HARIA-A BEVERAGE OF TRIBALS

Stall Reporter
Rice Bear or call it If aria very word rings a sense of familiarity among persons who have ever happened to live in the Chotanagpur plateau area.
Sights of some women sitting under a tree shade, serving some white beverage to some persons sit ting nearby are quite common all over the town. Any newcomer to the town often wonders what is it that men and women folks relish taking by the side of the r In due course he comes to know that beverage served from the earthen pots is very local beverage of the Chotanagpur area Haria.
‘Haria’ is actually a gift of the tribals to the Chotanagpur sub division. The tribals of the area feels so strongly about it that they even call it a spiritual drink. The bewarage has found acceptance among non tribals as well, owing to the fact it is seen as the cheapest alternative to the other liquors.
‘Haria’ joints have sprung up in a menacing pace in the factory area of the Heavy Engineering Corporation. It is common sight to find an office goer stopping by any of the ‘Haria’ joints taking swig from a glass, and then continue their onward journey. ‘Haria’ which used to be once tribals household treasure has lately hit the roads in pronounced way The tribal women folk have taken to this business, as it is one of the very few business areas where one can start off without any ready cash.
When males go out to their jobs, the women folk also embark on their business with a earthen pot, few glass, sea some salty eats, and some shaded tree overhead. Popularity of the beverage with the tribals and non alike has insured some degree of economic independence to the tribal women folks these days.
‘Haria as the very name suggests is a drink that u brewed by mixed dried boiled rice water and Ranu a locally made toxicated medicine The non trtbals have given it a new anglicized name ‘Rice Bear to give it a  semblance of respectability among non- tribals.
Every ‘Haria’ selling woman, earns Rs.20 on an average day selling 10 bottles a day. In HEC township area, the bewarage is rear popular among the non-tribals than the tribals. Buddhni, a Haria selling woman also attested the view by saying that tribals seldom come to partake of the bewarage as they get it at their home. Only non-tribals come to the joint as they don’t get it at their home, she added.
It is estimated that only in HEC township area alone more than thirty thousand rupees are earned through rice-bear selling.

With little bit of modernization in the distillation process, the ‘Rice- Bear’ of the Chotanagpur plateau area may leave all the brands of light beverages behind. The property in ‘haria’: to tackle effectively the stomach ailments due to high percentage of iron in the water, accords the beverage unparalled importance among all other drinks.