গাত নাই চলি বাঁকলি,
মদ খাই তিন টেকেলি।
Gat nai chal bakali,
Mad khai tin tekeli.
He has nothing to cover himself with,
But he drinks three pots of rice-beer.
চাল literally skin, মদ is লাও পানি (lao pani) or the Bengali “ pachanai, which is a liquor fermented from boiled rice. মদ is largely drunk by the aboriginal people of Assam-Kacharis, Miris, and Deoris are particularly fond of it. It is not an unpleasant drink when fresh, its taste being a bitterish sub-acid. Hodgson gives the following description of how the Bodo (Kachiri) brews it :– “The grain is boiled; the root of a plant called, আগেচিতা, ‘agechta, is mixed with it; it is left to ferment for two days in a nearly dry state; water is then added quantum suficit; the whole stands for three or four days, and the liquor is ready. In Goalpara the ‘bora mad,’ which is the ‘mad' of the Rabhas, is a fermented liquor made from bora dhan. The follow ing ingredients also are added :-leaves of the jack tree, leaves of a plant called ‘bhatai tita, and long pepper. The Assamese ‘mad’ is very similar in taste to the Naga ‘zu,’ although the former is perhaps preferable.”
The proverb applies to an extravagant drunkard. Christian gives a Bihar saying, which it is interesting to quote, because it expresses the same idea, i.e. (maur na jure tari)= "He cannot afford rice gruel, yet he drinks toddy!”
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মনে মুখে আছে মহৰ গাখিৰে কাঁহৰ বাটিয়ে নাই।
Mane mukhe achhe mahar gakhire ka(n)har batiye nai.
He has the mind and mouth, but has not the vessel or the buffallo milk.
