan vaanam ERi vaikuNdam pOvaanaam

15.kOzi pidikkiRa nariyai moonjsiya paarththaa theriyum

16.puli pasiththaalum pullai thinnaathu

17.puli pathunguvathu paayaththaan

18.yaanai irunthaalum aayiram pon iRanthaalum aayiram pon

19.noNdikkazuthaikku saRukkunathuthaan saakku

20.naNdu kozuththa vaLaiyil thangaathu

21.aaduRa maatta aadi kaRa paaduRa maatta paadi kaRa

22.paalukkum kaaval poonaikkum thOzan

23.uRiyilE thayir irukka uRangumaa poonaikutti

24.thirudanukku thEL kottiyathaam

25.paambunnu adikkavum mudiyala pazuthunnu vidavum mudiyala

26.paambin kaal paambaRiyum

27.vaLaththa kadaa maarla paaynthathu

28.kaakkaikkum than kunju pon kunju

29.paambukku thalaiyaiyum meenukku vaalaiyum kaattu

30.adiyaatha maadu padiyaathu

31.puNNiyaththukku(thaanaththukku) kuduththa maattai palla pudunki paarkkaathE

32.yaanaikkoru kaalam vanthaa poonaikku kaalam varum

33.poonaikku maNi kattuvathu yaaru

34.yaanai varum pinnE maNiyOsai varum munnE

35.nuNalum than vaayal kedum

36.kazuthai kettaa kuttisuvar

37.kazuvuRa thaNNiyila nazuvuRa meen

38.kokku thalaila veNNai vachchi pidichcha maathiri

39.mooththathu mOzai iLaiyathu kaaLai

40.kazuthaiyaa piRanthaalum kaamaaNi yOgaththila piRakkaNum

41. aasai irukku thaasil paNNa yOgam irukku kazuthai mEykka

42.kiLiyai vaLarththu poonai kaiyil koduththathu pOla

43.kurangu kai poomaalai pOla

44.aamai pukuntha veedum ameena pukuntha veedum uruppadaathu

45.aduppadiyila poonai thoonguthu

46.poonai kaNNai moodikkoNdaal poolOgam iruNdu pOkumaa

47.chinna meenai pOttu periya meenai pidi

[pavalamani pragasam]

48.aadu nanaiyuthunnu Onaay azuthathaam



Please remember to put the number when posting a new proverb!

[rocketboy]

49. Attayai thooki Methayilla Potta Athu Methayilla Irukaathaam
Kuppa thottikkuthan Pokuma

50. Padichu paazhapokirathavida Aadu mechu Aal Avaalam

51.Summa kidantha Sangai Oothi keduthaanan Aandi

[pavalamani pragasam]

52.kadicha moottai nasukkupaduthu kadikkaatha moottaiyum nasukkapaduthu(moottai=moottaipoochi)

[crazy]

proverb nr 20, my father always used to say

great job PP amma

[kannannn]

Reminds me of one of S.Ve. Sekhar's dramas:
"Mani adichchaa maadu kathudhaan, kozhi adichchaa kuruma kodhikudhaan'gra kadhaiya.."

PP JK! Continue with the topic.

[Rocky_]

Reminds me of one of S.Ve. Sekhar's dramas:
"Mani adichchaa maadu kathudhaan, kozhi adichchaa kuruma kodhikudhaan'gra kadhaiya.."

27.vaLaththa kadaa maarla paaynthathu

My mom always says this when watching Movies and Tele Serials. :P

[Querida]

this is my one fave from the list:

28.kaakkaikkum than kunju pon kunju

33.poonaikku maNi kattuvathu yaaru

I like this one too but know it in english as "but who bells the cat?"

I like saying the following ones:

kazhuthaikku theriyuma karpoora vaasanai?

Minnuvathellam ponnu alla.

Kattrathu Kai Alavu, Kallaathathu Ulagalavu

Yaanaikkum Adi Sarukkum

Maamiyaar udaithaal mann kudam. Marumagal udaithaal pon kudam (this was one i read in wiki)

Although there are some proverbs I don't like:

Thottil pazhakam sudukaadu mattum

Ainthil Valayaathathu Aimbathil Valayaathu
...i don't think that's true at all!

the one parents use alot is:

vidiya vidiya ramar kathai vidintha ramar seethaiku enna murai :P

Is there one that means "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink?" I would like to know that one.

[Wibha]

proverb #1 our history teacher used to use it to us when v used to talk

but she said it in kannada

naayi baala donku

[thamizhvaanan]

Ppl, pls dont hammer me ... but this one was framed by one of my friends...

eNNi eNNi suttavanukku oru baratta kooda kedaikkalayam
etta ninnu paathavanukku ettu baratta kedachudhaam


and one from Pamma K sambhandam film:

"Kathadi'ku kooda thaan vaal irukku, adhukkunu korangu parakkum'nu solla mudiyuma"