Can Hindus consume alcohol, or any intoxication?

I am a Hindu, and I guess I'm very orthodox. It sounds absurd to ask, but I am very hazed about this. When I went to Calcutta, I saw that in Kali Puja, they kept a small bottle of alcohol before they even started the puja. A lot of my relatives do drink, but it actually their choice of drinking or not. The only thing I do not consume is beef. That's all I do. But I am very hazed about this.