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Reference to Gujarat, une cérémonie d'opium appelée la « coupe rouge » (red cup), lors de laquelle les chefs rajput partageaient avec leurs invités et les membres du clan une boisson en signe d'hospitalité, de réconciliation, d'amitié et d'alliance : « In times of peace and ease the Rajput leads an indolent and monotonous life […]. At this hour the chief gets up again, washes his hands and face, and prepares for the great business of the day, the distribution of the red cup, kusumba or opium. He calls together his friends into the public hall, or perhaps retires with them to a garden-house. Opium is produced, which is pounded in a brass vessel and mixed with water ; it is then strained into a dish with a spout, from which it is poured into the chief 's hand. One after the other the guests now come up, each protesting that kusumba is wholly repugnant to his taste and very injurious to his health, but after a little pressing first one and then another touches the chief 's hand in two or three places, muttering the names of Deos (gods), friends or others, and drains the draught. Each after drinking washes the chief 's hand in a dish of water which a servant offers, and after wiping it dry with his own scarf makes way for his neighbor » (cité in Russell 1916 : 424).Loin d'avoir disparu, ce mode traditionnel de consommation d'opium est aujourd'hui encore attesté dans les États du Rajasthan et du Gujarat, à proximité des anciennes routes commerciales et des grandes régions productrices d'opium 1 . La boisson d'opium faisait autrefois partie des pratiques de cour et, de fait, était rattachée à l'ancienne noblesse rajput du Nord-Ouest de l'Inde,