Part of a series on Cannabis :

This thread is about users, sellers, and manufacturers of India's cheapest high: Bhang, An edible preparation of cannabis.

If you are a cannabis enthusiast it must-read thread for you. If not, still read on.

Have heard quite a bit about government-licensed bhaang shops in Rajasthan.? This might sound a little unorthodox but a 'sarkaari bhang ka theka' in Udaipur once served me bhang mixed with shikanji (lemonade)!

Power Bhola, Shree Bhola Munakka, Tarang, Lehar, Sanan, Mastana, Mahakal, Mahashakti, Mahadev or Munnaka No.1 are some of the most popular brands of bhang goli—an Ayurvedic digestive containing a percentage of bhang—which is available for Rs. 2 at many neighbourhood paanwallahs.

A cheap and easy high, every once in awhile, the mixture of cannabis, spices and herbs rolled into a chewy, greenish-black ball makes it to alarmed news stories as a gateway drug for kids across the country.

As Bhang has served such an important role in India's culture and spiritual practices it would be impossible to criminalize cannabis completely in the country. Important festivals such as Holi have traditionally seen people consume Bhang during various local festivities.

The consumers of Bhang come from every section of the society. It is consumed by students, labourers and housewives. People even take it for their families. Many muslims prefer bhang Gola because alchohole is prohibited in Islam.

Around 20 manufacturers are located in Indore, Indore is the main hub. Ayurvedic texts like Bhav Prakash Nighantu and Rastantra Sar describe Formulations for medicinal preparations involving bhang (sometimes called Vijaya) are also compiled in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India.

Bhang is everywhere. It’s simple to make. You just take the ingredients, mix them with dough of flours such as bati or siyon. The dough is cut into small balls, packed and sent to different corners of the country.

There is still a lot of confusion about whether it is legal. Internet forums are full of threads asking whether it can be rolled into a joint (A big No), and if it’s allowed on domestic flights (yes, why not if you have a certificate from a doctor)

The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, does not ban bhang, although it prohibits two other products of the cannabis plant — charas and ganja. Uttarakhand legalized bhang in 2017, and so did Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state Gujarat.

Because, as a state minister famously said, it is “consumed only as of the prasad of Lord Shiva”.

In Rajasthan, You can have the bhang ki lassi at the government shop — owned by Chander Prakash Vyas or Dr Bhang’, at the foot of Jaisalmer’s famous Golden Fort.

In Varanasi’s Godowlia Chowk, the 150-year-old Kashi Vishwanath Thandai Ghar is famous for its year-long supply of ‘special thandai’ spiked with Lord Shiva’s prasad.

The city has 200 such shops, including the Blue Lassi Shop, whose menu has 80 variants of this summer drink, but when you ask for the unlisted ‘special’, it is understood you are a good devotee.

There is no doubt, It's not as smooth as smoking weed but The romance with bhang is subtle. So what was your encounter with bhang?