The Elixir of Life
“Wine comes in at the mouth,
And love comes in at the eye,
That’s all we shall know for truth,
Before we grow old and die.
I lift the glass to my mouth,
I look at you, and I sigh.”
– WB Yeats
Introduction
‘Bottled poetry’ is how RL Stevenson described wine. Shelley and Yeats found in it an expression of love and longing. Alcohol finds many connotations in diverse cultures, some positive, some negative; but for the tribals of Central India, the mahua is both inebriation and reprieve, manna and magic, elixir, and ecstasy.
Mahua evokes millions of sentiments in the hearts of those who know what it is. It is a generous tree whose every part is of use – flowers, fruits, seeds, bark, and oil – particularly to those who live in the forest areas. But its most remarkable product is the liquor produced from the fermentation of its flowers.
The Mahua Liquor
Traditionally made by fermenting the soft, green, and white marble-like aromatic flowers in water and then distilling the resulting liquid, mahua is known for its sweet aroma and has been an important part of tribal culture for centuries in many parts of India.
A great, great grandson of Charles Darwin, Felix Padel, a distinguished anthropologist, stayed for a considerable time in the Bastar district of central India, and observed: ‘Mahua is to the Adivasis (tribals) in central India what wine is to the French, or whiskey to the Scots.’
Describing it as one of the ‘best drinks indigenous to India’, Padel described mahua as a clear, colourless, distilled liquid available in various proofs or strengths, with a sweet smell, and a fresh, fruity and heady taste.
Further extolling its virtues, Padel said: ‘The best thing is that it is natural. Good alcohol comes directly from nature whether Mahua or Scottish malt whiskey, or beer. The art of making Mahua and other tribal drinks like salpu (palm wine) and rice/millet beer is highly developed.’
Mahua is distilled like whiskey or vodka, is colourless, and comes in various strengths. Photo: Sriram Vittalamurthy
An Elixir par Excellence
Experts on beverages rate mahua as a flavourful beverage with a distinct character. Its distinct sweetness is attributed to natural sugars in its flowers. The nose is also sweet and floral. Its taste and aroma are often compared to honey, with a slightly bitter aftertaste. It is typically low in alcohol content, averaging around 6-8% ABV.
The texture of the drink is thin and watery. It is usually consumed at room temperature or slightly chilled. It is a nutritious drink, rich in carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. It is believed to have some medicinal properties and is used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine to treat various ailments.
Comparable to beverages such as mead and honey wine, mahua still enjoys a unique distinction among traditional beverages: its aroma and taste are highly prized, and it is considered a delicacy in the communities where it is produced and consumed.
Drinking Protocol
Drinking mahua is a social affair. Russell, in his book, mentions that ‘as a rule, one man does not drink alone’. There is no gender discrimination and no social taboo in areas where it is traditionally drunk. It is common to see husband, wife, neighbours and relatives making and drinking mahua together.
Several local legends subtly teach responsible drinking: the tribal deity Pashupati babbles like a parrot after drinking mahua; he drinks some more and roars like a tiger; and a few drinks later, he cannot stand on his feet and rolls on the ground like a boar. Many Gond artworks feature Pashupati with motifs of the parrot, tiger, and boar.
The mahua drinking protocol can be summed up as: ‘Iruk jodta hai; todta hai jab chhupke peete hai.’ This loosely translates to: mahua brings people together; it creates trouble when people drink in secrecy.
In Rituals since Eternity
‘In olden days, there were several epidemics caused by bacterial infection. Our forefathers sprinkled Mahua liquor to sanitise the place of worship, dead bodies, and boundaries of villages. We still follow it.’
No one is sure when it began, but mahua is an indispensable part of the life of most tribals of India, indispensable to religious ritual or at social gatherings. No ritual starts without a sprinkling of mahua.
Mahua plays a crucial role in three significant sanskars (rites): tonda(birth), manda (wedding) and konda (death). When a child is born, the umbilical cord is cut, and Mahua liquor applied on the navel. The cord is kept in mahua liquor before it is buried.
In Bastar, when a family contemplates a marriage proposal, they distil Mahua. If it is good, the proposal is accepted. At the wedding, after the offerings, guests are served alcohol. The mandap has a Mahua plant and is sprinkled with the liquor. In death, Mahua is crucial in the rituals to transform the spirit into a Pen. Afterwards, everyone drinks Mahua.
Gonds offer it to Pen, an ancestor who turned into a supernatural power. And you drink Mahua when you want to seal a deal and at the panchayat, fines for minor offences are paid in liquor.
(To Be Continued…)
scribo ad LX 