The History Of Cannabis In India

Posted by Maria Leach on March 27th, 2020

That is why here is an interesting breakdown of the limits on Cannabis that you should know as it is a fascinating read.

Bhang:

Bhang is the Indian word for Cannabis, and it has been an active part of Indian culture ever since c.1790. Bhang is what you get when you turn hemp crop into food. It is a form of powdered and crushed Cannabis that was a big part of Indian lifestyle and celebrations. Since the early 1000 BCE, Indian culture had included Bhang in its life and festivities.

Soma:

So much so, that Soma, a ritualistic intoxicating drink that was commanded for consumption by the Vedic texts, was made from, presumed, Cannabis. The Hindu clerics and their disciples were all-consuming copious amounts of Cannabis as a part of their religious celebrations. The aim was to gain a higher level of consciousness and become more spiritually open.

The Sacred Plant:

Atharvaveda is a sacred text of the Hindu religion that shows Bhanga as one of the five sacred plants for the relief from anxiety. It was described in the book as a form of wild grass as Cannabis plants would naturally grow in the region without any need for a particular plantation.

The relevant verse:

“To the five kingdoms of the plants which Soma rules as Lord we speak.
darbha, hemp, barley, mighty power: may these deliver us from woe,”

— Translation; Ralph T. H. Griffith,

Atharva Veda: 11.6.15

The Scholarly Mentions:

Indian cultural history is filled with mentions of Cannabis as the restorative herbal medicine that is a cure for many ailments. Sushruta Samhita, a scholar from c. 600 BCE calls Bhang a medicinal plant that is a highly regarded cure for Catarrh, Diarrhea, and Phlegm.

Chikitsa-sara-sangraha is a text written by Vangasena n the 11th Century that explains how Cannabis is an appetizer and enhances digestion. It even gives recipes on how to cook Cannabis and eat it in your diet for long and healthy life.

Dhanvantariya Nighantu, another text by Narayan Sarma, shares the narcotic that can be developed from the plant while Yogaratnamala by Nagarjuna's in c.12th to 13th Century states that Cannabis is good to subdue your enemies by making them smoke the product. They will lose all sense of reality and consciousness and will become helpless against you.

Cannabis in Ayurveda:

The Hindu texts are extensively referring to Cannabis as a high-quality product, and they also explain how to use it in medicinal concoctions. Dhanvantari Nighantu, Kayyadeva Nighantu, and other texts elaborately describe recipes from Cannabis that are pain relievers and can be used as an aphrodisiac in limited quantities. But it does not show Cannabis as a product that should be smoked in any case.

Precautions:

Hindu texts explain the dangers of ingesting Cannabis and state that the herb is highly addictive. It is told in the books that Cannabis is worse than Tobacco for the liver and lungs. The lack of any recipes to be smoked is because the product should only be consumed through the stomach and no other modes of ingestion.

The Hindu god Shiva:

The legend has it that the Hindu God Shiva left his family sleeping at night, went out, consumed Cannabis plant, and became happy. Another Hindu legend goes as Halahala came from Samudra Manthan and saw Shiva unconscious, he used Bhang to fix Shiva.

That is why Hindu clerics and followers tend to offer Bhang to the god Shiva.

Holi:

One of the highly celebrated Hindu festivity is Holi, that is a day of Tribute to the god Shiva celebrated in the first week of March, every year. The day is filled with colorful festivities, where all the participants consumed Cannabis in the form of a drink.

That drink, in present-day India, is known as Bhang and is known to be highly intoxicating. The participants throw color at each other to commemorate the joy and happiness that Lord Shiva must have felt at that moment. It is a highly respected and loved celebration in India.

International Impact:

As the European nations invaded India on multiple occasions, the European countries also came in close contact with the Cannabis. In 1510, Portuguese traders first encountered Cannabis and praised it for its good qualities.

The drug was also introduced to the British Empire through their Indian subjugates and found the drug to be a significant health improvement.

The Cannabis, in modern times, is advocated mainly for medicinal use as it relieves chronic pain and reduces the extremely harsh impact of Cancer medicine. It is a well regarded medicinal herb that should be used in moderate quantities for health benefits.

We are here for all the information that you may need, send us a ping now!