Holi amongst we 'north Indians' is typically associated with one more crucial element other than colours....bhaang !!
For beginners,bhaang is just another sedative,a raw one rather, consumed in form of lassi,thandai,pakode and what not.For the still-curious,the source of bhang,the plant Cannabis sativa,is also the source of hashish and marijuana,bhaang's more popular family-members.
Bhaang,is known to cause a state of drowsiness,excessive laughing,heightened appetite and perceived slowing of time. I'm not sure how long bhaang's association with the festival of Holi dates back to but one for sure,in popular culture,our bollywood movies have been a great catalyst in promoting it as a special Holi delight(Remember the songs 'rang barse..' or 'khai k paan banaras wala'??).
As long as I can remember,each of my holi days,in my childhood,is hooked to having seen or heard of at least one guy,who had consumed bhang and has been acting 'weird'...fun for others around them.Though widely recognised as a source of 'nasha',consuming bhaang is acceptable in many households and is even churned at home on holi.
As,for me,in my family, holi itself was treated as un'holi..'a occasion for the sadak-chhaps',let alone accept bhaang'ing.Even during college,when I had been away from home on Holi,I refrained from Bhaang;the deep-rooted concept of 'sadak-chhaps' kept me off it,I guess.
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