ALCOHOLIC FERMENTATION TECHNOLOGY IN VEDIC PERIOD

Article Abstract by: nandlal

Original Author: Nand Lal Singh, Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, Varanasi,India.

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ALCOHOLIC FERMENTATION TECHNOLOGY IN VEDIC PERIOD

Nand Lal Singh, Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, Varanasi,India.

ABSTRACT
Evidence exists throughout recorded history to indicate that each society developed an alcoholic beverage of its own by fermentation. The Vedas are the main scriptural texts of the Sanatana Dharma, and are a large corpus of texts originating in Ancient India. The Vedic litreture supports that somarasa was considerd as the divine drink offered to Gods contemplated with medicinal efficacy, used as natural restorative for health. The fact that Rigvedic people knew fermentation of drinks is evident from the hymns praising somarasa. There are about 120 hymns praising it. Soma is an invigorating plant product generally prepared by squeezing juice from plants. There are many statements in Rigveda which gives an indication of fermentation. The Sukla Yajurveda describes the formation of two stimulating drinks – Sura and Parisrut . Fermentation products, arista, asava and sura , were considered potent medicinal drugs in Vedic age. In the post Vedic period, two new preparations known as vinegar and liquor from bread were added by adopting new technologies. The Katyayana Srauta sutra also gives a complete description of the preparation of Sura. There are many references to the medicated liquors and a number of other fermented liquors with their respective medicinal values are found in Caraka and Susruta -Samhitas . Sussruta Samhitaa has mentioned many varieties of Soma based on the differences in their habitat, name, shape and specific potencies. It concludes that the history of fermentation technology in India from the ancient times onwards includes a variety of techniques which resulted in a rich repertoire of alcoholic beverages and allied products. This paper aimed to chart out the facts relevant to the regime of Soma Rasa drink in Vedic era.

Published: July 09, 2007

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