Saththaduga hinde etha holae eana ? (After death, how does it matter where you go?) Kumbala kaaya saaki handiga kottenge (Growing pumpkins only to feed wild boar) Guttige bathavu arai aaga beda, kunna thammanu mella aaga beda

Aandama ellade Haandi Beya, Ullama ellade Gulla beya Akka Ghandana koda dhukka hegile, Makka maria buttu baa ennana (When the girl shares her sadness/ thoughts with elder sister’s husband, he advises her to come to him) I have listed a few of the proverbs below and hope to add more in future. Is it a case of wordplay (pun) by our ancestors? Prof.Hockings feels Mechidhavaga (see the difference between michidhava – one who does not listen- and mechidhava – one who is appreciated by all – even a morende kolu is enough as jewellery. the lady who does not listen to any one (Michidha Hemmathi) is bound to land up as a widow (when ‘Morande Kolu – a small stick of morende tree – replaces her jewellery (bangara) during the Ole Kattuva ritual of husband’s death / funeral ceremony). That is ‘ do not be in a hurry and take a hasty decision’.Īnother one is ‘Michidhavaga Morande Kolu Bangara’. We can hear mothers telling their young children ‘Oda beda, Erandire’ – Donot run, you will trip over (a stone or any obstruction). , Oddidhama – one who runs, Erandina – trips over]. I think ‘a person who spends time learning and ponders (over a problem) is better than the one who runs away (in a hurry) and thus trips over. For example, on the proverb, ‘Odhidhama Niddhana, Oddidhama Erandina’ Prof.Hockings interpretation is quite different to what I feel is the correct meaning. Though I find his collection extremely interesting and educative, I do not agree with some of the conclusions he draws on certain proverbs. He has given the meaning in English as well as making it easy to understand, in a beautiful manner. See his book,’ Counsel from the Ancients: Study of Badaga Proverbs, Prayers, Omens and Curses’. He feels that 1730 could be a complete figure containing all the proverbs there are. Paul Hockings, probably the most authentic researcher on and of Badaga lists more than a thousand Badaga proverbs, 1730 to be precise.

When you engage an elderly Badaga into any conversation, you are sure to hear a lot of these proverbs thrown in to make / emphasis a point. One of the fascinating and interesting aspect of Badaga is the free use of delightful but deep meaning proverbs called “DHODDARU SHLOKA”.

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