Car-o-bar: The unofficial way of creating a bond with people

Car-o-bar is a term which my drinking buddies will understand very well. But for those who are hearing the term for the first-time car-o-bar means having your drinks (Alcoholic) within a moving or a stationary car along with friends. It is defined as a state of drinking which hangs between having drinks at home or having drinks in a bar or a restaurant.

In terms of acceptance, neither the society recognises it nor the law. It means everything about the car-o-bar is unofficial. At home, your wife will never come to know about it while at the site (place of drinking), the authorities will fail to locate it. I am not so sure about its status in the rest of the world but in India, it’s a popular way of socializing with friends.

It’s difficult to say when the concept originated but I am sure ever since cars became popular in our country, car-o-bar also became popular. Few other factors have also fueled the growth of the car-o-bar in India. Drinking in a bar or a restaurant with friends is an expensive affair and the frequency is limited to probably a couple of times in a month. Drinking at home with friends is constrained by many factors like kid’s examinations, restrictions put by spouse, spouse in a foul mood, your non-drinking in-laws visiting you at home and so on.

Car-o-bar, however, remains one of the most popular ways of de-stressing. The situations that lead to people having drinks at a car-o-bar are different and this is what I am going to talk about.

Car-o-bar at Weddings

Weddings in India are a big display of grandeur and pomp. It’s a congregation of people of all age groups – young and old and generally takes place on an auspicious days. A lot of elders in the family attend to give their blessings to the newly-wed. Large gatherings, presence of elders and auspicious day all make weddings  an occasion where drinks are not served. This is a big disincentive to all the thirsty souls who are attending the wedding.

It is at this point that car-o-bar comes to your rescue. One of the most enterprising guys at the wedding (generally the groom’s friend or brother) takes up the responsibility on his shoulders and opens a bar in the boot of his car. You don’t need a GPS to locate the car. Just keep an eye on all the husbands who have come for the function and make a disappearance act after an introduction phase. Keep following them and you will land up at car-o-bar.

A session in progress

The scene outside the car is a bit crowded. Liquor is unlimited but water, ice, and glasses are in short supply. You have Black Dog and 100 Pipers in Whisky, Old Monk and Bacardi in Rum and Smirnoff in Vodka. Beer is normally avoided as the idea is to go for the stronger variety that gives a long-lasting effect.

The seniors at car-o-bar are accorded full respect and given the choicest of whisky in glasses. The guys serving them are the groom’s friends. The younger lot which is more comprising prefers to drink from the same glass. After all drinking from the same glass brings the feeling of brotherhood. One of the friends has tipped the waiter at the wedding venue and there is an over-supply of snacks (also called chakhna). The roof of the car becomes the dining area with snacks lying on paper plates.

Everybody is enjoying

There is a feeling of fun and brotherhood at the venue. People from all age groups mix around with seamless effort. The serious kind whom nobody have ever seen laughing are seen cracking jokes. Friends are a bit surprised that one of their college professors is also standing with glass and having a smoke. People are standing in groups as per their age groups. All kinds of topics are being discussed. Pro-PM and Anti-PM opinions are expressed strongly. Few of the youngsters are seen gulping down the drinks fast as DJ has just started the beats.

Half-way through there is a change of lot. One of the senior can be seen rushing back to the venue as his son has just come and rung the alarm bell, “Dad, mom is looking around for you for some time!” The ones who have satiated their souls are rushing back to the venue to check on the whereabouts of their better-half.

The Baraat (Groom’s guest) has just arrived. A new lot who have danced to all the Punjabi numbers join the group to recharge their batteries. By this time the stocks are also running low.

Car-o-bar after Karobaar (Work)

This kind of gathering takes place generally on a Friday evening after office hours. The more the stress at office, the more such kind of gathering tend to happen. Normally the gathering is impromptu. A couple of friends decide that being a Friday evening they need to recharge their batteries. Calls are made over extension-line to those present in the office and on mobile to those who are out in the field.

The Planning begins

As these are self-financed gatherings, the best of the brands may not be available. But the drinking community is a compromising lot. They will accept any brand even if it is low-end IMFL (Indian Made Foreign Liquor). The organizing committee allots a role to each individual in the team. Two of them arrange the drinks, another one volunteers and allows his car to be used for car-o-bar. A convenient parking place away from the crowd and the authorities is identified. The participating members are informed about the time and venue.

The discussions start with office politics. The main target of the group is the Boss and if Boss happens to be a part of the group then the CEO or the senior management. All the employee-unfriendly policies are discussed threadbare. Few of the disgruntled lot discuss how nepotism will kill the organisation. The new lot which has joined recently on heavy packages are the target of criticism. The topics for discussions range from promotions, increments, unachievable sales targets, demotivation, etc.

It also happens when a thirsty soul is returning home

This situation happens when your house is under prohibition. There can be several reasons for prohibition- spouse wants you to follow a healthy regime, you are setting a bad example in front of kids, spouse and you recently had a big show-down, etc.

You check with one of your friends and offer him a ride back home. On the way back, you stop at the nearest liquor joint and buy a brand of your choice along with some disposable glasses and peanuts. The driver is instructed to keep an eye on the road while you gulp down a couple quickly during this last-mile drive back home. Your friend who is also facing a similar situation at home enjoys your company and both of you bitch about office politics.

Just when you are about to reach home you try to kill the smell with a mouth freshener. It can be elaichi or a pan or a mint toffee. Once back home you tend to act normal, tired from a full day office work. If you get through the spouse scanner eyes, you consider yourself lucky and if caught you put the entire blame on the friend who accompanied you.

A piece of gentle advice from the author for all my drinking buddies: Car-o-bar once in a while is a good way to de-stress but don’t make it a habit which you may find difficult to get rid of after some time.

Read more such stories on my blog:

The Indian Tea: A beverage popular with all ages

Dining out with family and friends: An expensive affair

The Art of Making Tea: My cup of tea is different from yours