The humble country liquor, so beloved of the masses across the nation, draws a supercilious sneer from the educated classes....most people I know have rarely, if ever, sampled these wares on a regular basis. An occasional foray is about the general average, by and large.
My own introduction was long back (forty years?), in Bengal, in a field about 5 km off the national highway, passing through Barasat, North 24-Parganas (now perhaps a part of Greater Kolkata).
The idea was to have fresh toddy, straight from the tree. Four of us commenced operations at about eight in the morning to sample it fresh. Muri (puffed rice) and telebhaaja (deep-fried batter-dipped potato slices) were the accompaniments.
By about ten o’clock, the supply of toddy would run out, and no amount of cajoling with the toddy-tapper worked. His plaintive excuses, such as that the haandi (clay pot) had slipped out of his hands while climbing down the tree, were obviously unbelievable. But he stuck to his story... bishaas korun, aamaar-o khub kharap laagche (believe me, I too feel very bad) was his constant, continuous chant.
So, after hectic parleys and negotiations, much like trade talks between nations, the suggestion to continue with Bangla (the generic name for country liquor) was finally accepted and implemented. I don’t recall what exactly happened thereafter… this memory lapse took place around lunch-time, and continues to this day in many senses. I can recall only one brand, Kali Marka, named so apparently because after a swig or two the tongue protrudes and violence ensues, in keeping with the image of the deity. Frenzied dancing also is a part of the proceedings, in many cases, accompanied by ribald songs and so much coarse conversation.
My pre-teen and early-teen days were at Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. Here, too, country liquor was favoured over all else, and brewed from mahua, a local fruit.
I never had any, but during the usual aimless bicycle-mounted loafing around, mandatory at that age, I recall seeing a vend, with the board… mahue ki taadi...tu nahi piyega? tera baap bhi piyega…
Fast forwarding to the present, Kerala is right up there, with all kinds of country liquor. Being a brand-conscious lot, there are various brands on offer, with suggestive names. This is hearsay-based information, but from credible sources. I don’t have the actual names, but the rough translations of the brands I’ve heard of are as follows:
New Bride: A swig of this makes the head droop down, as new brides’ heads are reportedly prone to do. The name was given maybe fifty years back, and those days new brides were a demure lot, it seems… quite unlike the present bunch, from what I hear.
Hammer: The name is self-explanatory. The effect of a hammer bounced off the skull is what is achieved with the first few swigs.
Elephant doze-off: This brew is something that would put an elephant to sleep, is the boast.
Thrashing the wife: This label arose out of the sense of courage/bravery/daring that a swig or two gives to the tippler....in a women-empowered society like Kerala, even 50 years back, it was quite a message…
There are reportedly other brands also on offer nowadays, but not being a regular visitor to any of these establishments, I confess I am not quite up-to-date.
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