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Show (I . I Whai It Is Ho It Has Spi?eadTh?otigfe ih. -World-How It Has Beeii- Conquered ----- - 3 1 -r v ' -V - j' J ? a. . ,. j I Jfo. 20 A FlilNCE OF ANCIKXT KDIA. The prevalence, of drinking In India goes back to a3 remote a period as it does in China. During the reign of King Ajatasatru of JIaghada, who lived In the fifth century B. C. and whoso midnight pilgrimage to visit a maiden whom he loved is depicted in tho painting above, the craviug for alcohol al-cohol was so widespread that it was already a vice. The earliest written account of ancient an-cient India is found in the Rig-Veda, the sacred writings of the Brahmans. No one knows Just when theso folksongs folk-songs were composed. The Hindus maintain that they were first printed about tho year 30 Oil u. C, but European Euro-pean students think that 1400 B. C. would be nearer the truth. Some authorities au-thorities think that thy may have been composed about 1400 B. C, but that they were not written down until between' 000 and 200 B. C. But whatever what-ever view may be accepted, it is apparent ap-parent that they are among the oldest of known writings. Throuv'.h the Kig-Veda runs a constant con-stant stream of wine. The great god Indra, most beloved by mortals ot all the pagan deities, evidently had an insatiable thirst, for the Rig-Veda constantly con-stantly warna believers in Indra to pour out generous sacrifices of intoxicating intoxi-cating liquor to him. A drink called soma seems to have been Indra's favorite beverage. Whenever When-ever he fought against the forces of evil he prepared himself for combat by getting into a condition that would be described as gloriously drunk if he had been a mortal. And whenever he was most intoxicated then were his feats moat wonderful. In one hymn each stanza concludes with the line, "In the intoxication of soma see what Indra has done." He is praised for being be-ing so intoxicated that he could hardly hard-ly stumble along, and once he is said to have drunk so much soma that he had as much liquor within him as would fill a fishpond. Soma, the drink of the gods and restricted re-stricted to the priests and the wealthy among mortals, was made from the juice of a creeping plant which was diluted with water, mixed with malt and warm milk and then allowed to ferment. The poorer classes drank a stronger liquor which was called sura. This waa manufactured from a tall grass, but contained other ingredients water, wa-ter, honey, melted butter, curds and barley. At a later period it seems to have been made from rice, barley, black pepper, lemon juice, ginger and hot water, which does not impress one as a cooling drink for such a hot climate cli-mate as that which prevails in India. In-dia. Numerous other intoxicating drinks were known to India 2000 years ago, made from dates, honey, sugar, rice and a variety of palm. Today tho people of India as a rule might be considered very temperate. The upper and middle classes drink little if at all and they rank high for sobriety among all peoples of the world. The lower classes indulge more and the drinkers among them are especially fond of arrack made from rice. The English soldiers and officials offi-cials In India formerly drank heavily and in consequence proved quick victims vic-tims to epidemics of cholera. Today, however, tho danger of indulging In hard liquors In a hot climate has been so well impressed upon their minds that drunkenness is much less in evidence. |