Air Indian Alcohol

An observation that struck me the most, even as I was still on the aircraft, was India's obsession with alcohol. Perhaps I am more aware of this owing to my Manglorean heritage. It is tradition for the men in the family, and sometimes the women even, to have a 'peg' every night. And more often than not, the singular form tends to the plural.

I first came upon this thought as I sat on my three hour journey to India on the national carrier - Air India. As the air hostess came to pass around refreshments, I noticed her enthusiasm at doling out large amounts of alcohol. Three glasses of whisky were offered to one person if they wished to have it and beer in equal quantities. When a single wine was asked for, she generously placed two miniature bottles. I refuse to believe that Air India is so profitable that it wishes to give off this much alcohol. And I wonder if the management has concoted strategies to get the passengers intoxicated. Perhaps once they are, they will not focus so much on the terrible food or service. Or perhaps they would no longer notice the aunty-looking air hostesses aboard the aircraft. That too can be the topic of a whole other blog. Whatever it may be, I found the need to intoxicate their passengers on a five o'clock flight highly amusing. I was very eager to voice my amusement, however refrained from doing so, only out of politeness. It sure did make up for the awful inflight movie, though. I remember it was called 'Lucky' but the large screen in the centre isle showed various explosions so perhaps it was meant to be ironical.

Air India sure does know how to entertain.

And perhaps it just introduces its passengers to this Indian tradition of consuming large amounts of alcohol. Realistically thinking about it, people all over the world drink. But let me substantiate India's obsession with it a little further.

As I jumped off the escalator and headed towards Passport Control, I caught the first sight of the Indian Duty Free. Without exaggeration, alcohol bottles of a variety of brands lined all the walls of the Duty Free. It appears that alcohol is the only good that is worth purchasing free of duty, for in this captalistic state, the large supply must only be to satiate large demand.

Continuing this trail of alcoholic amusement, it is most definitely amusing that a commodity I detest the most is the one that greets me at the entrance to the life I'm dreading the most.