The World of Courtesans c12.4

c12.4

Drinking was a necessary adjunct of the *vesha* culture and, therefore, mediaeval Sanskrit dictionaries contain the names of wines, the methods of fermentation, the ingredients used etc. There were regular inns and taverns known as *shunda*, *madhuvara* and *madhukrama* and people met there to drink (*sapiti*, *sahapana*, *apana*, *panagoshthika*) in cups (*galvarka*, *chashaka*, *anuvarshana*). The delicacies were *upadamsa*, *avadamsa*, *chakshana*, *madyapasana*.