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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