An Egyptian papyrus from about 1500 B.C. makes mention of cannabis as a
useful way to treat inflammation. In
the Arab world, references to hashish began to show up between 800 A.D. and 1000 A.D. The plant's intoxicating effects began to be emphasized around this time. Muslims
used marijuana recreationally since alcohol consumption was banned by the
Koran but marijuana was not. Hindus in India revered the use of marijuana in a
mildly intoxicating drink called bhang, saying that it cured
a long list of ills, including problems with sunstroke, digestion and
dysentery.
Hinduism has
been the primary religion in the region of India referring historically to
the lands around the Indus river and valley. The Sanskrit word for cannabis bhang or bhanga is believed to have been the source for the Arabic word benj and Persian beng. Cannabis has a long and rich history in this part of
the world can still be found growing wild in many areas today ? particularly in
regions at the foothills of the Himalayas.
The Vedas and Cannabis. Our knowledge of the use of cannabis in ancient
Indian societies comes largely from ancient Hindu scriptures known as The
Vedas. These sacred texts were recorded in the written word between 1500-500
BCE. Before
this, it is
believed the teachings of The Vedas were passed from master to student for
generations and memorized to keep the original message intact. In the Vedas,
Cannabis is listed as one of the five sacred crops alongside barley and soma
(an unidentified plant of which the juice was a ritual drink). It is believed
that the plant has been used as part of Ayurveda (traditional medicine) since
the Vedic Period and it is largely associated with the god Shiva. Various Hindu
legends tell of the god Shiva and his consumption of cannabis referred to as
bhang. During my young age when I was
about to go to college, we found that
after the ending of the Puja festival the elders were sharing BHANG just for one evening. I am not talking
about ordinary people but very high profile people. We were born in the Tata
Steel city where everyone was affluent and some of the elderly will never smoke
(they did not smoke but drank purified cannabis termed as Siddhi) or drink
alcohol but on they will have a taste of Siddhi (which is cannabis) day they
will, For example, the story of the Hindu gods churning up the cosmic ocean to
access the elixir of immortality (Amrit). Some versions of this legend state
that cannabis began to grow where drops of this elixir fell.
Another version
states that when the god of destruction, Shiva, was called upon to drink the
poison that was produced from the churned ocean, his throat turned blue and he
was in immense pain until he was given bhang by his wife, Parvati. While there
are a number of stories in Hinduism usually surrounding Shiva ? that
reference cannabis use. However, these tales didn't particularly promote the
use of cannabis as an intoxicant or medicine. Many believe that these tales
warn of the toxicity of the plant when consumed in the wrong way and so,
traditional preparations focus on purifying the toxic properties of
cannabis. Despite the references to the toxicity of cannabis, the link between
plant and the divine in ancient Hindu culture has resulted in the use of
cannabis by holy people in their attempts to become closer to their chosen God,
Shiva. Furthermore, while cannabis is technically prohibited in India, this law
does not include the leaves of the plant. Therefore, it is not uncommon to
witness the consumption of bhang, particularly on the festival night of
Shivaratri. Ask any Hindu anywhere in the world and they would know about
Shivaratri. Christians celebrate Christmas day with some hard stuff, but Hindus
celebrated with a drink of Bhang for many millenniums.
Cannabis has
been used as part of Hindu spiritual practices and traditional medicine for
perhaps thousands of years. However, the earliest mention of ?bhang? ? a
Sanskrit word for cannabis ? as a medicine has been traced back to the works of
Sushruta, believed to have been written between 500-600 AD. The Sushruta refers
to cannabis as ?anti-phlegmatic? (and recommended as a remedy for catarrh
accompanied by diarrhea and a cure for biliary fever. In Ayurveda, cannabis
has mainly been used to treat conditions of the digestive and respiratory
tracts. However, there is also evidence in later literary sources that cannabis
has been used to treat other ailments including epilepsy and asthma.
In addition to
the medicinal and spiritual uses of the plant, Ancient Indians would also have
used the hemp plant for industrial purposes similar to those seen in other
regions at the time. For example, hemp fibers have been used in the production
of textiles including clothing for thousands of years. There is evidence that
ancient Indian technicians may have been the first to practice hempcrete technology a form of plaster that contains bhang mixed with clay or lime
plaster. The natural insecticide and pesticide properties of hemp fibers are
thought to have helped preserve artwork in the Ellora cave for almost 1500
years! I would discuss these in the following pages.
Cannabis is also known as
Indian Hemp / Marijuana, has
been cultivated and used around the globe for more than 5000 years it's used for medicinal purposes and as a
recreational drug. , food, and hemp fiber. Hemp seed has been for oils and hemp leaves for use as vegetables and juice. Although primarily used today as
one of the most prevalent illicit leisure drugs, the use of Cannabis sativa L,
commonly referred to as marijuana, for medicinal purposes has been Marijuana
use has been shown to create numerous health
problems, and, consequently, the expanding use beyond medical purposes into
recreational use (abuse) resulted in control of the drug through international
treaties. There are two main strains of Cannabis namely CBD
and THC.
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