Toddy to Tequila: The Story of Alcohol in India-Sandhya Mulchandani

Book: Toddy to Tequila: The Story of Alcohol in India
Author: Sandhya Mulchandani
Publisher: Juggernaut

I was provided a media copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Have you explored the history of Alcohol in India?

Alcohol in India has never been just a drink; it has also been a ritual, a taboo, a temptation and a tool of power. Toddy to Tequila uncovers the deeper story, of how alcohol evolved alongside India itself. From Vedic altars and tribal stills to Mughal durbars, colonial taverns and today’s sleek distilleries, alcohol has been worshipped and banned, taxed and outlawed, served in earthen pots and showcased in jewelled goblets. It has served as sacred libation, social glue, political weapon and economic engine, reflecting the shifting currents of faith, class and authority. Tracing millennia of myth, medicine, empire and society, this book dismantles persistent notions about Indians and drinking, revealing instead a patchwork of traditions unique to the subcontinent. At its core are the people who brewed, celebrated, condemned and controlled alcohol: gods and ascetics, kings and soldiers, women distillers and reformers. India’s history of alcohol is ultimately a history of India itself.

Toddy to Tequila is a very well researched book that brings to light the entire journey of how Alcohol was treated and understood by the Indian people and culture. Through mythological stories and historical references, Sandhya explains how it evolved over the years from being the “Drink of the Gods” to something that should be prohibited. What I loved about the book is that each chapter is distinct and presents a different aspect of alcohol to us. Another aspect I really loved was that the book is structured in a linear fashion, so you start with Soma and Sura, and right down to the modern blends that we see. One fact that I learnt was about Varuni-the Goddess of wine, intoxication and divine liquor, and I think that says quite a bit about the research that would have gone into writing the book. Then there are quotes and sayings about drinking during the time of the Mughals and Alexander that highlight how intoxication was an important part of the culture of the time. In the last chapter, the author explores the representation of alcohol in Indian cinema, and how the Indian alcohol market is growing. The writing is quite gripping and even though it is a non-fiction book, the author makes it feel as if you are reading a story and keeps you hooked in the pages. The extracts from the references are interesting to read and understand the verbatim context of the scenario she is presenting in the book.

Overall, the book is a good reference for someone looking to understand the timeline and interpretation of it across the ages-from the gods to the modern humans. The book scores a 4.81/5 for me.

Grab a copy of the book on Amazon India or a bookstore near you.

P.S. The review does not promote consumption of Alcohol in any manner. The review is strictly for the contents of the book.

Wedding on the Maharaja Express-Prakhar Vishwani

Book: Wedding on the Maharaja Express
Author: Prakhar Vishwani
Publisher: Penguin India

I was provided a media copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

What if you could get married on the most luxurious train in India?

Vir has spent his life quietly loving Vani. Now, against all odds, he’s about to marry her on the opulent Maharaja Express―a moving palace for their week-long nuptials as they travel across India. But Vani doesn’t love him yet, so Vir makes a deal: if he can win her heart before the train reaches its final stop, the wedding goes ahead. If not, he walks away. As the Maharaja Express keeps moving, the dreamy destination wedding soon becomes a runaway train for family drama. Exes show up uninvited. Blackmail, ego clashes over regressive traditions and betrayals disrupt the celebrations. Then, after one explosive night, a guest is found dead. With the train derailed and no one allowed to leave, every passenger becomes a suspect. On the Maharaja Express, love is a gamble, and someone is willing to kill to win.

The premise of “Wedding on the Maharaja Express” is interesting. You put together 2 families in close quarters; sparks are sure to fly. Prakhar sets the tone of the story quite nicely and pulls you into the chaos almost immediately. The writing is gripping and fast paced, and at no point do you feel that the plot is dropping or lagging. The idea of a fairy tale wedding turning into a crime scene is well executed. What I loved about the book was the romance between Vani and Vir. Another aspect that is nicely captured are the family dynamics which are a part of any Indian family, and how that becomes a part of the entire storyline. What did not work for me in the book was the second half of the book, specially where the entire crime angle unfolds. The writing is quite hurried and as a reader you are confused as to what really happened. Prakhar unravels too many threads at once and you are left scratching your head trying to understand the reasons behind the murder and the entire investigative process, or rather the lack of it. Coming to the characters, while we see some bit of background on Vir and Vani, there is not a lot of background on the other characters. There are fleeting references to the life of a few characters, but that does not do justice to information required for a whodunnit.

Overall, I think the plot had good promise to be a wonderful story with a balance of a well written romance and a whodunnit, something I have been wanting to read for a long time. The book scores a 3.81/5 for me.

Grab your copy of the book from a bookstore near you or on Amazon India.