Say a Saying

Proverbs were an essential part of my growing up; thanks to my mother. She had one for every occasion. Lessons were taught and principles were laid down, through proverbs, rather than lengthy sermons. So much so, that when I think of my mother today, I don’t remember the exact words that she said when I was reprimanded, only the proverb that ended the admonition.

The one that was used on me most often was, “Gidavaagi baggaddu maravaagi baggeethe”. When translated it means, “That which will not bend as a sapling, will it bend as a tree?” !!
I was always asked to do odd jobs around the house and with the perfectionist mom that I had, the job had not only to be finished perfectly, and in the least time possible, but also done in a particular way!! I would stubbornly declare that I would do it my way for now and learn to do it her way when I was older. What did I get at the end of my compelling argument? The good old proverb and often its meaning – If you don’t learn when you are young; chances are, you won’t when you are older. So, start practicing now.

I got to hear many more over the short period of time my mother and I interacted with each other. When I came home a sore loser, blaming everything and everyone from the mike to the judge who slept while I spoke, I got to hear “Naach na jaane, aangan teda”. That put an end to my cribbing. When we heard a story of a greedy guy who lived beyond his means and suffered later, it was “Haasge iddashtu kaal chaachu”. Lazy to mend your clothes and will make do with a safety pin? “A stitch in time saves nine”. When I refused to run an errand, on the pretext that I wasn’t sure of my way around the place, “Kannu kurudaadre baayi kuruda?” it was. You may be blind, but not dumb; so be bold, girl; ask your way around. She even had one proverb commending proverbs, placing them above the Vedas in terms of relevance and the simple truths they stood for - "Veda sullaagabahudu, Gaade sullaagalla". So generous doses of proverbs it was, everyday.

When I look back now, I realize that somewhere along the way, with repeated usage, these little words of wisdom stopped being mere proverbs and became a way of life. They became principles we adopted, ideals we lived by; shaping our personalities by way of conditioning our thought process. I believe strongly in the underlying meaning of each of them and use them liberally in speech and writing today. I do not know if my mother intended for them to have such an impact on us when she used them, but if she did, she would be happy to know that it certainly has. It's no longer just a proverb or gaade or muhaavra, it's a legacy that I will proudly pass on to my children.