title: Drinking habits in ancient India.
abstract: Consumption of one or other form of intoxicating substances has been present throughout the history of the world. This article traces such use in the Indian subcontinent, both in North and South India. References to the use of intoxicants are to be found in the Vedas, the Great Epics, and the ancient Tamil literature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Madras Medical College, Institute of Mental Health, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Ottilingam
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Somasundaram
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Madras Medical College, Institute of Mental Health, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: D Vijaya
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Raghavan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Madras Medical College, Institute of Mental Health, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: A G Tejus
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Murthy
keywords: Aryans; Ephedra; Kural; Sangam; Tamil; Vedas; fly agaric; liquor; soma