Buying booze in Delhi

Had invited some friends over on Sunday, but had no booze to offer.

So, accompanied by my three-year-old, I got out to buy a few beers. My first stop was the local market. Asked the guy at a General Store, and he said "Mere ghar mil saktee hai" (You can find beer at my place) with a wink.

Then he felt pity for a man who was so desperate for a beer at 11 am that he didn't mind dragging his young daughter along. Anand Niketan Club khul gaya hoga. Wahan aapko bar mein beer mil jaayegi. (The Anand Niketan Club would be open. You can get a beer at their bar).

I explained to him that the beer was to be taken home for friends. He thought for a moment, consulted his Dad, and said "Phir to Vasant Vihar chale jaayeeye" (Go to Vasant Vihar then).

Vasant Vihar is barely a kilometre from my place but the construction of flyovers and heavy traffic on the roads usually discourages me from driving in that direction.

But it would be impolite not to offer a drink, so we made our way to Vasant Vihar.

The supply of booze in Delhi is controlled by the local Excise Department. According to its website, "The prime job of Excise Department is to regulate import and supply of liquor, intoxicants and narcotics (for medicinal purposes), the statutory powers for which are discharged under the Punjab Excise Act, 1914 and Medicinal and Toilet Preparation Act 1955. The Department grants L-1 Licences to Distilleries/Bottling Plants for the wholesale supply of IMFL and Beer in Delhi, while retail liquor trade in Delhi is mainly in the hands of the Government Undertakings for which a separate licence in form L-2 is granted".

Now don't ask me why the 1914 Act originated in Punjab or what has Toilet Preparation Act got to do with distributing liquor. I am as foxed as you are on the discovery, but will try and dig more over the course of the year.

At present, mainly four government undertakings retail liquor in different parts of Delhi - Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation, Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation, Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation and Delhi Consumer Co-operative Wholesale Store.


I am not sure which one of these owned the store I went to, but it bore the familiar signs of "Angrezi sharaab ki dukaan" (store selling English liquor) and "Chilled Beer Available" to attract punters. The opening time was 12:00, but the crowd had started forming since 11:15. All of them wanted a fix asap, but the contractors wanted people to wait until the stock was arranged, the store cleaned and the clock announced the arrival of mid-day.

My little girl seemed excited about coming booze-shopping with me. What will you have, Daddy? You like beer, don't you? And Mum likes red wine. What does Pervaiz drink?

The totally male crowd was both amazed and shocked at a three-year-old talk so knowledgeably about booze. Barah baj gaye na? (Isn't it 12?), someone asked. The others helpfully suggested that that was the case. "Nahin, abhi teen minute baaki hain" one of the workers at the store clarified. The three minutes passed, but they would still not start the sale.

That the competition in the sale of liquor is limited is quite obvious. But the returns must be too good for these guys not to risk their licences. With every minute that passed, the crowd was getting more impatient. Sir, kab khulegi dukaan? (When will the shop open?) they asked in turn, stepping over each other's feet to be first on the counter.

When the slowest clock in the store moved both the pointers to 1200, the counter opened. People jumped over each other to hand over cash and get their favourite tipple. There was no way I was risking my little girl in this mad rush, so we stepped aside and continued to talk about her visit to the Rail Museum.

The crowd was gone in 10 minutes. With no desire to endure this anytime soon, I got a dozen or so bottles and made my way home.