Dhobi Ka Kutta Ghar Ka Na Ghat Ka

# 98

March 30, 2021

Today’s Hindi proverb (कहावत) is:

धोबी का कुत्ता घर का न घाट का

(Transliteration: Dhobi ka kutta ghar ka na ghat ka.)

Literal translation: The washerman’s dog belongs neither to (the washerman’s) home nor to the riverside.

Figurative meaning: A person who keeps moving from place to place and ends up establishing himself nowhere.

Usage in a sample sentence:
जब जॉन ने अपने माता-पिता के ओर्थडोक्स चर्च को छोड़ दिया और कैथोलिक चर्च में शामिल हुआ, उन्हें वहां बहुत कम स्वीकृति मिली; तब उसे धोबी के कुत्ते की तरह महसूस हुआ, जो न घर का न घाट का रहा।

Workers beat laundry against stones at a Dhobi Ghat along the Ganges River on a foggy winter morning, Varanasi, India. (Image credit: Brett Cole.)

(Transliteration: Jab John ne apne matha-pitha ke orthodox church ko chod diya aur catholic church mein shamil hua, unhe wahan bahut kam swikriti mili; tab usse dhobi ke kutte ki tarah mehsus hua, jo na ghar ka na ghat ka raha.)

Translation: When John left his parents’ Orthodox Church and joined the Catholic Church, he received very little acceptance there; he then felt like the dog of a washerman, who belongs neither to home nor to the riverside.

Origins of the proverb: In India, one of the meanings of the word “ghat” is a ‘set of steps or a slope leading to a riverside.’ The washerman goes to the ghat daily to wash the clothes in the river water. His dog goes with him in the morning and comes back home with him in the evening. The dog, therefore, ends up not making friends with other dogs near home nor at the ghat, because he is a temporary “visitor” at both places. People in ancient India coined this proverb to allude to any person who is unable to stay loyal to one organization. For example, a politician who keeps shifting his party allegiance: that politician then gets treated like the washerman’s dog — not considered belonging to any party.

Ghar Ki Murgi Dal Barabar

# 66

February 12, 2021

Today’s Hindi proverb (कहावत) is:

घर की मुर्गी दाल बराबर।

Transliteration: Ghar ki murgi dal barabar.

Literal translation: Home-made chicken is akin to dal.

Ghar Ki Murgi

Figurative meaning: A good thing, or something special (like a chicken dish) is considered to be ordinary (like dal) just because it was made at home. (Similar to the English saying that a prophet is without honor in his hometown.)

Usage in a sample sentence:

भारत में आयातित सामान का बहुत मांग हैं क्योंकि भारतीयों का मानना है कि भारत में बनी चीजें, विदेशों में बनी चीजें जितनी अच्छी नहीं हैं। जैसे वो पुरानी कहावत हैं, घर की मुर्गी दाल बरबार।

(Transliteration: Bharat mein aayatit saman ka bahut maang hain kyunki bharatiyon ka man-na hai ki bharat mein bani cheezen videshon mein bani cheezen jitni achchi nahin hain. Jaise wo purani kahawat hain, ghar ki murgi dal barabar.)

Translation: Imported goods are in great demand in India because Indians believe that things made in India are not as good as those made abroad. As the old saying goes, homemade chicken is akin to dal.

Origins of the proverb: It is human nature to imagine that the grass is greener on the other side of the river. We rarely value the things we already own. We covet the things that we do not have. In ancient India, chicken was a luxury and was served only on rare occasions. Dal and roti were more common and considered ordinary food to be had daily. Even so, the occasional homemade chicken curry was not considered praise worthy. It was given as much importance as the ordinary dal. When we eat at a restaurant, we are forced to pay a higher price for the chicken as compared to the dal; but at home, the dal and the chicken are both eaten without much thought given to their values. This situation is used in this proverb to convey the general idea of human nature to not value things at home or in our possession.