Alcoholism_Itch for society

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

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