Alcohol and its Purana

This post was long in drafts, which I had deleted just a few days ago. Reason being, this was way too long and I had lost interest in writing about this. This post by Shrinidhi triggered me to retake it.

Alcohol as it is known in general around the world is known with different names. Rich call it with its derivatives like wine, beer, brandy, whisky, vodka et al... while the poor call it with their brand local saaraayi, kallabhatti, arrack and what not? But for the chemistry interested like me, its just C₂H₅OH (Ethyl Alcohol) mixed with some more ingredients along with some quantity of water.

Before diggin in, lemme start with a conversation I had with my friend.

Sandesh: Hey! Why do you drink?
Friend: Just like that.
S: don't tell me. There must be a reason.
F: Okay! Tell me what is your favorite drink?
S: Water. If you don't consider that as a drink, I go with Majjige (buttermilk).
F: Just like you drink majjige, I drink beer.
S: Oho! Me drinking majjige, I won't lose control but you do when you drink beer.

F: (Speechless)

Here in India, or at least in Karnataka, when one say "drinking is a bad habit" you know what is the response you get? They go back to puranas and say that even Devas used to consume drinks. I used to keep silent when hearing such conversations, but here I say, don't you know that even Devas quarreled? There are many instances in the puranas where quarrels happened due to drinks. One such story that I heard is posted here.

Forget that. Consider the current situation. Its hilarious. The Government conducts programs, creating ads and signboards saying Arrack is bad for health and the society, but they won't ban alcohol? aint it funny? The same is the case of cigarettes, beedis, gutkas and other addicts.

Why is it so? Government is minting money from it. The tax they impose on these companies that sell such goods is hefty, which is negligent when compared to the profits those companies make. Government doesn't want to lose its share from this and hence it is not banning it. Just as a cover to pose, it is coming up with this anti-alcohol, anti-tobacco ads. Many members of the same Government, as well as those in the opposition have grabbed their seats based on the same alcohol's influence. Any party arranged by any politician or any VIP for that matter, will have drinks. Isn't it a contradiction? Don't they have any better way to earn money?

Was this the same case say 10-15 years ago? I guess not. Though we had drunkards even then, they never used to take pride in drinking. We always have exceptions. We had pubs even then but not many used to go there when compared to present. We had these bar and restaurants, local arrack shops. Nobody used to drink in daylight skipping their work. All such things were kept for the night.

Its after the IT balloon which arouse in India, liquor business boomed. More of foreigners used to come and they used to have it provoking us Indians too. Few hesitated as even they had a secret desire to consume alcohol. Gradually they used to conduct parties where they made free beer kinda thing. People used to get attracted to it. When one is getting something for free, why not try it? eh? That was the attitude. They found pleasure drinking and suggested their friends to try it. Hence the bandwidth of boozers multiplied.

Rich always had a passion for alcoholic drinks. They're the ones who regularly visit pubs and discos which made alcohol a social drink. I dunno how it becomes social when you lose control.

When you consider the poor, the main reason behind their drinking is their poverty. A person who is hard working, self content and who doesn't consume alcohol, will never be poor at least. He works hard, gets his daily wages, comes home, will have his dinner and would get a nice sleep. He is least bothered about consuming alcohol. I've seen such people.

It is those who curb for their poverty in front of their loathsome friends who become alcoholic addicts. If they have a family, there are high chances that even his son, might catch up with drinking looking at his father.

Regarding the poor beating their wives after drinking, its just one thing they do along with many other things. Thats what people have highlighted. The main reason behind this is that one loses self-control after consuming alcohol to a certain extent. There are many other things they do. Some of them include

1. Rob the money the wife had secretly kept to get some grocery.
2. Stop the child from going to school and sending him to work to earn more money for alcohol.
3. Sell whatever valuable (if any) like the ring or necklace(mangala sutra) of the wife or some gold of child.

There are many a promoters for liquor consumption. Our very own Dr. Vijay Mallya. Thanks to his breweries. He says, Drink, but with responsibility. There might be exceptions but most of them lose their control and hence their responsibility when they drink. There are many jokes based on drinking and Vijay Mallya. Here is one.

Gunda sees Thimma drinking.
Gunda: Hey why are you drinking?
Thimma: Doctor has prescribed it.
Gunda: (Baffled) Which doctor?
Thimma: Dr. Vijay Mallya! Hehehe!

When you have such popular VIPs promoting liquor, the youth are eager to try that. Yes! They've seen those VIPs in page 3 with some hot babes (as they call it) in parties and they dream themselves in that position. High chances.

Adding to that, the corporates, arrange parties as I've previously mentioned and they arrange for free beer. Mass hysteria, many of the folks consume beer, just because others are tryin their hands. Some think that they would be treated inferior if they don't have it.

Now, regarding feminine drinking. As I've mentioned in previous post, I consider both men and women equally. If men can drink, so can women. But I oppose anybody drinking.This is for those who ask can women drink.

But, if you go by medical terms, doctors restrict women from drinking coz it might affect their womb from giving birth to a baby. I dunno the details, but somewhere I've read it. Will post the link if one needs. Dunno whether the doc is a male centric person. Don't blame me.

Regarding agelimit for drinking, places to drink. Again, I support a ban on liquor, I don't believe in agelimit for drinking or a certain place to drink.

Once you find a person, drinking and if you care for him, what I suggest is, you go to that person, tell him about the demerits of alcohol in a friendly way and try to pull him outa the trouble. Do not force him. That wouldn't serve the purpose. He would take up drinking later more passionately, if force be applied. Leave the decision to him about quitting alcohol. If he quits, well and good. If not, you just stop thinking about him and continue your work.

I do have friends who drink in a silent manner, enjoying that state of losing control. First of all, I suggest they quit drinking. If they can't let them not promote drinking to their peers. If they sit all alone or with selected friends drinking without forcing anyone and not causing harm to anyone, its well and good (though I don't quite support them doing that). But such people are hard to find. Though we have some instances like that, its pretty rare.

There do exist some people who say, look at the foreigners, when they can drink, why can't we? They say, that there do exist some cold countries like Russia, Canada where you cannot exist with alcohol. I dunno. I can never think of that. They say that drinking alcohol will keep their body warm against the outer environment helping them sustain the cold. I can never comment on that unless I experience that. But for those who take examples of foreigners, I say is drinking alcohol is for pleasure in India and not to retain your body temperature. Please do not give that reason. You can have pleasure by other means.

What do you say?