Darwin kin says Mahua better than Scotch

Desi high: Darwin kin says mahua better than scotch Jaideep Deogharia, TNN, Nov 27, 2010, 12.14am IST HAZARIBAGH: It's time to say ''cheers'' to our desi brew mahua! Felix Padel, the great-great-grandson of Charles Darwin finds unadulterated mahua better than scotch for its better taste and 'kick'. A visiting professor of anthropology, Padel is presently engaged with Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA). He prefers mahua to scotch because ''it is not just good for health but also economical and great to taste.'' He went to the extent of saying that scotch and wine could face a tough competition in India if local varieties like mahua and salpo, a local brew from Orissa, are made available in their unadulterated form. ''It is surprising that Indians prefer French wine and scotch when they can drink fresh taadi, salpo, mahua or rice beer,'' said Padel. Padel, who played a pivotal role in the movement against bauxite mining in the Niyamgiri hills of Orissa, was here recently to understand the economics of coal mining in Jharkhand. While talking to TOI at one of the CCL coal mines in Hazaribagh, he spoke about tribal culture of which beverages form an integral part. A big fan of French wine and salpo (local liquor), Padel has closely studied various Indian liquors, most of them manufactured in tribal households. ''When I married an Oriya girl in 1993, my in-laws restricted us from consuming alcohol in the marriage ceremony which prompted me to look for alternatives,'' he said. He said he succeeded in convincing his father-in-law to serve a good local brew to his family members. It was then that mahua was served to most of his English friends and family members, who found the experience unforgettable, Padel recalled and added, ''My sister still asks me to bring her mahua whenever I go to visit her in England.'' ''I have observed tribals consuming home-made liquor and then toil in agricultural fields and mines, which makes me believe that the drink must be safe because their vigour and agility remain intact over the years,'' he said. Padel blamed commercial interest of traders for ruining the reputation of mahua, ''a sacred drink.'' ''A drink that forms part of the rituals was adulterated with chemicals and intoxicants to make it more pungent and strong so that it helps earn few extra pennies,'' said Padel. ''Mahua could have attracted foreigners had there been some effort to preserve the originality because the mahua served in tribal homes is completely different to what is available in the market,'' he pointed out.