INDIA'S SMOKING SADHUS

Sadhus are India’s wandering holy men, devoted to a life of worship they have given up all worldly possessions -- except for weed.

Much like monks, the Sadhus of India are renunciates, having given up all worldly possessions in their search for enlightenment.

Their devotional lives lead some sects of sadhus to take a vow of silence, some to stand upright for 24 hours a day, and others to smoke weed all the live - long - day.

Typically, these stoner sadhus are followers of Shiva -- the Hindu god of creation and destruction -- who is known as Lord of the Charas… Charas meaning hashish.

Apparently Shiva smoked all the time and was perpetually intoxicated. And some sadhus claim that they’re trying to emulate Shiva’s habits -- which is time well spent if you ask me.

Sahdus typically smoke their charas out of chillums (traditional clay pipes), and spend much of their time in meditation.

Interestingly, despite the country’s long history of cannabis use in ritual and spiritual practices -- weed is actually illegal in India! Except for:

- In government-authorized shops that produce and sell bhang - ground cannabis hash balls or a drink made by mixing cannabis in milk,

- For research and medicinal purposes.

- OR in some places in India during holidays like Holi Fest, and Mahashivaratri- a Hindu festival celebrated by the devotees of Lord Shiva — meaning a whole lot of weed smokin’

Cannabis clearly doesn’t hold as much stigma in India as it does in many other parts of the world. In fact, weed WAS legal in India until 1985 when the country was pressured by the US to crack down on drugs. But still, the act of consuming weed is seen by many in India as a means of spiritual enlightenment, an action handed down by the gods... now that's a belief system I can get behind!