Handia (drink) facts for kids
A bowl of Handia drink
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| Type | Rice Beer |
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| Place of origin | India |
| Region or state | mostly in Jharkhand & parts of Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh & Madhya Pradesh |
| Serving temperature | Room temperature |
| Main ingredients | Water, Alcohol, Rice |
Handia (also called handi or hadiya) is a special drink from the Indian subcontinent. It's a type of mild beer made from rice. You'll find it mostly in Indian states like Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and West Bengal.
What's in a Name?
The name Handia comes from the Hindi word Handi. This word means earthen pot. This is because Handia was traditionally made in these clay pots.
A Look Back in Time
People in India have been making fermented drinks for a very long time. Scientists have found signs of these drinks from the Indus Valley Civilisation. This was a very old civilization that existed between 3000 BC and 2000 BC.
Ancient Indian texts, like the Vedas, also talk about a drink similar to beer. It was called sura and was a favorite of the god Indra. Later, a wise person named Kautilya wrote about two rice drinks, Medaka and Prasanna.
Even a Greek ambassador named Megasthenes wrote about rice drinks. He visited India when Chandragupta Maurya was emperor. In his book Indica, he said Indians made their wine from rice, not barley. He also noted that they usually only drank it during special ceremonies.
How Handia is Made
Making Handia involves a few steps:
- First, special ranu tablets are used. These tablets are made from about 20 to 25 different herbs.
- These tablets act like a starter, helping the rice to ferment. They are also used for other drinks.
- The ranu tablets are mixed with boiled rice.
- This mixture is then left to ferment in traditional earthen pots.
- The drink is usually ready to enjoy within about a week.
- Handia is often served cool. It has a lower alcohol content compared to some other local Indian drinks.
In the past, Handia was mostly made for special events like weddings and feasts. But today, many people also sell it daily. This helps them earn money for their families.
