[2] Handia comes from the Odia, among other Indian languages, "handi" (ହାଣ୍ଡି) which means earthen pot, where it was traditionally prepared.

[6][7] Kautilya has mentioned two intoxicating beverages made from rice called Medaka and Prasanna.

[8][9] The making involves the use of ranu tablets, which is essentially a combination of about 20-25 herbs and acts as a fermentor.

The ranu tablets are then mixed with boiled rice and left to ferment in earthen pots.

[3] Earlier it was only used in marriage functions and feasts, but it has since been commercialised, as people started selling it daily due to economic reasons.