What is Bhang Lassi?
Bhang lassi. Or Power-lassi. Or Bang-drink. It is also known as Special-lassi, in Pushkar. A phrase that would have meant a well-made lassi in any other part of India, but not in Pushkar. Here, it takes a whole new meaning. It is lassi sure enough, albeit with cannabis mixed in it. If you are not careful with it, this innocent-looking drink can take you to hell (or heaven, depending on how you choose to perceive it) and back in a span of just a few hours.
My Experience Of Taking Bhang Lassi in Pushkar
Bhang lassi was on my ‘to-do list’ for quite a while, even before the trip.
I had heard my sister rave about it often and was looking forward to being introduced to it by someone who knew what it is all about. Therefore, the group trip to Pushkar seemed like a perfect opportunity to tick this experience off my list.
Bhang-lassi was on the agenda as a post-lunch drink, for day 1.
I decided to skip my lunch [Mistake no.1] and have this lassi straight away [Mistake no.2]. It is a thick, slushy, curd-based drink, mixed with some herbs and powders. It took me some twenty minutes to drink 3/4th of the glass, after which, my system refused ANY further intake of it. After downing this drink, everything was OK for the first 45 minutes. So much so, that I felt that the experience was unnecessarily over-hyped. [Mistake no.3].
What to expect after consuming Bhang?
An hour passed, and suddenly things started slowing down and my body started relaxing. It was all good initially. It would have ended well, had it stopped at that. But no, that was just the beginning. As my mind started loosening its grip over my being, I sat still to avoid any dizziness and clumsiness. What happened next over the span of the next 15 hours was a time warp of the worst kind.
It started with vision going slightly blurred and the breath losing its pattern. The blurring continued way till the vision reduced to a view from a pin-hole camera. All the voices that were clear initially, got washed over by psychedelia of irregular sound patterns. The kaleidoscope of voices and noises got reduced to a distant clutter in the space and a strange feeling of helplessness started seeping in. All these factors got multiplied as time seemed to stretch itself into eternity. With my vision and hearing ability partially hijacked, it was difficult for me to believe that this was the normal after-effect of taking Bhaang Lassi.
The fact that the ground started seeming shaky in every sense of the word didn’t help either. The hallucination of permanent sinking multiplied the paranoia multiple folds. After all my senses gave up, I laid down in a corner at the restaurant itself. Trying to walk down to my hotel room was too ambitious a thought.
The chaos after the Bhang Lassi hit us collectively
At THAT very moment, a couple of us deemed it absolutely necessary to video-record the antics of the rest of the group. The aim, I was told, was to get 1 million Youtube hits. I will be glad if that video manages to get 10 hits in total.
Of the 12 of us, 10 people consumed Bhaang. All 10 of us reacted in extreme polarity. It was chaotic on multiple levels. Personally, I think that the ones who passed out were the ones who enjoyed the experience the most. In fact, as opposed to paranoia, I would have enjoyed the outcome had I already known what to expect and how to take it. [By the way, this is precisely what the aim of this post is.]
It might be enjoyable for some people to wake up in their own puke and piss (yes, all the while, my biggest fear was that I’ll pee in my pants), but it for sure, is not my idea of holiday or fun. Not only that, it brought all my deepest fears to the surface. I was scared that my friends would leave me behind for the night, at the restaurant itself.
The best part about Pushkar is that most of the restaurants are pretty expert in handling Bhang Lassi-impacted (or drug-stoned) tourists. Thankfully for us, our hotel was right across our site of (mis)adventure. Also, the group trip ensured that I was in safe hands even when I was stoned. That said, it is an absolute must that you ensure a few precautionary measures before you go ahead with drinking Bhang Lassi.
Things To Keep In Mind Before Taking Bhang Lassi
All I would say is, to experience Bhang lassi it is advisable that you:
- Get your drink made under your supervision: No, this isn’t disrespectful to your friends/acquaintances. It is just that, YOU and ONLY YOU know what your body is capable of handling. Intuitively. Even if you’ve never had it before. Also, the process of supervising your drink keeps you aware of what is going into your body.
- Go easy, to begin with.
- After consuming Bhaang in any form, if you feel your senses are closing in, do not panic at all. It does not help.
- Puke it out if you want to.
- Do not drink water thinking that it’ll dilute the effect of Bhaang Lassi.
No, It will not.
In fact, it reinforces itself in waves every time you drink water.
Drink water only if your throat feels parched, which, it will. Take small sips.
- At least, figure out a few things before you go ahead with your Bhang adventure.
Factors like:
What to expect after consuming Bhang
How to get rid of it if you do not like the feeling
If needed, what medication to take
The food categories that compound/dilute the effect etc.
- If possible, take this activity up on premises where it is NOT a problem if you pass out. This will help you in staying calm in case you lose your senses.
- If it is for the first time that you are going to be experiencing inebriation, it is advisable that you have sober company while you are at it. And no, when I say “the first time”, I am not taking alcohol into account. Alcohol is different.
- The effects of Bhaang do not wane off quickly. It might take as long as 24 hours, or even more before you start feeling completely in control of your being. I experienced lucid-dreaming 48 hours after its consumption.
What is the best way to deal with the effect of Bhang?
The best way to counter the impact of Bhang is to not counter it at all.
And “sleep it off”.
The ones who did pass out confirmed it. So now you know what to do, right? After all, the reason we undertook this research was to deduce the ways of making ‘bhang-lassi’ an enjoyable experience for the rest of humanity. (Ahh! The social causes I travel for!)
This trip has taken one experience off my to-do list. Special-lassi now has a [β] next to it. I am done with anything ‘special’ in that sense for some time now.
Would I do it again? Most probably not.
[This post talks about cannabis (in the form of Bhang Lassi), a drug that is locally procured in some parts of India. Please know that I am not encouraging/discouraging the usage of drugs. I am just stating facts and narrating a real-life experience.]
Ha, ha, ha! Hilarious you are! Can totally imagine your experience. Had bhaang-laced nimbu paani once in college and it was the most horrible and weird experience of my life. Crawled into a classroom and slept there all by myself. Couldn’t go back to hostel. Was locked inside there and couldn’t pee till someone unlocked the door in the morning etc etc….bhaang is a huge no-no since then, for me!
Mukta,
I can very well imagine! π π π
Thank you for sharing your experience. I thought that my system over-reacted, glad to know that this is normal. :p
Thanks for dropping by. π
I relieved entire day in a flashback mode while reading it. One hell of a unforgettable experience.
Thanks so much Gaurav!
You were totally sane all the while. It is the rest of us who were orbiting the galaxy throughout. π π
Reblogged this on 4:20 Smokers Blog.
Thank you so much, Martin. π
I should meet you and your sister!:)
Ohh! any time Sosha!
We are totally foot-loose and fancy-free. π
That sure seems to have been one helluva experience! π
Hi Shail!
Thanks for dropping by.
Yes it was, for sure. So much for the bucket list! :p
Wow…I am still in my post holi high, and since I didnt get any bhang in Delhi, I am so drooling over your post.
Bhang is good experience for the bucket-list, Sugandha. It is different from everything else. π π
That was good explanation
Thank you Jay. π
Would eating something before drinking it easen the effect? –not get you cometely fucked up that is
From what you’ve asked, I am assuming that you intend to figure out if eating some thing before consuming bhaang lessens the impact. Yes it does, but a lot of it is dependent on the quantity of bhaang consumed.
Wow! π You know what, I’m running a community for Food Lovers called “FoodGravy” and your post really tempts to start a ‘Food’ blog asap. <3
I have seen people drinking "Bhang lassi" in some movies, but reading this from a direct person is something interesting and I'm going to add this to my to-do list now. π
Hey Pradeep, thanks for stopping by. Will check out food gravy soon.
Thank you for the kind words. π
So how much should a first timer consume and in what form?
Hello Gypsy,
I wish I were an expert on either, but I am not. π
Great !!! Made me Remember my College Days.
Thank you, Utsav. π
Okay, I’m gonna make this (found one recipe, so far. May tweek it a bit to suit my pallet, but I think I understand how the recipe works; to some Β°) and share my experience with you. I had just asked a social media community about the very things you covered in this post. Thanks, I appreciate it. I fancy myself a mad scientist when it comes to cannabis edibles, so this seems like a really exciting experience. If you ever do try it again you have a better experience.
Might go with a BhMango Lassi. I’ve read that some of the chemicals in Mango mimic terpines in cannabis. If/when it goes well, I might even share my recipe.
Hey Tim,
Do try, and keep us in the loop as to how it goes? π
You just had a bad trip girl! Do it again πππ
Bakwaas!
π
Oh my god !! I Thought the same. It’s been over 30 hours since I took that baang ladoo and I still feel weird. I have a gassy stomach, bad acidity and a brain fog. I still feel I am not in total control of my body. It’s my first time too eating anything with baang in it. I haven’t been able to go to work shit. I do not wish baangh on my worst enemy. The coldness of New York was no more cold for me 30 minutes later I took that ladoo. I wanted to stay outside in the cold cos I felt like I was dying. I was on a auto repeat mode I was saying the same thing over and over. Typing text on my phone seemed like typing it on a slate. God knows what I was doing.
Can somebody tell me how long does it take to feel better? In how long can my stomach feel better?
Hi Pratishka,
While it depends from body to body, it took me close to a week before I could feel like my normal self again.
Just stay calm and don’t panic. Also, sleep it off.
π
Hi Divya,
I was once crazy of Bhnag.In excitement, I consumed more than 60% of the Bhang ball (I was told & supposed to consume not more than 10 or 15%).You have already detailed how it begings to impact the mind (yes it takes an hour or so).I felt as if I was about to fly, laughing and all ….all this which I had heard from other people were true….Its just that I didnt want anythng to impact my mind, & I kept fighting to keep awake….this was my mistake.I should have had relaxed and slept.
i was frightened,and decided to have anything bad, but never ever to have bhang again .
later in life after a few years, certain things were not ok in my life.I couldnt afford to be on alcohol(since it is costly, and more importantly it is injurious to health, and it smells, and IT DOES NOT ENHANCES YOUR KNOWLEDGE)
Yes, alcohol does not enhances ones knowledge.BUT , BHANG does increase ones knowledge, if one is curious for it.It happened with me, everytime,everyday.
It improved my physical health,mental off course.
I have started reading and understanding ayurveda, and must say, it is easy and difficult at the same time to understand.But once understood, it is actually a life style.
I appreciate the way you write about your views on anything.
Still I am searching if consuming Bhang is actually bad for health or mind.and I came across your article.I have tried so many combination & permutations of bhang, timing, doses .
Akhilesh
Hey Akhilesh,
I don’t have much understanding of how cannabis works technically both longterm and short-term.
Thank you for sharing your experience. Might help other readers.
Cheers!
What is the name of that restaurant where you consumed that bhang lassi?
It was a small place across Cafe Out Of The Blue, as far as I remember.