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Bhang (IAST:Bhāṅg) is anedible preparation made from the leaves of thecannabis plant originating from theIndian subcontinent.[1][2] It was used in food and drink as early as 1000 BCE inancient India.[3][4] Bhang is traditionally distributed during the spring festival ofMaha Shivaratri andHoli.[5][6] Bhang is mainly used in bhang shops, which sell the cannabis-infused Indian drinks bhanglassi and bhangthandai.[7]
Garcia de Orta, aPortuguese Jewish physician based inGoa, wrote extensively onbangue in hisColóquios dos simples e drogas da India (1563),[8] including its recreational use byBahadur Shah of Gujarat and by many Portuguese.[9] He explicitly rejected the notion of the Indian plant that producesbangue being 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, Turkishbernavi and the Arabicbursj forms of consumption.[11][12][13] Despite the other accounts, the contemporary historianRichard Davenport-Hines lists 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]
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Using amortar 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. InMathura it can be found in bhangthandai and bhanglassi. Bhang is also mixed withghee and sugar to make a purplehalva, and into peppery, chewy little balls calledgoli (which means "tablet" or "pill") in Hindi. Another form isbhangchutney, also calledbhangeera ki chutney, a dish served inKumaoni cuisine fromUttarakhand. It is made from grinding cannabis/bhang seeds with mint, tomatoes and different spices.
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Bhang is part of the ancientHindu tradition and custom in the Indian subcontinent. In some parts of rural India, people attribute variousmedicinal properties to the cannabis plant. If taken in proper quantity, bhang is believed to curefever,dysentery, andsunstroke, to clearphlegm, aid indigestion, increaseappetite, curespeech imperfections andlisping, and give alertness to the body.[20][failed verification]
Bhang lassi is 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, whenpakoras containing bhang are also sometimes eaten.Uttar Pradesh has licensed bhang shops, and in many places in India one can buy bhang products and drink bhang lassis. Some states such asBihar andWest Bengal also allow the production of bhang. States likeRajasthan do 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 during Holi is 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 Hindus.[22] Here, the practice is believed to have been introduced by the followers ofShiva and has stayed ever since.[23] They begin the preparation bySanskrit chants 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 isVaranasi, where 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?]Ayurvedic medicinal preparations. Bhang powder is available legally at ayurvedic dispensaries.[26]
The 1961Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs was 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 a significant role in India's culture and spiritual practices, it is unlikely that a complete criminalization of cannabis throughout the country would succeed.[neutrality isdisputed] Important festivals such asHoli andMaha Shivratri have traditionally seen people consume bhang during various local festivities. The cultivation of cannabis is regulated by the government.[29]
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 anAyurvedic practitioner.[26]
In states where the sale of bhang is legal, bhanggolis orgolas are sold openly at places likepaan shops, with little to no regulation, at low prices.[25]
