A recent illustration on social media perfectly captures the wisdom hidden behind humour. A young man once asked a sage ” why do we get a hangover after drinking ” . The sage smiled and said ” when you play with spirits, they come back to haunt you the next day “. A light moment, yet one wrapped in profound truth.
Today the irony is hard to miss. Liquor shops open earlier than schools, libraries or even temples. The first shutters to rise each morning are not those of learning or livelihood, but of Liquor. The clinking of bottles has replaced the chirping of birds in many towns, a disturbing reflection of what our priorities have become.
Drinking was once an occasional toast of celebration or success. But now, it is turning into an escape – a daily routine for many, seeking comfort in the bottle rather than in companionship or purpose. What begins as pleasure soon becomes a decadent habit. The night’s laughter fades to the morning’s dreaded hangover.
Yet, the problem runs deeper than hangovers. Families break-up, finances drain and health declines – all because of momentary pleasure overshadowing lasting peace. When one person drinks irresponsibly beyond control, the entire household pays the price. It is not just the “spirits” that haunt the drunkard, but the emotional and financial ruins that follow.
The sage’s simple words remind us that every indulgence carries a cost. Moderation is key. True celebration lies not in excess but in balance and within limits. Society must rethink what its thirsty for- occasional controlled celebration or a road to intoxicated ruin.
Moderation, discipline and awareness- these are true exliris of life. Let us choose mornings filled with purpose instead of bottles filled with regret. Because when the first shops to open are liquor stores, it is time Society rethinks what activity should really be the cause for the thirst!
POST SCRIPT:
- Don’t Drink and Drive.
- Don’t Drink during Daylight
- Don’t bankrupt yourselves by providing unaffordable liquor for weddings and other social occasions. Live within your means.
- Shocking levels of addiction to liquor by youngsters below the legal age for drinking. Strict enforcement in bars required with proper counselling
- Take professional help if you’re trying to break the habit
Even if a fraction of the Taxes collected on “Spirits” in Kodagu is reinvested by the State Government and District Authorities on cleaning/remedying the overpowering imbalance on the influence of alcohol (spirits) and other unwanted occurrences, a great service would be done to the residents of Kodagu. This applies to the “spirits” carried by tourists and similar visitors!
Mamatha’s writing strikes a perfect balance between grace and gravity.Every line delivers punch of truth.The concluding thought urging society to “close the bottle and open our eyes” leaves a lasting impact.
Alcoholism and it’s debilitating impact on financial and physical health of individuals and their families is a serious issue in Kodagu. The habit of drinking during the day by youngsters is particularly a very serious problem.
In the Family Hockey Namme, the alcohol sales at the designated tent is worryingly astronomical, so is it at weddings, social occasions and most pronounced at funerals (maada).
If we are to progress as a community, we have to arrest this unwanted, unhealthy trend and control the number of wasteful Nammes of the most ingenious variety. This is unsustainable and the ruin of our future.
Spirits are not altogether bad – especially as Ganesh Aiyanna cautioned – never consume it alone. An elegant and sophisticated gentleman very aptly invites me for a drink – a tall glass with great conversation. There’s really nothing wrong with that – no morning hangovers post an enriching conversation with good company and never in an empty stomach!
An insightful and evocative article that captures the essence of a growing social concern with remarkable clarity. The way it captures today’s reality is both powerful and unsettling ; written with rare honesty and depth to present a reality that is often overlooked yet deeply relevant.
This article is a mirror held up to our society, especially to us in Kodagu, urging us to pause and rethink our habits and priorities.
Truly, a piece that deserves to be read and taken seriously!
On the Sage’s Thought…..
Lovely article by Coffee Land News.
More than alcohol, we need to free ourselves from certain spiritual beliefs that seem to dwell in the human mind and body. In Coorg, we often hear of Malayalam and Tulu speaking spirits. Yet strangely, such phenomena are not seen in Kerala. It’s interesting how these spirits are said to be under the control of the temple Thakkas who can supposedly chase them away at will.
The million dollar question is: who truly holds the power?
Perhaps it’s time we release these “spirits” not just from rituals, but from our minds and send them to heaven, while we live honestly and mind our own business.
Coorg is gradually transforming into a spiritual hub, though our roots were always in simple Ancestral propitiation and Nature Worship. Ironically, despite having one of the highest literacy rates, our people are easily drawn into spiritual influences largely due to the growing number of temples everywhere.
In my book, liquor is only a secondary “spiritual” experience!
Very meaningfully written.
Though I’m a teetotaler, as an entry level employee and later as a manager (in sales) I have experienced how “when you play with spirits, they come back to haunt you the next day” also a regular saying ‘Katne se pehle bakra ko mota karna’ (Getting a goat fatter before slaughter).
Bosses in Sales takes the team out for a drink, make juniors get drunk and take out what is in their mind and next day morning meeting spirits start haunting ..
I don’t remember how many have lost their careers with this mantra. One cannot control the speech when they are drunk..
Also drinking is like a status symbol, I remember my career starting Tea plantation days in Kerala, Seniors used to get the best whiskeys on Saturday night club days flaunting around the bottle,It took me some time to understand only few would have bought on their own but most were goodies given by contractor to get work done in plantation..
In reality – Spirits haunt every ones life if addicted.
Prevention is better than cure – so everything in moderation is the best solution…
In the good old days, and I mean the really good old days, Avayyas controlled the distillation and consumption of Kachanakall at the Ainemanes. It was rationed and allocated based on the matriarch’s assessment of capacity and occasion.
Peace reigned in the neighborhood due to tight controls and management of access/availability. With the arrival of the British and their cheap Indian Made Foreign Liquor, accessibility became more easy and also the Ainemanes became more symbolic abodes with coffee financing independent dwellings.
And there lies the tale – liquid spirits overtook the ancestral regulations.
An aside, Mamatha Subbaiah is a bold and imaginative writer. Her articles and observations are getting better and better. More power to CLN for developing and promoting Kodava talent.
A powerful reflection! The sage’s words cleverly capture how overindulgence in alcohol can lead to long-term harm. The article rightly highlights the need for moderation, discipline, and a shift in societal priorities. A timely reminder to choose purpose over temporary escape.
Though we belong to a community with a rich and vibrant cultural heritage, it’s disheartening to see the shift in our lifestyle, especially in recent times. Weddings, which were once rooted in meaningful rituals and customs, now often revolve more around drinking than tradition — with two days of celebrations turning into four sessions of alcohol.
This trend, if left unchecked, sends a message to our younger generation — especially Gen Z — that excess is the norm. As Kodavas, we must pause and reflect on the long-term impact of these practices. It’s time to preserve the essence of our culture and pass down the right values before they fade into mere memories.
A powerful and witty reality check reminds us that true awakening shouldn’t come from a bottle!
For the working class, alcohol is the proverbial opium; for the monied classes it’s a sign of status; for the Government it’s revenue.
Liqour stores were the first to be opened up during Covid times if one remembers right.
Alcohol just like the Daivas and all other substances that affect the mind, as rightly said by the sage, need to be propitiated the right way or else it can get on to ones mind, just like the Daivas.
The Mind should control Alcohol and not the other way around. But then some people drink to loose their minds, for them, control is an alien term.
As quoted rightly by Oscar Wilde ” Work is the curse of the drinking classes” we fail to understand the number of good working hours lost battling hangovers. Another emerging need for the hour is to bring and end to alcohol being sold in every household the alcohol dependent workforce in estates manage to stay drunk throughout the day because of easy availability.
This is an eye opening article which is rarely discussed in public domain.
The author’s sharp observation about liquor shops opening earlier than schools or libraries is not just an observation, but a mirror held upto our collective conscience. Her words remind readers that the ” spirits” haunting us are not merely from bottles, but from the habits and values we all allowed to fade away.
I would rate this article among the best coming out of Mamathas pen and what I have read so far. Mamtha has an uncanny eye to catch an othwise passable cartoon which many of us though having seen it would think and write the way she did.
Want to add another point to postscript. Though I am a teetotaler I think it’s important people don’t drink alone because the tendency to overdrink is much more when one is drinking alone without company.
Sadly majority of alcoholics drink not to enjoy the drink but to get drunk which is the main reason for alcohol abuse. As Mamtha has mentioned anything in moderation is good but I think somehow this doesn’t apply to Alcohol.
BTW about the cartoon the sage has hit the bullseye. In Coorg almost every one offers ALCOHOL AS MEEDHI before drinking, because they don’t want the spirit to haunt them after drinking.