The Bharatiya Janata Party government in Assam completed a year in office yesterday, and in keeping with the carnival spirit, propelled in no small measure by the advent of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the grand celebrations tomorrow, Dispur's decision to showcase and market its traditional brews as heritage liquor is timely.
The excise commissioner had announced that the products would be available in stores, adding to the choice of tourist takeaways. As a part of this novel plan, all 33 districts were asked to submit reports on traditional brews prevalent in their areas, mentioning the historical and cultural story behind the brews, their ingredients, manufacturing processes, local names, cost-benefit analysis if produced commercially and demand on a daily and monthly basis.
Last month, the Assam cabinet approved the proposal. The finance minister's budget speech said ethnic brews possess medicinal values and the government would conduct proper research on them. The authorities will ensure that standard manufacturing practices are followed and packaging is done in an attractive manner so that they can compete with Rajasthan's heritage wine, Goa's feni and Russian vodka.
To sell traditional beverages in Assam, one has to obtain a licence along with a fee of Rs 10,000. While existing liquor shops as well as new traders can apply for the licence, Lakhimpur, Jorhat, Tinsukia and Amingaon were the first to file applications for bottling plants of traditional beverages.
Numerous communities in Assam have traditional alcoholic beverages. The Rabhas have choko and makham, the Bodos their jou, the Dimasas drink judima and the Misings make apong (of two kinds - po:ro and noggin). The Ahoms savour their laupani and the Karbis hor. Rice is the main ingredient of most of these.
Rice beer is also the main country liquor in the neighbouring states of the Northeast. In Manipur, where prohibition is supposedly in effect, pouches of crystal-clear sekmai are readily available in the village after which it takes its name. In Nagaland, the local brew zutho defies the 1989 ban on alcohol with impunity. Most communities in the region, including in Arunachal Pradesh, consider brewing rice beer auspicious and even a newborn gets to taste a few drops.
Similarly, in Meghalaya, there is always a tussle between the Khasi kakiat and the Garo rice beer in the matters of taste and 'kick'. I often heard co-passengers on Shillong's public transport animatedly debating, amid swirling liquor fumes, whether the Khasi or the Garo brew packs more punch.
As was evident from the hooch deaths in Bihar, prohibition does not always check alcohol abuse. Country liquor will continue to hold sway because it has seeped into the tradition and culture of a people. Just as Assam's plans to market its 'heritage liquor' is fraught with undercurrents of hurting indigenous sentiments (traditional alcoholic beverages are often used for religious purposes), the prohibition on liquor stores in the vicinity of highways, schools and hospitals has smothered the whoop of joy that used to emanate from vehicles at Khanapara, the Assam-Meghalaya meeting point, once lined with "wine shops".
Drinking in the open in Goa can now land you in jail. But with Assam in reverse swing, when Modi addresses rallies tomorrow in Dhola-Sadiya, where he will inaugurate the country's longest bridge (who will wipe the tears of the hundreds of boatmen rendered redundant, Mr Prime Minister?) and Guwahati (from where he will address the nation on three years of his government), perhaps the toast to the Making of Developed India (MODI) Festival will be raised with heritage brew, rather than alphabet soup. Cheers with xulai anyone?
