Kahin ki Eenth Kahin ka Roda, Bhanumati ne Kunba Joda

# 80

March 11, 2021

Today’s Hindi proverb (कहावत) is:

कहीं की ईंट कहीं का रोड़ा, भानुमती ने कुनबा जोड़ा।

(Transliteration: Kahin ki eenth kahin ka roda, Bhanumati ne kunba joda.)

Literal translation: Bricks from somewhere, stones from somewhere: Bhanumati assembled a clan.

Figurative meaning: To mix and match unlikely things and somehow assemble something of value.

Mix n Match

Usage in a sample sentence:
मैरी खिचड़ी बनाना चाहती थी लेकिन चावल कम था। खरीदने गई, तो दुकान में केवल गेहूं था, जो उसने खरीद लिया। उसने अपने पड़ोसी से ताज़ी हरी मिर्च माँगी, लेकिन उसे केवल सूखी लाल मिर्च ही मिली। इन चीज़ोंको मिलाकर वह किसी तरह खिचड़ी बना ली। उसने मुझे वो पुरानी कहावत याद दिलाई, “कहीं की ईंट, कहीं का रोड़ा, भानुमति ने कुनबा जोड़ा।”

Transliteration: Mary khichidi banana chahati thi lekin chawal kam tha. Kharidne gayi, toh dukan mein kewal gehun tha, jo ussne kharid liya. Ussne apne padosi se taazi hari mirch maangi, lekin usse kewal sookhi lal mirch hee mili. In cheezonko milakar woh kisi tarah khichidi bana li. Ussne mujhe wo purani kahavat yaad dilayi, “Kahin ki eenth kahin ka roda, Bhanumati ne kunba joda.”

Translation: Mary wanted to make khichdi but didn’t have sufficient rice. When she went to buy, there was only wheat in the shop, which she bought. She asked her neighbor for fresh green chillies, but she only got dry red chillies. By mixing these she somehow made the khichdi. She reminded me of the old saying, “From somewhere the bricks, somewhere the stones; Bhanumati assembled a clan.”

Origins of the proverb: Bhanumati is a character from Mahabharata. She was a princess forced into marrying the chief antagonist, Duryodhana, from whom she bore two children. She went through a lot of twists and turns in her family life, in her children’s family life and within her extended family; but in spite of all that, she managed to build and hold on to her family relationships. Not much is written about her in the Mahabharata, but somehow the proverb containing her name became very popular and continues to remain popular. I like the lyrical rhyming sound of this proverb.

Eentt ka Jawab Pathar se Dena

November 27, 2020
Today’s Hindi idiom (मुहावरा) is:

ईंट का जवाब पत्थर से देना
(Eentt ka jawab pathar se dena)

Literal translation:
To respond to bricks with rocks

ईंट — Brick

Figurative meaning:
To give a strong, forceful and fitting reply.
To mount a counter-attack that overwhelms the opponent.

पत्थर — Rock

Sample use in a sentence:
भारत अपने पड़ोसियों पर कभी हमला नहीं करता है, लेकिन उसके पड़ोसी जानते हैं कि अगर हमला हुआ तो भारत ईंट का जवाब पत्थर से देगा।
(India never attacks its neighbors, but its neighbors know that, if attacked, India will respond with a forceful counter-attack.)