Gatari Amavasya on August 1, which precedes the holy month of Shravan, marks the beginning of a time of abstinence for good Hindus.
Fewer customers turn up this year as inflation plays spoiler
Gatari Amavasya on August 1, which precedes the holy month of Shravan, marks the beginning of a time of abstinence for good Hindus. Many of them give up drinking and eating non-vegetarian food for the 40 days that follow. But, more often than not, they need some reinforcement to get through this difficult time - usually in the form of binge-drinking through the night on Gatari Amavasya.
This year, however, the city’s liquor store owners were taken aback: Unlike previous years, there was an unusually low turn-out of customers. There were fewer all-night revelers spilling out onto the streets, drunk, from homes and bars at midnight. Even traffic cops reported a slight drop in the number of drunk drivers they encountered this time (182, from 200 last year). “We were geared up for a rigorous drive because we were expecting a large number of drunk drivers this time,” a policeman said. “Since Gatari Amavasya leads to a month of abstinence, people have a tendency to consume a lot of liquor on this day.”
Liquor shop owners say inflation may have played spoiler. “Inflation has caused liquor prices to shoot up,” says Rupa D’Souza, owner of Simon Wines. “This is behind people drinking less, even on Gatari, as the common man can no longer afford liquor at the increased rates.” According to her, the price of country liquor has shot up by one rupee while some of the more expensive brands cost as much as Rs15 per litre more.”
Zend Zoras, owner of Peekay Wines, adds, “The number of people turning up on Gatari to purchase liquor was not exceptional. There was no mad rush; it was just like any other day.” In fact, Liquor shop owners said they expected large numbers to turn up and stocked up the previous day. With fewer people turning up, they have more bottles in the store than they can accommodate. An employee of a wine shop in the suburbs says: “We expected a rush of customers on Gatari like always, and had ordered more than the usual requirement. But since the number of people coming to buy this year has been less than usual, the shop floor is full of liquor cartons.”
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