Nothing brings more discomfort to modern vice than a scuffing from elderly tradition. Tribal folk performers are now being used by state government-sponsored cultural troupes in rural Andhra Pradesh to campaign against alcoholism.

The project was implemented following a statewide ban on the sale of arrack from October 1 last year. Itinerant folk artistes underline to villagers the consequences of alcoholism through anecdotes, real-life stories and ballads.

So effective has the message hybridisation been that the audience is often moved to tears, says V Umachowdhury, a Harikatha artiste who has narrated episodes from the Mahabharata and real-life fatalities. A decidedly upbeat state government will now pay Rs 500 to each troupe, which will perform for six consecutive days each month in one division, says A Kameswara Rao, Vijayawada divisional public relations officer. Indications are that men are apparently spending less on liquor, and a demand for a ban on toddy is growing.