The Memoirs of Jahāngīr (Jahāngīrnāma) 21.4.7

21.4.7

Sultan Mahmud, the father of Sultan Husain, and Shahrukh, both came to wait on me when I was prince. Although Sultan Husain is seventy years old, to all outward appearance there is no diminution in his powers, and he can still ride and be as active as possible. In this country they make buza (a beverage) from bread and rice, which they call sar. It is much stronger than buza, and the older it is the better. This sar is their chief sustenance. They put this sar into a jar, and fastening it up, keep it for two or three years in the house. Then they take off the scum and call the liquor achhi. The achhi can be kept for ten years, and according to them, the older it is the better, and the shortest time in which they use it is a year. Sultan Mahmud used to take cup after cup of this sar; nay! he would drink a jar of it. Sultan Husain is also addicted to it, and brought me some of his choicest quality. I took some in order to try it. I had also drunk it before. Its intoxicating effects are aphrodisiac, but its taste is harsh. It appeared that they mix some bhang (bang) with it, which increases its intoxicating power. If there were no wine, it could in case of necessity be used as a substitute. The fruits are apricots, peaches, and pears (?) (amrud).