There are times when I wonder how we have managed to circumvent the creation of an Indian equivalent of ‘Cheers’ after two centuries of being ruled by the Brits. I am often asked how we say ‘Salut’ in ANY Indian language, and I have to give a totally concocted explanation of alcohol being a social taboo in India until very recently (in the absence on any research material on the subject!!!). Cheers was the accepted word to toast to health or anything else,and one got used to that pretty early in life, given the ‘fauji’ environ. It never occurred to me that there is no equivalent for that word in an Indian language. Until I started drinking and was asked this question repeatedly by every foreigner I would meet. When I was taught to say ’Gan Bei’ ( which is probably Bottoms Up and not Cheers) prior to downing a tequila shot in Beijing, I wondered why a word or phrase had never been invented in India. Someone mentioned that an Indian acquaintance had told him people in India would raise a toast to long life. I have NEVER heard anyone do that. Nowadays, we frequently raise a toast, for a special occasion, but it isn’t a standard phrase that people use in a particular language.
When I screamed ‘Yamas’ in rakomelian delight and ouzoing happiness, I did take a moment to think what explanation I would give to the question that was sure to follow. Why couldn’t the cradle of civilisation come up with a phrase that would have put generations of indian travellers at ease every time there were in a bar, with a bunch of foreigners ? I mean we have ‘tullee’ , ‘bevdaa’ etc to describe homo intoxica , but ‘Prost’ never quite made it even to colloquial levels.
I guess it has to do with the culture of abstinence, and alcohol being labelled a vice in many of our ancient texts. Even today, most important state holidays are ‘dry’ days—and sale of alcohol on those days is prohibited. Prohibition itself, has had an interesting history in India, with states like Gujarat ( the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi–a champion of prohibition) having enforced prohibition for all of India’s independent history. The southern state of Tamil Nadu experimented with it for two decades, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana mostly for political reasons. Prohibition is even enshrined in our Constitution. Whether it is the negative portrayal in movies, or government retsrictions on advertising; alcohol as such is deemed a vice in Indian society.
The culture of wine, as an accompaniment to food, is virtually non-existent in India. In the past, perhaps only royalty was permitted such a vice 
Cutlture can never be used in the same sentence as alcohol in India; and the word wine, even by those that speak english is more frequently used with an ‘h’. Especially by the liquor barons !!
Whether it is the ‘bhang’ consumed on the festival of Holi, or the arrack and toddy shacks in coconut groves, not even the desi concotions haev inspired a phrase that can be considered a remote equivalent of ‘Slainte’. Recently, when I was ‘Serefe-ing’ in Taxim, Istanbul, I thought I would write to Vikram Achanta of Tulleeho fame and ask him to run a contest on suitable equivalents of ’L'chaim’. Before I say Chuckbey in Seoul. Or Kaampai on the streets of Kyoto.
I believe there is no equivalent for ‘Salud’ in the Arab world as well. I would not know because I have never had a drink in any Arab country. However, I know that in South-east asian Moslem nations like Indonesia and Malaysia, they is an equivalent. Cannot remember what the words were , because when I was in Malaysia I just said ‘Cheers’. No questions asked . Either way.
