Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, Vol. I, Part I: History of Gujarat c19.s5.35.3

c19.s5.35.3

Both among the people and the kings of Gujarât¹³ wine was "unlawful and lawful" that is it was not used though no religious rule forbad its use. According to Al Masúdi (A.D. 943) a general opinion prevailed that India was the earliest home of order and wisdom. The Indians chose as their king the great Bráhmans who ruled them for 366 years. His descendants retain the name of Bráhman and are honoured as the most illustrious caste. They abstain from the flesh of animals.¹ Hindu kings cannot succeed before the age of forty nor do they appear in public except on certain occasions for the conduct of state affairs. Royalty and all the high offices of state² are limited to the descendants of one family. The Hindus strongly disapprove of the use of wine both in themselves and in others not from any religious objection but on account of its intoxicating and reason-clouding qualities.³ Al Bírúni (A.D. 970-1031) quoted by Rashid-ud-din (A.D. 1310) states that the people of Gujarát are idolators and notices the great penance-pilgrimages to Somnáth details of which have already been given.⁴ Al Idrisi (end of the eleventh century) closely follows Ibni Khurdádhah's (A.D. 912) division of the people of India. The chief exception is that he represents the second class, the Bráhmans, as wearing the skins of tigers and going about staff in hand collecting crowds and from morn till eve proclaiming to their hearers the glory and power of God.