That's the climate in which Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Mar Varkey Vithayathil, exhorted his flock to desist from alcohol on Christmas. Vithayathil's Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese says they are sending letters to over one lakh Catholic families, besides awareness campaigns and Sunday sermons on the evils of booze.
It may be a small step, considering Christmas is just one day out of 365. And the Archbishop has not ventured into the other big booze-guzzling day - the dawn of the New Year. But it's still a laudable effort, in a state where the government's steps have been mostly restricted to heavy taxes. Only that increased taxes lead to greater revenue for a government which complains of being perennially cash-strapped. Hooch (illicit liquor) tragedies, ranging from Vypeen in the 1980s to Kalluvathukkal in 2000 have caused the occasional jolt, but tipplers continue to go strong.
There's religious tradition too backing alcohol, in parts of Kerala. The Malabar region has the Parassinikadavu Muthappan Temple near Kannur, where it is customary to offer toddy to the deity Muthappan (a form of Shiva)
Public figures haven't helped matters, failing to come to the forefront expressing concern. Some of them instead have gone to the other extreme, such as Mohanlal and this controversial ad campaign for a whisky brand.
Does a celebrity with mass appeal in Kerala like Mohanlal need an explicit liquor ad for some extra pocket money? Sadly this image of Mohanlal is very much in synergy with many of his recent 'male machismo' films.
The Archbishop's call for a 'dry' Christmas may just remain a cry in the wilderness in a state where his followers quote Jesus Christ turning water into wine to support their thirst for liquor. But the Syro-Malabar Church's concerted campaign is a good beginning, as long as it remains a campaign and not a diktat.
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