Dr Sarath Obeysekera

I remember the days we studied in Russia during Breshnew’s  time ,communism was in full swing , Vodka bottle of 40 Degree alcohol strength sold at 3 Roubles 50 Kopkes ans add another  12 kopeks  for the bottle .There were no screw caps which can be used to seal the ¾ litre Vodka bottle (If it is partly consumed)  but a flip top cap which should be tared  opened and use the whole bottle at once .It is hardly chilled but usually divided in to three glasses ,and gulped neat by three workers ( Rabbothiki ) and students. In the evening you may see a worker ( after hard days work) standing by the Gastronom where Vodka ( similar to cheap version like Gal Arrakku –They say made from Petroleum by product ) is sold .He will keep three extended fingers on his chest and show two fingers out of three to indicate he needs two more contributors to buy a bottle where each will dole 1 rouble 20 kopeks  to make 3,rouble 62 kopeks .Hardly anyone buyes Port Vine which in 1/3^rd  of vodka price because it is of awful taste and you get  hangover .

Sometime they will have a peice of Pork Fat ( called Salo) and black bread wrapped in Pravda” news paper to use as a bite” which they call Sakuuska”

USSR was thriving on Vodka sales and government coffers need the income to pay salaries .I was working in an Oil /Gas field near Siberia in a town call Orenburg where we repaired oil well equipment .One week, State decided to not to sell Vodka to curtail alcohol consumption .and the Gatronom did not have money to deposit in State Bank to pay salaries.

All the substitute alcohol constraining bottles like Audi colon ( Perfumes) vanished from the shelves ,There was no boot legging as vodka was flowing freely .

Beer was so scarce commodity, and in Winter Fat Russian Middles aged tough woman will sell beer heated in a kettle on road side.

Al of a sudden people get to know of Bulgarian beer bottles in a Gatronom and  every one rush and buy cases of beer ( ½ Litre bottles) and take home ,On the way they may find Dry Fish ( small fish of 6-7 inches) and take for Sakusaka !

There was a beer bar in Central Moscow where we stood in the queue to get in to drink Daft Beer ( a Luxury) in heavy winter ,and all of them carried  dry small fish to use as Sakuusaka.

Wooden tables of the beer bar is full of somewhat smelly salty fish skin which we consumed with full satisfaction.

If I want to have a more refined Liquor ,Armenian Koniak was available at high prices or Stoleeshshnaya vodka for  4 Roubles 12 kopeks . If you want export quality Vodka made form potato ,can be bought in a Dollar Shop ,usually sold by Diplomats ( including Sr Lankans) who want to make a fast buck .Stoleshnaya Sold in Dollar shopes  foreign currency Coupons, have a screw type cap ,We made Screw Driver – a cocktail where tomato juice is poured in to glass and pour few ML vodka which floats on the juice like Oil .Then you gulp it followed by the Tomato Juice !

This was the life in such a growing country like USSR those days .

What I want to highlight is how popular beer an dry fish were during Good old days .

Today in our budget we have cheaper Dry Fish and cheaper Beer ,We can go back to an era equal to Communist Russia ,where people never complained .They lived  happily.

I also heard one Minister lamenting about Beer prices and the other one demanding cheaper Gal Arrakku” !

When we have more representation of women in legislature and a woman finance minister, I am sure that they will prohibit liquor sales and make this country like Gujarat where Mahatma Gabdhi was born –A Dry State-

Let us be an intoxicated country so that people will forget about everything including Saitm,Bond Fiasco ,Petroleum Shortages .Highway robberies ,and Hambantota …………..

Dr Sarath Obeysekera