Beyond beer and wine, discover the remarkable drinking culture of pre-modern India. Lauren Dogaer and James McHugh explore sura, soma, Sanskrit texts, and ancient Indian religion.
In the sixth episode of Drunk On History, host Lauren Dogaer talks with James McHugh, an expert in pre-modern India, Indian religion, and Sanskrit literature. Together, they explore what ancient Sanskrit texts reveal, and sometimes obscure, about alcohol consumption, moderation, and the remarkable diversity of intoxicating beverages in pre-modern India. Drinks such as sura and soma challenge the familiar beer, wine, and spirits categories often applied to other ancient civilizations. The conversation also examines the role of the state in regulating brewing, selling, and drinking alcohol, as well as how religious traditions including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism shaped attitudes towards intoxication. Who could drink, what they could drink, and in whose company were all influenced by religious and social norms. Although archaeological evidence is limited, Sanskrit literature offers a rich and fascinating perspective on drinking culture, one that is unlike any of the civilizations explored in previous episodes.
