India’s high holiday
The festival of holi is not just related with colours, but loads of revelry too. It is the “festival of love”, the “festival of colours” and the “festival of spring”. The festival signifies the arrival of spring, the end of winter, the blossoming of love and for many a festive day to meet others, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships. An integral part of celebrations on this day is having bhang dishes and thandai. Bhang is also known as cannabis, charas and ganja and is a healing agent in Ayurveda. Cannabis has always been a part of Indian culture, thanks to the powerful God, Shiva. This herb has long been used to cure diseases, yet even Ayurveda experts suggest its use in limit.
The famous holi thandai is prepared by mixing the ground bhang leaves with condensed milk, kesar, rose petals, fruit and nut paste etc. The deliciousness of this drink makes the chance of over consumption high.
It should be consumed in limited amount as excess of it causes nausea, dehydration and headache. Experts advise no more than 500 mg bhang as it may be destructive.
Few tips for consuming bhang
Never consume bhang-laced delicacies on an empty stomach. Always eat something first.
Fried foods should be avoided. They worsen the after-effects of bhang.
Drink lots of fluids and water to detoxify the body.
Avoid having pain killers with bhang as they might cause acidity and aggravate headache.
It should never be consumed by children and pregnant women.
Persons with high blood pressure and heart disease should stay away from it.
Don’t consume it alone in unfamiliar place.
Don’t buy bhang from any random street vendor.
Don’t drive after having it.
Don’t mix bhang with alcohol.
Have lemon water as it is rich in Vitamin C and tackles nausea well.
Post-bhang have fresh fruits, salads and fruit juices. Fibre helps to clean the stomach.
A cup of coffee or black tea suppresses the effect on brain.
And the best of all is to have a nap to get away with bhang hangover.
The final word
Holi is a festival of fun and mirth and anything that adds to its flavour is welcome. However, if you exercise a little caution and restrain, unfavourable incidents that may affect this enjoyable festival can be avoided.
