History of the Khaljis, A.D. 1290–1320 c16.s1.11

c16.s1.11

The orders of the sultan had been carried to such an extreme to which perhaps even he himself did not want. He simply wanted that country wine, which is very intoxicating should not be drunk freely, openly or in large assemblies. As soon, therefore, as he came to know that wine drinking had been given up by the nobility and the respectable people of the city, and that the incorrigible *must* drink in spite of the severe punishments accorded to them, he relaxed his orders to some extent. He permitted private distillation and drinking in secret. In short, people were required to carry their wine like gentlemen and not to hold drink-parties. Nonetheless no public selling or use of wine was permitted.