History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c26.s3.t6.2

v1.c26.s3.t6.2

Honey was considered stimulating, and therefore frequently banned to students, widows, those under a restrictive vow, and the like (Prakash, Om 1961, pp. 132-167). It was always pure even when taken out from the bowl of a mleccha, and was a constituent of madhuparka used to welcome guests, and a recommended food item during the rainy season (Ibid). Jains were strictly forbidden the use of honey (one of the 22 “uneatables”) since its collection was believed to entail loss of bee life (Sanghave, 1980, p. 259; Kannoomal, 1916, p. 78).