I think everyone who drinks bhang or smokes ganja claims to be a bhang doctor or a ganja doctor. They all say that bhang and ganja have medicinal properties and have been used as medicines for thousands of years. They say that Ayurveda confirms this (it is true).I don’t know if any of them have read anything related to bhang and ganja – Veda and medical journals – But that doesn’t prevent them from announcing silver bullets.
I did the same thing when I was addicted to bhang and ganja. They were a cure for almost all diseases and had no side effects. I think I did this to justify my addiction. Many others do so for the same reasons.
Many people I know who drink bhang on a regular basis also believe that drinking a little bhang before sex can make the effects last longer and give greater pleasure to their partner. I can’t remember if that applied to me. I could hardly tell when I smoked ganja or drank bhang. And in any case, I almost went too far.
A female friend recently told me that she smokes a joint every day to relax after a hard day’s work. She asked if she too believed in its medicinal properties and she replied that she did. “There are thousands of articles and videos about this on YouTube,” she said.
I don’t know how many thousands, but an Internet search turns up hundreds of sites selling cannabis-infused oils and pills for relaxation and sleep. Almost every Ayurvedic doctor online and in the real world will tell you that the Shastras and Puranas contain detailed information about the health benefits and endless healing properties of cannabis. But is this really the case? If this is true, why does Hanuman in the Ramayana fly across oceans and half a continent in search of the extremely rare herb Sanjeevani? – Again, he couldn’t identify it, so he uprooted the whole mountain?
Or was the herb Sanjeevani actually a special type of bhang plant that grows in the Himalayas?
Well, at least in Odisha, bhang is believed to be a magic bullet.many – Not just those who consume it – Also consider Banganja to be a gift from God. And a gift worthy of God. Perhaps that is why the Odisha government’s bhang shops do not post notices outside informing people that the consumption of bhang may harm their health or cause psychological problems. Each bottle of alcohol and each pack of cigarettes carries warnings about the dangers of consuming these products, often with graphic images of illness and death. But you won’t find any such warning on the van packets they sell.
In my opinion, this is a good and wise thing to do.
There is a Kabiraj in every town and village of Odisha. The dictionary defines Kaviraj as “an occupational title in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent.” The dictionary I looked up explains, “In ancient times, people who traditionally practiced Ayurveda were commonly called Kabi or Kobi in eastern India.”
The Kabiraj family of Odisha strongly believes in the health benefits of bhang and has a very strong following. They claim to cure everything from colds and coughs to cancer, and many people visit them for medical advice. – Among them were quite a few high-ranking and powerful people.
One of the state’s oldest political leaders has appeared on television several times to declare that there is nothing wrong with drinking bhang. In fact, it’s very good for him. For example, it helps cleanse the intestines. He says if you drink a glass of lassi with bhang, bheel, ripe banana and cottage cheese at night, it will come out smoothly in the morning as a long, thick and beautiful poop.Reporters laugh at his funny interviews and people call him Bang Aja – Grandpa Van.
There are many Ayurvedic clinics in Odisha that recommend bhang and ganja as medicine. I decided to call some people, visit them if necessary, and interview them for the book. The first Ayurvedic doctor I called refused to tell me which treatments he used cannabis for. He told me to do my own research and read all the Shastras to find out if bhang and ganja had medicinal properties. He did not suspect they were doing so, but he did not agree to be interviewed on camera or by phone.
Visits to other similar facilities have yielded mixed results. At a dispensary in central Bhubaneswar, I was told that cannabis does indeed have medicinal properties, but that I would have to do a Google search for more information.
One clinic had 10 or 15 statues of various gods displayed outside the entrance. Inside, a woman was performing a puja while ringing a small prayer bell. I waited for her to finish and asked if there was a doctor I could talk to about Ayurvedic medicine. She replied that she no longer gives medicines and only offers relaxing Ayurvedic massages, so I must try it once. I asked her if she knew anything about bhang and ganja being used as medicine, and she said that she should pray to the god of her choice for at least a few minutes every day so that she can relax and sleep better. I said it would be.
Another female Ayurvedic doctor had no hesitation in recommending Van for a good night’s sleep. That made her push herself a little, she said. Just a little bit every night. Shastra says a lot of good things about Bhan, I need to study it. However, van was not to be used directly as a medicine. It had to be purified to remove all harmful effects. She said bhang is an important ingredient in traditional medicine, which has cured all kinds of illnesses for millions of people.
I called another Ayurvedic clinic and was answered by an older, gravelly-voiced woman. She told me that her father was a Vaidya and continued her noble work even after her father passed away. Her family has been dispensing Ayurvedic medicine for over 70 years. I asked her about the van. “It has a lot of good points,” she said without hesitation. “Bhan is used to make Nidrodaya Rasa for good sleep and is also used to purify the blood. We do not use it but it is used by many good people and Many Ayurvedic medical texts describe its use and give prescriptions for making medicines using it.” I asked her if I could meet her to find out more. When I asked her, she replied: “There are many books on this subject. Please read them.” They are all available in the market or online. ”
Another Vaidya I called said his clinic has a long history. “Started by my great-grandfather’s father in 1872, we continue his legacy. Many Shastras mention the medicinal properties of bhang and ganja. Before the herb was used as a medicine It’s purified and the neurotoxins are removed. But you see, a lot of people use it directly and end up getting addicted to it. They’re not using it as a medicine, they’re using it as a narcotic. That’s wrong.” He sent me a list of all the diseases that can be treated with cannabis and promised to share details about the production of the various medicines. I waited for days, but nothing came from him.
Despite widespread belief in the therapeutic properties of cannabis, in 2019 the Odisha government rejected a proposal from the pharmaceutical industry to allow cultivation of cannabis, citing the potential for harm to people. . Growing ganja remains illegal in the state.
On May 10, 2023, following a petition filed by a religious group, the Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department issued a directive to all district collectors and police chiefs to take ‘necessary measures’ to ban the use of ganja in Shiva temples. He instructed them to take appropriate measures. “Restrictions will be imposed on the use of ganja in all Shaivite temples in the state,” an official statement said.
Did Lord Shiva approve it?
Excerpted with permission Van journey: stories, history, travel, travelAkshaya Bahibara, Speaking Tiger Books.
