Cannabis is originally known in India through human migration which took place in 2000 and 1000 BCE. It originated in the steppes of Central Asia. Cannabis has acceptance in India through ages.Cannabis is thoroughly intertwined with one of the deities of Hinduism, Lord Shiva who is also known as lord of ‘bhang’. The Vedas also mentioned the medical and spiritual importance of Cannabis. In atharva veda it is known to be the cure to diseases and demolishing evils.
- Cannabis is popular among ascetic and mendicant.
- A variant of cannabis called ‘bhang’ is consumed in festive season
- Ancient practitioners of hindu religious traditions used cannabis as a medicinal herb.
- The sadus and ascetic also consumed weed made from Cannabis.
- They believe that cannabis is a heavenly sacred herb.
- Not only was it important in Hinduism but also in Islamic, African dagga cult , Jamaican rastafarian and Chinese daoists.
Discovery of cannabis
The Europeans soon found out the history of Cannabis in the early 16th century. They made a report of it and sent it to their government. But the Britishers weren’t behind them. They found out about cannabis in the mid 18th century. The same time cholera was spreading throughout. They found cannabis is somehow the cure for it. Britishers didn’t wait and explored Cannabis as it was famously used and consumed all over the world. Well especially in India. They passed the order in the 18th century of taxes on it.
Cannabis is like a crop for the Indian farmers. But it’s a main source of income for the farmers, farmers can produce the crops of cannabis and store it by themselves. After that they can sell it to retailers all over the world through transportation.
Cannabis are demanding product
Demand for cannabis is too high, so farmers can protect their cannabis crops. For the production of cannabis farmers have two types of license, one is for production and the other one is for store after harvest. Cannabis also cures some of the dangerous diseases like cholera and rabies.
Cannabis plants are also known as marijuana or hemp. The plant has separate male and female reproductive organs. The unpollinated female part produces ‘resin coated’ buds called ganja. Resin is also called hashish or charas.
Cannabis in India
Cannabis is consumed by many people in India as the religious sacred food. It’s mostly consumed by followers of lord shiva such as adiyogi and yogis. There are a lot of assumptions and rumours about the consumption of it. Some said that it makes a person go lunatic to cause crimes. Firstly it wasn’t paid much attention but in 1853 the lunacy act occurred which caused havoc in India as well as England. The British government acted on it. They passed an order to thoroughly survey and examine it.
By the 19th century a lot of surveys and theories were passed on. The one common thing in every survey and theory was going lunatic with the major consumption of ganja ( Cannabis). Many laws passed and discussion caused throughout the mid nineteenth century.
Final words on history of cannabis
In 1985 the Indian government passed the Act through NDPS, outlawing cannabis in the country for the first time in a proper way. Since the law passed Cannabis and the other substances such as ganja , charas which were made from cannabis became illegal. But the bhang which is made from its leaves is excluded. The laws remain the same even today.
But, people still consume and produce it through illegal ways. Behind the back of the government naming it as medicine practices and what not.
