Alcoholism_Itch for society
Paradhi community is one of
the tribal community in India. It is mostly available in the state of
Maharashtra. This community is economically, socially and politically isolated community[ps1] .
I
was in the Shiroli village, Ghatanji Taluk, Yavatmal District. This village was
having different residential establishments according to caste. Paradhibeda and Kolambeda were the two areas where paradhi and kolam community
was residing. People in these two hamlets were socially, politically and
economically isolated. Basically, we cannot say that paradhi was excommunicated due to four varna system in earlier days
because they don’t have any religion. They were the tribal people. Due to their
isolated nature they were underdeveloped. This is my first inference from my
study.[ps2]
In
this village I was doing micro study on “effect of alcoholism on unmarried
children”. My study confined to alcoholism aspect of people and their effect on
children. But while interviewing families in Paradhibeda I have been exposed to stratified aspect of alcoholism.
There were some different replies from Paradhi
people on interview questions. In other part of the village people feeling
shame to say that their husband, father or son is alcoholic. But paradhi people they did not feel any
shame to say that they have alcoholic members in the family. They were happy
and enthusiastic to give me interview. They enjoyed my questions and most
shocking thing was that in one family mother was more alcoholic than father.
Female alcoholic member was common in paradhi
beda.
It
is said that if any habit like alcoholism is a part of culture of any community
it cannot be an issue but when it is denying development to that society then
definitely it is a thing to worry. In case of paradhi community same thing has been happening. They are not ready for any development
because the first step to come out from any problem or issue is to have
knowledge or realisation of the issue. Paradhi
community did not have any feeling that their alcoholic habit was an issue with
them. Due to this before three years when women were doing procession for
banning alcohol that time this movement got support from all hamlets except paradhibeda.
Most
vulnerable person of the paradhibeda
was child in the family and her mother. Many mothers expressed that there were
facing many problems due to husband’s alcoholic nature. They got -beating every
night, children also got beating from father, 70-80 % income wasted on liquor. In
this community people are getting addicted to alcohol at the age of 15-16
years.
I
have taken interview of a widow. Her husband was died before 5-6 years and he
left four children behind him. She was having 3 daughters of which elder one
(age 20 years) was mentally challenged and also having addiction of chewing
tobacco. She was having a son (age 12 years) who also addicted of tobacco. Most
concerning thing is that mother the head of family was a hardened drunkard. Now
days she was always on bed due to illness and liquor was major cause for
illness but she will never cease herself to drink liquor. In future if something happen with her then what would be the condition
of her children? Who will take care of her children? Already future of her
children is dark. What are the possible ways to come these children out from this
critical condition?
During
my study I met a person of alcoholic nature in same hamlet. His name was Vinod
Chavan. He was a staunch alcoholic person. I asked some questions which clearly
shown his shameless nature. He had no shame that he was beating wife, children.
He was enthusiastic to express himself about his alcoholic experience and also enjoying
my all questions. He was answering shamelessly. Here also one important thing
is that his wife also alcoholic. Both were under the kick of alcohol what would
happen with children?
After
experiencing all these things I am searching the possible ways for such issues.
It is real development issue. This alcoholism is itch of society and need to
remove from roots. But how?
Only
one solution to this issue which I mentioned earlier that to make them realize
that alcoholism is the major cause of your impoverish state. Apparently this
solution can be effective but in reality this issue is very difficult to solve.
According to one villager, there were many schemes implemented by government,
few of them gave benefit to this community also but it had no use. Alcohol
makes the community as well as social institution helpless. As soon as this
issue is under control it will be the beginning of new era of development for
this community.
This
issue is not in control of any one. Only force is the solution. In the past
this community was in the dense forest, far away from the development. There
are some private nursery which is not interested to admit children from paradhi
beda. Because it was general belief in the society that these children are of
alcoholic nature, using abusive words etc. Today also this community is
isolated mentally, they closed to cities physically but they still are in their
forest life mentally. Worst thing is that no one is there to tackle this issue.
Past generation has wasted their life, current generation is doing same thing
and future generation is on same path. Alcoholism is spreading across this
community like cancer and we are losing time in our hand. Only one concern is
that how to save future generation from this cancer.
Pravin
Maruti Bhikale
PDM
XV
Tata-DHAN
Academy
