The World of Courtesans c9.24

c9.24

The adventures of Sanudasa give clear proof that drinking was a common vice in the Gupta period. The merchant Sanudasa had a friend named Dhruva, who told him that a group of friends had decided to enjoy good food and drinks and watersport in a garden. Dhruva asked him to join them and bring a partner. Sanudasa at first refused the invitation. His plea was that bringing a partner would result in a drunken brawl. But later on he was persuaded to join the party. Dhruva made fun of him and said that if he did not want to drink himself, he could at least watch his friends and their partners enjoy their drinks. So both of them came to the garden and met the revellers who sported flowers and ornaments. A seat of tender mango leaves was offered to him in a bower. There he found his friends drinking in the company of their partners. Some of them sang the song of spring to the accompaniment of the *vina*. Then there appeared a man whose body was covered with moss and mud and who filled up a folded lotus leaf with wine, praised it and assured him that it did not taste at all like wine. The fool Sanudasa while drinking it remarked that it did have a very different taste and everybody laughed.