'Yu', not fully liberalised

Free Thinker *

Food Stall at World Tourism Day at Phayeng in September 2017 :: Pix - Shankar Khangembam

We normally try to get foreign liquor for getting a kick or organizing a party. It is true to the English speaking elitist crowd – bluntly the readers of this paper. And we normally discard 'Yu' (our local brew) as unhealthy and unhygienic. Actually we have completely underestimated its health benefits and economic potential.

'Yu' rice based beer/alcohol has been our cultural drink since ages. If properly fermented and produced with care it is a healthy drink . The so called elites do not promote it and they simply reject it as it is a drink for the laity. In fact in the good old days it was a fine drink for all including the Kings and nobles.

If drinkers start having local brew it will certainly give a boost to our economy. All will be benefited – the producers, sellers, transporters, exporters, hoarders etc. In fact we don't have data to ascertain how many of us take alcohol regularly.

According to an unreliable source nearly 40 percent of the people in the State consume alcohol. Out of this 12 present are women .This is one of the highest in the country; but much lower than Europe and America.

I am told that nearly half of the consumers are daily boozers. During prohibition days – it could have been very difficult to get alcohol, particularly the foreign liquors. Now there is enough relaxation and consequently it is not difficult to get the drinks – foreign or local.

During the strict prohibition days too there was hardly any problem getting the locally made brews .But the foreign liquors though available in black were extremely costly. Many black marketers had minted money from the long dry spell. Thanks to the Biren Singh Government for relaxing the prohibition norm – but we need to do more - complete emancipation is the need of the hour.

We can't always blame Covid-19 and Meitei–Kuki feud for our economic backwardness. I really don't know the relation between growth and calamities. But I do remember a few friends who made money during Covid. Even in this on-going Meitei-Kuki mess some might be minting money. For me 'Yu' can play a vital role in boosting our economy even during war.

Liquor and feast have been playing a great role in maintaining ethnic harmony in the State. Even during Christmas the valley crowd often went to the hills for Christmas and New Year parties and festivities. A kind of Bonhomie was there.

The hill men came down to the valley for selling their agro-horti-products and also for shopping for Bordin/Christmas. They were heavily overcharged by the traders and businessmen. But there was no bad blood.

Compared to the foreign liquor (real or virtual) our local 'Yu' is much better in terms of price and alcohol content. We can simply say it is cheap and best. One expert says, the alcohol content in 'Sekmai-Yu' is above 50 percent which is considered quite good by global standards.

Our local drinks are also quite reasonably priced. Common men can afford it . Even the best drinks (Machins) are not very costly. All our alcoholic drinks are rice based .Since our rice and water are tasty - our drinks are also tasty.

As compared to other local brews available in Goa, Sikkim, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and elsewhere our drink is much better in terms of taste and intoxication. This is not our claim – many outsiders and tourists have said it. Even the Japanese had said that 'Sekmai' is more potent than their Saki.

Britishers who were ruling us also started drinking local rice beer (Atingba) .Sometimes their liquor supplies from Calcutta or Silcher could not reach the officers stationed at Imphal . So, they started enjoying 'Yu'. It is recorded in history. Normally they consumed only Cider, Gin, Gimlet, Irish whiskey or Scotch (Scotland), English-wine etc.

Due to short supply they had to consume the local brew. We are told that the natives were asked to drink before they consumed the local 'Yu'. Later they became appreciative of the drink except for the smell.

Fortunately, till today our local brew industry is not controlled by Multinationals or big companies. So far brew production is purely a cottage industry activity. 'Yu' is basically home-made liquor from local rice. At the most we may call it a small-scale industry. Its expansion, further promotion and liberalization are required for our economic growth.

To my pleasant surprise, in recent times I have seen beautifully bottled and slickly labelled 'Yu' – now available in the specified shops in the bazaar. Thanks to the local entrepreneurs and manufacturers.

It is indeed encouraging. Still we need to do a lot regarding taste and content. The taste and aroma are important for the connoisseurs of drinks. If we can improve upon these – our drink can conquer the world in no time.

Honestly speaking 'Yu', Manipur's local brew can dominate the entire brew culture in the country if our people are allowed to do business freely. Let us open up further – liberalize to the maximum in terms of its production, procurement, packaging, sell, transport and export.

There should be no scope for monopoly on local brews. However the sanctity of exotic brews of Sekmai, Andro, Phayeng, Khurkhul etc., may be classified and safeguarded. Cheers!