Cannabis in India: A rather long story, with its highs and lows

So deeply intertwined is cannabis with religion in India, that one of the principal deities of Hinduism, Shiva, is given the sobriquet: ‘Lord of Bhang’
The Indian Express (India)
Saturday, September 12, 2020

india sadhu expressCannabis is illegal in India. But still its prevalence is remarkable across the social and spiritual landscape of India. It is in fact particularly popular among ascetics and mendicants, and a variant called ‘bhang’ is frequently consumed and offered as part of festivities. So deeply intertwined is cannabis with religion in India, that one of the principal deities of Hinduism, Shiva, is given the sobriquet: ‘Lord of Bhang’. And this stems from the rather long history of the plant in the subcontinent. Despite being unlawful, the popularity of weed can hardly be said to have diminished.