Process of making bhang in Punjab, India

Sikhism Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...

, some Sikhs particularly of the

Nihang The Nihang or Akali (lit. "the immortals") is an armed Sikh warrior order originating in the Indian subcontinent. Nihang are believed to have originated either from Fateh Singh and the attire he wore or from the "Akali" (lit. Army of the Immort ...

community use

edible An edible item is any item that is safe for humans to eat. "Edible" is differentiated from "eatable" because it does not indicate how an item tastes, only whether it is fit to be eaten. Nonpoisonous items found in nature – such as some mushroo ...

cannabis ''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: '' Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternative ...

in a religious context. They make use of a small amount of

that is normally not enough to intoxicate anyone. It is used to make a drink called " Shaheedi Degha" which is meant to help nihang singhs stay awake for long periods of time (along with other reasons). However there is a common misconception that

Singhs use

Bhang Bhang (IAST: ''Bhāṅg'') is an edible preparation made from the leaves of the cannabis plant originating from the Indian subcontinent. It has been used in food and drink as early as 1000 BC in ancient India. Bhang is traditionally distribu ...

, a form of edible cannabis that will make you intoxicated.

Prohibition

Mural of two Nihang Sikhs making Bhang or Sukh Nidhan

The first Sikh guru,

Guru Nanak Gurū Nānak (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539; Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ; pronunciation: , ), also referred to as ('father Nānak'), was the founder of Sikhism and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. His birth is celebrated w ...

, stated that using any mind altering substance (without medical purposes) is a distraction from God. Guru Nanak was offered ''

bhang Bhang (IAST: ''Bhāṅg'') is an edible preparation made from the leaves of the cannabis plant originating from the Indian subcontinent. It has been used in food and drink as early as 1000 BC in ancient India. Bhang is traditionally distribu ...

'' by the Mughal emperor Babur; Nanak however declined, and recited this shabad: The

SGPC The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee ( SGPC; "Supreme Gurdwara Management Committee") is an organization in India responsible for the management of Gurdwaras, Sikh places of worship in states of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh and the unio ...

has also added a section in their rehait maryada (Sikh codes of conduct) that bans the Cannabis, opium and liquor for all Sikhs that follow its rehit maryada. The following is a translated quote from the rehait maryada. ''"A Sikh must not take hemp (cannabis), opium, liquor, tobacco, in short, any intoxicant. His only routine intake should be food."''

Usage

The Sikhs inherited the tradition of drinking originates from the sixth Sikh Guru, Sri

Guru Hargobind Sahib Gurū Hargobind (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਹਰਿਗੋਬਿੰਦ, pronunciation: l 19 June 1595 – 28 February 1644), revered as the ''sixth Nānak'', was the sixth of ten Gurus of the Sikh religion. He had become Guru at the young age of ...

ji who started it to give sikhs Bir Ras (warrior spirit) and to get them energized, as sikhs used to get up at around 12 am for armit vela and not go back to sleep till after the evening prayers of Sohila Sahib.

Nihang Sikhs

In the modern day, cannabis consumption (but not smoking) is commonly associated with the

Singhs, a sect who continue the orthodox Sikh warrior tradition, who consume drinks as ''sukha'' or ''sukhnidhaan, or more commonly known shaheedi degha''. ''shaheedi degh'' is mostly used in Panjab on the Sikh holidays of

Holla Mohalla Hola Mohalla (Gurmukhi: ਹੋਲਾ-ਮਹੱਲਾ ''hōlā muhalā''), also called Hola, is a three-day long Sikh festival which normally falls in March. It takes place on the second day of the lunar month of Chett, a day after the Hindu s ...

and

Vaisakhi Vaisakhi ( Punjabi: ), also pronounced Baisakhi, marks the first day of the month of Vaisakh and is traditionally celebrated annually on 13 April and sometimes 14 April as a celebration of spring harvest primarily in Northern India. Further, o ...

. At many Sikh temples, including Takht Sachkhand Sri

Hazur Sahib Hazur Sahib (; ), also known as Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib, is one of the five takhts in Sikhism. The gurdwara was built between 1832 and 1837 by Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780–1839). It is located on the banks of the Godavar ...

Ji, the ''shaheedi degh'' is offered as a holy food. In 2001, Baba Santa Singh, the jathedar of

Budha Dal Dal Khalsa was the name of the combined forces of 12 Sikh misls that operated in the 18th century (1735–1780) in the Punjab region. History Mughal rule of Punjab The religion of Sikhism began at the time of the conquest of Northern India by ...

, along with 20 Nihang jathadars (leaders), refused to accept the ban on the consumption of bhang by the

. Baba Santa Singh was excommunicated for a different issue, and replaced with Balbir Singh (who isn't accepted to be a nihang leader by most nihang singhs), who agreed to shun the consumption of bhang.No ‘bhang’ at Hola Mohalla

The Tribune ''The Tribune'' or ''Tribune'' is the name of various newspapers: United States Daily California *'' Oakland Tribune'' * ''The Tribune'' (San Luis Obispo) *''San Gabriel Valley Tribune'' Indiana *'' Kokomo Tribune'' *'' Peru Tribune'' * ''The Tri ...

. March 10, 2001. Some Nihang groups consume cannabis or shaheedi degh (ਭੰਗ), purportedly to help in meditation. Sukhaa-parsaad (ਸੁੱਖਾਪ੍ਰਰਸਾਦ), "dry-sweet", is the term Nihang use to refer to it. It was traditionally crushed and taken as a liquid, especially during festivals like Hola Mohalla.

References

{{reflist Cannabis and Sikhism Cannabis culture Cannabis in India

Prohibition

Usage

Nihang Sikhs

See also

References