Bhang Drink is an edible preparation of cannabis originating from the Indian subcontinent. It has been used in food and drink as early as 1000 BC in ancient India. Bhang used / server in the spring festival of Holi and local festivities, during festivals it is most used by krishna devotees in Mathura found in bhang thandai and bhang lassi.. Bhang is mainly used in Bhang shops, which sell the cannabis-infused Indian drinks bhang lassi and bhang thandai.
Using mortar and pestle, the buds and 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 with kusha grass, sugar, fruit, and various spices. Bhang is also mixed with ghee and sugar to make a purple halva, and into peppery, chewy little balls called goli / tablet / pill. Bang form is bhanga chutney, a Pahari cuisine from Uttarakhand.
In some parts of rural India, people attribute various medicinal properties to the cannabis plant. If taken in proper quantity, bhang is believed to cure fever, dysentery, sunstroke, to clear phlegm, aid in digestion, appetite, cure speech imperfections and lisping, and give alertness to the body.
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 till the butter rises). It is regarded as tasty and refreshing. It is legal in many parts of India and mainly sold during Holi, when pakoras 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 lassi. Bhang is heavily consumed in Mathura, an ancient town of religious importance to the Hindus. Here the practice is believed to have been introduced by the followers of Krishna and has stayed ever since. They begin the preparation by Sanskrit chants and recitation of prayers. In Mathura, some people take bhang to work up their appetite while others do it to de-stress. But the hub of bhang use is Varanasi where the bhang is prepared on its famous ghats.
Bhang is also available as bhang goli which is just freshly ground cannabis with water. Apart from this, sweetened bhang golis are also widely available; these are not considered a drug, but a traditional sleeping aid and appetizer. Bhang goli has metabolizing effects after approximately two hours, sending a user into a dreamlike meditational state. Bhang is also part of many Ayurvedic medicinal preparations. Bhang powder is available legally at ayurvedic dispensaries. The 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs was the first ever international treaty to have included cannabis (or marijuana) with other hard drugs and imposed a blanket ban on their production and supply except for medicinal and research purposes.
As Bhang has served such an important role in India's culture and spiritual practices it would be impossible to criminalise cannabis completely in the country. Cultivation of cannabis is government regulated. The cultivation of industrial hemp in Uttarakhand is legal.
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