Chhattisgarh
Literature, Chhattisgarhi Language, Idioms and Riddles
Idioms and Proverbs (Muhavare and Hana)
Chhattisgarhi idioms (muhavare) and proverbs (hana) with meanings, Hindi equivalents and usage, for CGPSC Prelims, Mains Paper I and GS-IV.
Prerequisites
- Chhattisgarhi Language and Grammar Basics: pronouns, case markers and verb forms used in every proverb below
- Hindi Language (Class X level): the difference between a muhavara and a lokokti, which Chhattisgarhi follows too
- Agriculture and Irrigation: many proverbs come from the paddy field, the monsoon and the cattle shed
The Hook: Grandmother’s One-Line Verdict
Connect
A boy in a Durg village fails his exam after a year of cricket and complains about the paper. His grandmother does not argue. She says: “नाचे ल न जाने, अँगना टेड़गा” (he cannot dance, so he blames the crooked courtyard). Everyone laughs, and the argument is over.
That one line is a hana (हाना), a Chhattisgarhi proverb. What are hana and muhavare, how do they differ, and how do you use them correctly in an exam?
Why it matters: The Chhattisgarhi section of Mains Paper I asks for meanings of idioms and proverbs and for their use in sentences. Prelims may ask what hana means or the sense of a common proverb. In GS-IV and the Essay, a well-chosen hana makes an answer memorable.
Muhavara vs Hana: The Core Distinction
| Feature | Muhavara (मुहावरा) / idiom | Hana (हाना) / proverb, lokokti (लोकोक्ति) |
|---|---|---|
| Form | A phrase, usually ending in a verb infinitive (-ना / -ई) | A complete sentence |
| Stands alone? | No; it must be fitted into a sentence | Yes; it is a full statement |
| Meaning | Figurative, different from the literal words | A general truth or lesson drawn from experience |
| Changes form? | Yes; the verb changes with tense and person | Usually quoted unchanged |
| Example | आँखी म धुर्रा झोंकना (to throw dust in the eyes) = to deceive | दुब्बर बर दू असाढ़ (two Ashadh months for the weak) = troubles pile on those already weak |
The word to remember: हाना
In Chhattisgarhi, a proverb is called a हाना (hana). Chhattisgarhi proverbs are often quoted in pairs of rhyming or rhythmic halves, which makes them easy to remember and hard to argue with.
How to read the tables below
Hana and muhavare are oral; spellings and exact wording vary from district to district and writer to writer. The forms here follow common central-plains usage. Many have a close Hindi counterpart, given in the last column, which is also how you can check your understanding of the meaning.
Chhattisgarhi Hana (Proverbs)
Work, effort and consequences
| Hana | Literal sense | Meaning | Hindi counterpart |
|---|---|---|---|
| नाचे ल न जाने, अँगना टेड़गा | Cannot dance, so the courtyard is crooked | Blaming circumstances for one’s own lack of skill | नाच न जाने आँगन टेढ़ा |
| अपन मरे बिन सरग नइ दिखय | You don’t see heaven without dying yourself | Important work must be done personally | आप मरे बिना स्वर्ग नहीं दिखता |
| बइठे ले बेगार भला | Unpaid labour is better than sitting idle | Some work is better than no work | — |
| जइसन बोंही, तइसन लुही | As you sow, so shall you reap (लुवना = to harvest) | Results follow actions | जैसा बोओगे, वैसा काटोगे |
| ओखली म मूड़ डारे त मूसर ले का डर | Once your head is in the mortar, why fear the pestle? | Once you take on a task, do not fear its difficulties | ओखली में सिर दिया तो मूसल से क्या डरना |
Power, injustice and the weak
| Hana | Literal sense | Meaning | Hindi counterpart |
|---|---|---|---|
| दुब्बर बर दू असाढ़ | For the weak, two Ashadh months | Misfortune falls hardest and repeatedly on those already weak | दुबले को दो आषाढ़ |
| जेकर लाठी, तेकर भइंसा | Whoever holds the stick owns the buffalo | Might is right | जिसकी लाठी उसकी भैंस |
| बोकरा के जीव जाय, खवइया ल अलोना | The goat loses its life; the eater finds it unsalted | One suffers greatly while another is still not satisfied; ingratitude | (Hindi has no exact match; compare चिड़िया की जान जाए, बच्चों का खेल) |
| कउँवा के कोसे ले ढोर नइ मरय | Cattle don’t die from a crow’s curse | Ill-wishing by petty people does no real harm | कौवे के कोसने से ढोर नहीं मरते |
Wisdom, folly and pretence
| Hana | Literal sense | Meaning | Hindi counterpart |
|---|---|---|---|
| अड़हा बैद, परान घात | An unskilled healer endangers life | Half-knowledge is dangerous | नीम हकीम ख़तरा-ए-जान |
| घर के जोगी जोगड़ा, आन गाँव के सिद्ध | The home ascetic is a nobody; the one from another village is a sage | People undervalue talent close to home | घर का जोगी जोगड़ा, आन गाँव का सिद्ध |
| हाथी के दाँत, खाय के आन, देखाय के आन | An elephant has one set of teeth to eat, another to show | Hypocrisy; saying one thing and doing another | हाथी के दाँत खाने के और, दिखाने के और |
| आँखी के अंधरा, नाँव नैनसुख | Blind of eye, named “Joy of the Eyes” | A name or claim that contradicts reality | आँख का अंधा नाम नयनसुख |
Chhattisgarhi Muhavare (Idioms)
Many Chhattisgarhi idioms are built on parts of the body. Learn the body words first: मूड़ (head), आँखी (eye), कान (ear), नाक (nose), मुँह (mouth), करेजा (heart, liver), गोड़ (foot, leg), हाथ (hand), पेट (stomach).
| Muhavara | Meaning | Used in a sentence |
|---|---|---|
| आँखी म धुर्रा झोंकना | To deceive | ठग हा जम्मो गाँव के आँखी म धुर्रा झोंक के भाग गिस। (The cheat deceived the whole village and ran away.) |
| करेजा जुड़ाना | To feel deep relief or contentment (literally, the heart cools) | बेटा ल नौकरी मिलिस त दाई के करेजा जुड़ा गे। (When the son got a job, the mother felt at peace.) |
| नाक कटाना | To lose honour, be disgraced | चोरी कर के ओ हा परिवार के नाक कटा दिस। (By stealing, he disgraced the family.) |
| कान भरना | To poison someone’s mind against another | कोनो के कान झन भर। (Don’t poison anyone’s mind.) |
| मुँह फुलाना | To sulk | खिलौना नइ मिलिस त लइका मुँह फुला के बइठ गे। (Denied the toy, the child sat sulking.) |
| गोड़ उखड़ना | To lose one’s footing; to be routed | पुलिस आइस त चोरमन के गोड़ उखड़ गे। (When the police came, the thieves fled.) |
| हाथ पसारना | To beg; to ask for help | ओ हा कभू कोनो के आगू हाथ नइ पसारिस। (He never begged before anyone.) |
| पेट म मुसवा कूदना | To be very hungry (literally, rats jumping in the belly) | बिहनिया ले कुछु नइ खाय हँव, पेट म मुसवा कूदत हे। (I have eaten nothing since morning; I am starving.) |
| अँगूठा देखाना | To refuse at the last moment | काम निकल गे त ओ हा अँगूठा देखा दिस। (Once his work was done, he refused to help.) |
| पानी-पानी होना | To be deeply ashamed | झूठ पकड़े गिस त ओ पानी-पानी हो गे। (Caught lying, he was ashamed.) |
Exam technique: using a muhavara in a sentence
- Give the meaning first, in one or two words.
- Write a sentence that makes the figurative sense obvious from context. “He threw dust in the eyes” is weak; “The cheat threw dust in the eyes of the whole village and ran away” shows you know it means deception.
- Change the verb for tense and person (झोंकना → झोंक के, कटाना → कटा दिस). A muhavara is never used in its dictionary form inside a sentence.
Why Hana Matter: Folk Wisdom as Social Text (GS-IV)
- Agrarian life: proverbs about sowing, harvest, the monsoon month of Ashadh and cattle record the knowledge of a rice-growing society.
- Social commentary: hana like जेकर लाठी तेकर भइंसा and दुब्बर बर दू असाढ़ are sharp observations about power and vulnerability; they show that ordinary people understood exploitation clearly.
- Ethics and education: proverbs teach honesty, hard work and humility without lectures; grandparents used them as moral shorthand.
- Shared heritage: many Chhattisgarhi hana have Hindi, Awadhi or Bhojpuri twins, which shows the shared cultural world of the Hindi belt; others are local and reflect Chhattisgarh’s own life (बासी, महुआ, धान).
- Limits: a few traditional sayings carry gender or caste stereotypes. A balanced Mains answer notes that folk wisdom must be read critically, not just celebrated.
Memory Tricks
'Ha-na = whole sentence'
Hana has two syllables, like two halves of a proverb, and is always a complete sentence. Muhavara is a phrase ending in -ना: “muhavara ends in -na, hana stands alone.”
Body-part idioms: 'head to toe'
Go head to toe: मूड़ (ओखली म मूड़), आँखी (धुर्रा झोंकना), कान (कान भरना), नाक (नाक कटाना), मुँह (मुँह फुलाना), करेजा (करेजा जुड़ाना), पेट (पेट म मुसवा), गोड़ (गोड़ उखड़ना).
Don’t Confuse
| This | vs | That |
|---|---|---|
| Hana (हाना): proverb, complete sentence | Muhavara (मुहावरा): idiom, a phrase used inside a sentence | |
| Hana: proverb | Janaula (जनउला): riddle (see the next page) | |
| करेजा जुड़ाना: to feel relief (good) | करेजा जरना / जलना: to feel envy or anguish (bad) | |
| दुब्बर बर दू असाढ़: troubles pile on the weak | जेकर लाठी तेकर भइंसा: the strong take what they want |
Common Mistakes
Trap 1: literal translation
“करेजा जुड़ाना” does not mean “the heart became cold” in the sense of indifference. It means to feel relief and satisfaction. In Chhattisgarhi, coolness (जुड़) is pleasant, as in a hot plains summer.
Trap 2: calling a proverb an idiom
If a question asks for a hana and you write “आँखी म धुर्रा झोंकना”, you lose marks: that is a muhavara. Give a complete sentence such as “दुब्बर बर दू असाढ़”.
Trap 3: hana = riddle
Prelims options may offer “riddle” as the meaning of hana. A riddle is janaula; hana is a proverb.
Practice
These are original practice questions written in CGPSC style. They are not previous-year questions.
Level 1: Foundation
- A Chhattisgarhi proverb is called a ________.
- Give the meaning of “आँखी म धुर्रा झोंकना”.
- Complete the hana: “नाचे ल न जाने, ________”.
Answers
- हाना (hana)
- To deceive
- अँगना टेड़गा
Level 2: Prelims MCQs
Q1. The Chhattisgarhi proverb “दुब्बर बर दू असाढ़” means:
(a) Two rainy months bring a double harvest (b) Misfortune falls repeatedly on those already weak (c) The weak should work twice as hard (d) Patience is rewarded in the end
Answer and explanation
(b). Ashadh is the hard monsoon-sowing month; “two Ashadhs for the weak” means troubles pile up on those least able to bear them. The Hindi twin is दुबले को दो आषाढ़.
Q2. Consider the following statements:
- In Chhattisgarhi, a proverb is called “hana”.
- A muhavara is a complete sentence that can stand on its own.
- “करेजा जुड़ाना” means to feel relief or contentment.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 3 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer and explanation
(b) 1 and 3 only. Statement 2 describes a proverb, not an idiom: a muhavara is a phrase that must be fitted into a sentence, with its verb changing for tense and person.
Q3. Match List-I (Hana) with List-II (Meaning):
| List-I | List-II |
|---|---|
| A. जेकर लाठी, तेकर भइंसा | 1. Half-knowledge is dangerous |
| B. अड़हा बैद, परान घात | 2. Talent at home is undervalued |
| C. घर के जोगी जोगड़ा, आन गाँव के सिद्ध | 3. Might is right |
| D. जइसन बोंही, तइसन लुही | 4. Results follow actions |
(a) A-3, B-2, C-1, D-4 (b) A-3, B-1, C-2, D-4 (c) A-4, B-1, C-2, D-3 (d) A-1, B-3, C-4, D-2
Answer and explanation
(b) A-3, B-1, C-2, D-4. The man with the stick owns the buffalo (might is right); an unskilled healer endangers life (half-knowledge); the home ascetic is ignored while the outsider is a sage; as you sow, so you reap.
Q4. Which of the following is a muhavara and not a hana?
(a) दुब्बर बर दू असाढ़ (b) बइठे ले बेगार भला (c) नाक कटाना (d) कउँवा के कोसे ले ढोर नइ मरय
Answer and explanation
(c) नाक कटाना (to be disgraced). It is a phrase ending in an infinitive and is used inside a sentence (परिवार के नाक कटा दिस). The other three are complete statements of general truth, that is, hana.
Level 3: Mains Answer Writing
Q1. Explain the meaning of the following and use each in a sentence: (i) बोकरा के जीव जाय, खवइया ल अलोना (ii) करेजा जुड़ाना. (60 words)
Model answer outline
(i) Meaning: one person suffers greatly, yet the beneficiary is still dissatisfied; ingratitude. Sentence: मजदूर दिन भर पसीना बहाइस, फेर मालिक कहिस काम कम होइस। इही ल कहिथें, बोकरा के जीव जाय, खवइया ल अलोना।
(ii) Meaning: to feel relief and contentment. Sentence: बरसा होइस त किसान के करेजा जुड़ा गे।
Q2. “Proverbs are the distilled wisdom of a people.” Discuss with reference to Chhattisgarhi hana. (150–200 words)
Model answer outline
Intro: Hana are short, rhythmic Chhattisgarhi proverbs that compress generations of experience into a single sentence.
Body:
- Agrarian knowledge: sowing and reaping (जइसन बोंही तइसन लुही), the hardship of Ashadh.
- Social insight: power (जेकर लाठी तेकर भइंसा), vulnerability (दुब्बर बर दू असाढ़).
- Ethics: work over idleness (बइठे ले बेगार भला), doing one’s own work (अपन मरे बिन सरग नइ दिखय).
- Shared heritage: twins in Hindi and other Eastern Hindi languages show a common cultural world.
- A critical note: some sayings reflect old gender and caste prejudices; they need contextual reading.
Conclusion: Hana preserve the moral and practical intelligence of rural Chhattisgarh; documenting and teaching them, as the Rajbhasha Aayog encourages, keeps that wisdom alive.
Quick Revision Table
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Chhattisgarhi word for proverb | हाना (hana) |
| Idiom | मुहावरा: a phrase, verb changes with tense |
| Proverb | हाना / लोकोक्ति: a complete sentence |
| दुब्बर बर दू असाढ़ | Troubles pile on the weak |
| जेकर लाठी तेकर भइंसा | Might is right |
| अड़हा बैद परान घात | Half-knowledge is dangerous |
| नाचे ल न जाने अँगना टेड़गा | Blaming circumstances for lack of skill |
| बोकरा के जीव जाय, खवइया ल अलोना | Ingratitude / unequal suffering |
| आँखी म धुर्रा झोंकना | To deceive |
| करेजा जुड़ाना | To feel relief |
| नाक कटाना | To be disgraced |
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
- A Chhattisgarhi proverb is a hana; a riddle is a janaula; an idiom is a muhavara.
- Hana = complete sentence; muhavara = phrase fitted into a sentence with the verb changed.
- Many hana have Hindi twins; others reflect local life (paddy, Ashadh, cattle, mahua).
- In Mains, give the meaning, then a context-rich sentence; never translate literally.
- Hana are a source for GS-IV on folk ethics, power and rural society.
What’s Next
- Riddles of Chhattisgarh (Janaula): the playful side of oral literature
- Writers and Poets of Chhattisgarh: where folk speech entered written literature
- Festivals, Fairs and Special Traditions: the occasions on which much oral literature is performed
- Chhattisgarhi Language (Aptitude): vocabulary and translation practice
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