Handia

Handia is a rice beer originating from the Indian subcontinent, popular in the Indian states of Assam, Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal. Handia comes from hindi word Handi (हांडी) which means earthen pot, where it was traditionally prepared. Evidence of fermentation and alcoholic beverages has been found in the Indus valley civilization during the Chalcolithic Period from 3000 BC to 2000 BC in India. In Ancient India, the Vedas mention a beer-like drink called sura. It was the favourite of the god Indra. Kautilya has mentioned two intoxicating beverages made from rice called Medaka and Prasanna. Megasthenes, the Greek Ambassador to Maurya Emperor Chandragupta Maurya mentioned about rice beer in his book Indica where he mention Indian make wine from rice instead of barley. He mentioned Indian never drink rice wine except during sacrifice.

Source: Wikipedia