Alcohol has been present in India for a long time now. It is believed that Sura, an alcoholic beverage brewed from rice, wheat, sugar cane juice and other fruits was Lord Indra’s favorite drink. In fact, ancient texts such as Ayurveda conclude that if consumed in moderation, alcohol can be used as a medicine. However, in Karnataka’s Devadurga. Alcohol speaks a different story. Devadurga, located around 60 kms from Raichur, has below national average literacy rate. Studies show neighborhood poverty and limited availability of employment options shape alcoholic behavior. The case of Devadurga is no exception.
Ashok, a farmer by profession, says, “If I have to leave alcohol, I will leave my house and work also.” Ashok’s ancestors moved to Devadurga a few decades ago. He is a farmer by profession. He lives with his son’s family in a banjara camp. He says he drinks 3 bottles a day but has no health issues. His son, Ganesh, says otherwise, “My father has a lot of health issues. He is lying right now.”
Ashok says, “I drink cause it helps me relieve arm pain. I drink in the evening and then take painkiller medicines at night. During the day I feel lethargic because of this. But I still drink because it makes my pain go away.” He points towards his son and says, “he doesn’t give me any money, not even one rupee. Because of this I get more tense and I drink.”
On the other side of Devadurga, there is Lata. A woman in her mid 30’s, Lata, now has no place to call home because of her alcoholic nature. She often spends her time roaming on the streets. Her brother’s family pays her money for food but she spends it all on alcohol. Out of the desire to eat, she often tries to steal mid day meals from the nearby government school.
Doctors say out of all the patients they see, more than 30% of them have liver and kidney complications due to excessive drinking habits. With no proper de addiction centers in place, residents of Devadurga are unaware of the consequences of alcohol consumption.
Patients often flood the corridors of the hospital complaining of stomach ache and convulsions.
Dr. Gangadhar, general physician at the local govt hospital explains, “The liver gets damaged as the patient goes on drinking. I see patients who become chronic drinkers, then when they don’t get money for a few days and have nothing to drink, that time, the patient will have severe symptoms, there will be agitation, tremors. In severe cases, they also become psychiatric patients.”
He adds, “My patients say that they are very hard workers so their body is mostly in pain. They ask me how many days we have to take medicines? They believe just by drinking some quantity of alcohol, they will get some good sleep. That’s the reason they gave me.”
90 year old Kasturi used to be a regular patient at the taluk government hospital. However, after losing her eyesight due to excessive drinking, she has now stopped visiting doctors and in fact has accepted her fate.
She insists that she is fine but her inability to see and comprehend words tell otherwise.
Grassroot level NGOs such as Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP) that work in the taluk to eradicate alcoholism emphasize on the impact on families. Like Kasturi’s son and Ashok’s family, several families in the taluk are concerned about the bane of alcohol. The following data sets explain- a) source-wise excise revenue by Karnataka govt, b) production of alcohol, and c) sale of alcohol
Mr. Rajesh, field officer at SKDRDP explains, “ Alcoholism is prevalent here mostly among daily wage laborers. They work daily, they get money, so they drink. This is not a problem by birth but the situation and environment makes them drink. When you see the family background, father is an addict, mother has to work, she gets Rs. 150-200 per day. With that much, to sustain life it’s hard. So while they’re going to work, they take their children. This is common here. Due to this, these children are not even getting involved in cultural activities or anything.”
Residents also blame cheap prices of alcohol for causing addiction among their family members. In the local government liquor shops, popularly known as MSILs, a quarter of an alcohol bottle can be bought for less than 50 rupees. In fact, the annual report (2022-23) of State Excise Department, Karnataka reads:
As the sun sets over Devadurga, a whisper of hope lingers in the air. It echoes the resilience of its people who dream of a future where prosperity replaces struggle and where alcohol is a choice not a crutch.
