Bhang
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Bhang(IAST:Bhāṅg) is anedible preparationmade from the leaves of thecannabisplant originating from theIndian subcontinent.[1][2]It has been used in food and drink as early as 1000 BC inancient India.[3][4]Bhang is traditionally distributed during the spring festival ofMaha ShivaratriandHoli.[5][6]Bhang is mainly used in bhang shops, which sell the cannabis-infused Indian drinks bhanglassiand bhangthandai.[7]
Western documentation
[edit]Garcia de Orta,aPortuguese Jewishphysician based inGoa,wrote extensively onbanguein hisColóquios dos simples e drogas da India(1563),[8]including its recreational use byBahadur Shah of Gujaratand by many Portuguese.[9]He explicitly rejected the notion of the Indian plant that producesbanguebeing the same as the European hemp plant (alcanave).[10]
In 1596, aDutchman,Jan Huyghen van Linschoten,wrote three pages on "Bangue" in a work documenting his journeys in the East. He also mentioned the Egyptianhashish,the Turkishboza,Turkishbernaviand the Arabicbursjforms of consumption.[11][12][13]Despite the other accounts, the contemporary historianRichard Davenport-Hineslists the late-17th-century[14][15]and early-18th-century British adventurerThomas Bowrey[16][17][18]as the first Westerner to document the use of bhang.[19]
Preparation
[edit]
Usingmortar and pestle,the leaves of cannabis are ground into a paste which can be added to foods. For a beverage it is mixed with milk and filtered, then often flavored withkusha grass,sugar, fruit, and various spices. InMathurait can be found in bhangthandaiand bhanglassi.Bhang is also mixed withgheeand sugar to make a purplehalva,and into peppery, chewy little balls calledgoli(which means "tablet" as well as "pill" ) in Hindi. Another form isbhangchutneyalso called 'bhangeera ki chutney', a dish served inKumaoni cuisinefromUttarakhand.It is made from grinding cannabis/bhang seeds with mint, tomatoes and different spices.
Culture
[edit]
Bhang is part of the ancientHindutradition and custom in the Indian subcontinent. In some parts of rural India, people attribute variousmedicinalproperties to the cannabis plant. If taken in proper quantity, bhang is believed to curefever,dysentery,andsunstroke,to clearphlegm,aid indigestion,increaseappetite,curespeech imperfectionsandlisping,and give alertness to the body.[20][failed verification]
Bhang lassiis a preparation of powdered green inflorescence with curd and whey put in a village blender (a hand blending operation is carried out until the butter rises). It is regarded as tasty and refreshing. It is legal in many parts of India and mainly sold duringHoli,whenpakorascontaining bhang are also sometimes eaten.Uttar Pradeshhas licensed bhang shops, and in many places in India one can buy bhang products and drink bhang lassis. Some states such asBiharandWest Bengalalso allow the production of bhang. States likeRajasthando not allow production of bhang but do allow procurement and sale of bhang from such states where production is legal.[21]
The tradition of consuming bhang lassi duringHoliis particularly common in North India where Holi itself is celebrated with a fervor unseen elsewhere. Bhang is heavily consumed inMathura,an ancient town of religious importance to the Hindus.[22]Here the practice is believed to have been introduced by the followers ofShivaand has stayed ever since.[23]They begin the preparation bySanskritchants and recitation of prayers.[citation needed]In Mathura, some people take bhang to work up their appetite while others do it to de-stress.[citation needed]But the hub of bhang use isVaranasiwhere the bhang is prepared on its famous ghats.[24]
Bhang is also available as bhang goli which is just freshly ground cannabis with water.[citation needed]Apart from this, sweetened bhang golis are also widely available; these are not considered a drug, but a traditional sleeping aid and appetizer.[by whom?]Bhang goli has metabolizing effects after approximately two hours, sending a user into a dreamlike meditational state.[25]Bhang is also part of many[which?]Ayurvedicmedicinal preparations. Bhang powder is available legally at ayurvedic dispensaries.[26]
Legality
[edit]
The 1961Single Convention on Narcotic Drugswas the first ever international treaty to have included cannabis (or marijuana) with other drugs and imposed a blanket ban on their production and supply except for medicinal and research purposes.[27]However, the Single Convention's definition of 'cannabis' does not include the leaves of the cannabis plant, thereby preserving the legality of bhang culture in India.[28]
Regardless, as bhang has served such an important role in India's culture and spiritual practices, it would be impossible to criminalize cannabis completely in the country.[neutralityisdisputed]Important festivals such asHoliandMaha Shivratrihave traditionally seen people consume bhang during various local festivities. Cultivation of cannabis is government regulated.[29]
India
[edit]According to theNarcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act of 1985:
"cannabis(hemp) "means-
(a)charas,that is, the separated resin, in whatever form, whether crude or purified, obtained from the cannabis plant and also includes concentrated preparation and resin known as hashish oil or liquid hashish;
(b)ganja,that is, the flowering or fruiting tops of the cannabis plant (excluding the seeds and leaves when not accompanied by the tops), by whatever name they may be known or designated; and
(c) any mixture, with or without any neutral material, of any of the above forms of cannabis or any drink prepared therefrom.
As bhang is prepared from the seeds and the leaves of the Cannabis plant, it is not banned under the NDPS Act of 1985. However, some states do regulate and ban the sale and consumption of bhang. Bhang can also be used in the form of medicine if the patient has a prescription from anAyurvedicpractitioner.[26]
In states where sale of bhang is legal, bhanggolisorgolasare sold openly at places likepaanshops with little to no regulation at low prices.[25]
See also
[edit]
- Bhangmeter
- Cannabis in India
- Charas
- Desi daru
- List of Indian beverages
- Majoun
- Siemieniotka
- Spiritual use of cannabis
- Cannabis and Sikhism
- Bhangi Misl
References
[edit]- ^Torkelson, Anthony R. (1996).The Cross Name Index to Medicinal Plants, Vol. IV: Plants in Indian medicine, p. 1674, ISBN 9780849326356, OCLC 34038712.Taylor & Francis.ISBN9780849326356.
- ^Helen Schreider;Frank Schreider(October 1960). "From The Hair of Siva".National Geographic.118(4): 445–503.
- ^Staelens, Stefanie (10 March 2015)."The Bhang Lassi Is How Hindus Drink Themselves High for Shiva".Vice.Archivedfrom the original on 11 August 2017.Retrieved10 August2017.
- ^Courtwright, David T. (2009).Forces of Habit.Harvard University Press.ISBN978-0-674029-90-3.Archivedfrom the original on 20 April 2023.Retrieved16 June2019.
- ^"Right kick for day-long masti".The Times of India.16 March 2014.Archivedfrom the original on 17 April 2019.Retrieved7 April2019.
- ^"Holi 2014: Festival Of Colors Celebrates Spring (SONGS, PHOTOS)".Huffington Post.16 March 2014.Archivedfrom the original on 17 March 2014.Retrieved17 March2014.
- ^"Thandai in Mumbai: 12 bars in the city to get more bhang for your buck".GQ India.9 March 2020.Archivedfrom the original on 30 October 2020.Retrieved5 August2020.
- ^"GARCIA DA ORTA".antiquecannabisbook.Archivedfrom the original on 29 October 2020.Retrieved5 August2020.
- ^Ball, V. (1889). "A Commentary on the Colloquies of Garcia de Orta, on the Simples, Drugs, and Medicinal Substances of India: Part I".Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy.1:381–415.ISSN0301-7400.JSTOR20503854.
- ^"GARCIA DA ORTA".reefermadnessmuseum.org.Archivedfrom the original on 29 October 2020.Retrieved5 August2020.
- ^Booth, Martin (30 September 2011).Cannabis: A History.Random House. p. 95.ISBN978-1-4090-8489-1.Archivedfrom the original on 20 April 2023.Retrieved5 November2020.
- ^"Voyage of Huyghen Van Linschoten to the East Indies".gexabo.yn.fanypy.pw.Archived fromthe originalon 27 October 2020.Retrieved5 August2020.
- ^Burnell, Arthur Coke & Tiele, P.A. (1885).The voyage of John Huyghen van Linschoten to the East Indies.from the old English translation of 1598: the first book, containing his description of the East. London: TheHakluyt Society.pp.115–117.Full text at Internet Archive.Chapter on Bangue.
- ^Davenport-Hines, Richard (10 November 2003).The Pursuit of Oblivion: A Global History of Narcotics.W. W. Norton & Company.ISBN978-0-393-32545-4.
- ^Kenneally, Christine (29 September 2002)."The Peace That Passeth".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Archivedfrom the original on 25 July 2020.Retrieved5 August2020.
- ^"1675: English sailors get high on cannabis in India".Past Peculiar.16 September 2013.Archivedfrom the original on 20 April 2023.Retrieved5 August2020.
- ^Wigmore, James (10 January 2019)."First Description of Cannabis Use in 1675".ResearchGate.doi:10.13140/RG.2.2.15228.39042.
- ^Kennedy, Maev (25 February 2006)."17th-century cannabis pioneer's journal found".The Guardian.ISSN0261-3077.Archivedfrom the original on 10 June 2021.Retrieved5 August2020.
- ^Davenport-Hines, Richard (2001).The Pursuit of Oblivion: a global history of narcotics 1500—2000.London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. pp. 1–2.ISBN0297643754.
- ^Holi Festival,archived fromthe originalon 17 October 2016,retrieved8 June2019Tradition of Bhang
- ^"Rajasthan Excise Department Website: Licensing Issues - BHANG".rajexcise.gov.in.Archived fromthe originalon 24 June 2021.Retrieved23 June2021.
- ^Dikshit, Rajeev (17 March 2016)."Mathura beats Shiva's Kashi in bhang binge".The Times of India.Archivedfrom the original on 27 June 2021.Retrieved23 June2021.
- ^"Holi 2024: Why people consume Bhang on Holi, a look at the tradition".Hindustan Times.20 March 2024.
- ^"Did you know 'bhang' is served as prasad in Varanasi on Maha Shivratri?".Zee News.19 February 2020.Archivedfrom the original on 24 June 2021.Retrieved22 June2021.
- ^ab"What Is Bhang? Health Benefits and Safety".vice.17 July 2018.Archivedfrom the original on 26 February 2021.Retrieved23 June2021.
- ^ab"Bhang or Marijuana is Legal in Ayurvedic Prescription"(PDF).Indian Journal of Clinical Practice.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 29 October 2021.Retrieved22 June2021.
- ^"Recreational use of marijuana: Of highs and laws".The Times of India.10 November 2012.Archivedfrom the original on 1 August 2018.Retrieved1 March2018.
- ^Boister, Neil; Jelsma, Martin (2018)."Inter se modification of the UN drug control conventions: An exploration of its applicability to legitimise the legal regulation of cannabis markets".International Community Law Review.20:472.doi:10.1163/18719732-12341385.hdl:10092/101255.ISSN1388-9036.S2CID150161293.Archivedfrom the original on 25 April 2021.Retrieved25 April2021.
- ^"India's Cannabis Market: Examining Regulatory Frameworks then & Now".5 March 2020.Archivedfrom the original on 29 November 2020.Retrieved21 November2020.
External links
[edit]
- Bhang Ganja Charas, Thandai Chai Lassi,IndiaCurry (archived 20 April 2008)
- "A Bit about Bhang"(archived 20 November 2005)
- "A Word from the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission"A 19th century British report on Bhang
