Agra, the Taj Mahal area
“We stretch through the void in search of beauty” OU74
Namaste, bro! How are you? I hope you had a good holiday, recharged and are ready to hit the new year with successful throws. As for me, a day before New Year’s Eve, humming a line from my favourite hip-hop track, I grabbed my things and flew off on a two-week trip around India. Take a seat, ***, and I’ll share my impressions.
First and foremost, I went on this journey to rest and switch off from my usual activities. Finding the best *** or landraces wasn’t the goal. Still, I wanted to get to know at least a little of contemporary cannabis culture in India. It turned out to be richer than I had expected.
My little stoner kit that I managed to put together over a two-week trip around India.
I managed to *** “manala” (that’s what that suspicious guy called it), *** in an alley in Delhi at night. *** some good hybrid *** grown indoors in the suburbs. *** of the local Orissa strain with seeds from a musical instrument seller in the slums of Agra. See what Bhang shops look like. Drop into local smoke shops. Meet an Indian seedbank, visit an LED light production facility and talk to the creator of a hemp marketplace. Oh, and also visit an underground operation. Each of these encounters was, you could say, a chance convergence of circumstances. If you love cannabis with all your heart, your true path will emerge from the general chaos on its own.
In all seriousness
An excerpt from the report “Bhang, *** and penalties under the NDPS Act” | https://www.civilsdaily.com/
Let’s start with the official side. The main law regulating cannabis in India is the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act) of 1985. It prohibits the cultivation, possession, sale, consumption, use and international transport of all psychotropic substances, including cannabis. However, there are exceptions for medical or scientific purposes, as well as “industrial” ones, for example the production of fibres or seeds.
India allows the use of leaves and seeds, allowing the legal consumption of bhang, a traditional religious drink. However, the use of *** (***) and *** (***) is prohibited. Interestingly, cannabis occupies an important place in India’s culture and spiritual practices, especially in the form of bhang.
A visitor to the Holi festival of colours downs a glass of bhang | religionunplugged.com
Meanwhile, Indian states have different regulations, ranging from a strict ban on any form of cannabis to permission to grow industrial hemp. For example, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand allow collection and cultivation for certain purposes.
Medical cannabis in India has a complex and developing status. Central legislation (NDPS Act) indirectly allows the use of cannabis leaves and seeds, opening a path to the availability of some medical products made from them. In 2020, India’s first cannabis medicine clinic opened in Bangalore. However, access to medical cannabis is limited and often depends on the particular region or condition.
The use of recreational *** is prohibited in India. The NDPS Act explicitly prohibits the production, sale and use of extracts and flowers usually associated with recreation. Possession of these plant parts is considered a criminal offence. The penalty depends on the quantity.
India’s laws regulating the possession, cultivation and consumption of *** are mainly set by the NDPS Act and supplemented by individual state regulations. Cultivation of hemp for industrial purposes is permitted in some states, but personal cultivation for recreational use remains illegal throughout the country.
The future of cannabis legislation in India seems to be on a path of cautious development, reflecting a balance between traditional cultural practices, public health interests and international drug control standards.
Crime and punishment
Cops detained three unfortunate transporters with *** of *** | SP North Goa Police
Under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act), penalties in India for cannabis-related offences, including cultivation and possession of *** and ***, depend on the quantity of the substance. In the case of illegal growing, you receive the main cultivation penalty plus some tasty extras depending on the quantity of ***.
Cultivation
The main penalty has two parts: up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to ₹1 lakh (around one hundred thousand rupees)
Small quantity
***/***: ***.
***: ***.
The penalty for possession of a small quantity may include up to one year in prison and/or a fine of up to 10 thousand rupees.
More than a small quantity but less than a commercial one
This amount may bring up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to 1 million rupees.
Commercial quantity
***/***: ***.
***: ***.
Possession of a commercial quantity carries 10 to 20 years in prison, as well as a fine of 1 to 2 million rupees.
Deal, check, shit
A central street in Delhi, the presidential palace ahead, January first
Now for the unofficial side. I chose my first real dealer on my second day in Delhi. In the Jhandewalan area, next to a liquor shop. It was late in the evening after a long walk around the city. I intended to check out the Indian market for some good beer.
A slightly suspicious but smiling and charismatic Indian man of around 40 casually started a conversation: “Hello, brother, keep a good hold on your pockets, this place is dangerous… Where are you from?” At the end of the brief pleasantries came that question: “Maybe you wanna some ***?”
One of the alleys in New Delhi
We stepped into an alley. The dealer took out a little plastic sleeve with a round piece of ***, warmed it slightly with a lighter and let me smell it, hinting at solid quality. “Where’s it from?” I asked. “Manala,” the stranger promised, pointing somewhere into the sky, “*** — ***.”
I had no need for ***, but giving less wasn’t the street way, and in the end we agreed on *** for ***. That was how I had my first experience of *** *** in Asia.
I *** *** on the last night before flying out. In the hotel room, talking with my new cannabis activist friends from India and Russia. The *** let us achieve *** and a positive cannabis connection.
I was first offered “***” in central New Delhi, at Connaught Place. I had only been in India for 2 hours. A young guy of about 16 approached me with questions and advice on where a tourist should go. These guys get a small commission from places where they sell you tours and SIM cards and exchange cash. He seemed unreliable to me, and I declined, as I did all the later offers in that area.
There I also met a more professional trader. After another round of small talk, I was presented with 4 options:
Economy package — ordinary Indian ***
For lovers of a stoned feeling — Afghan ***
An explosive trip — Pakistani ***
Homeland — handmade Indian ***
But here too, curiosity alone was leading me, and our deal didn’t happen.
Treasures of the Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal shrouded in January smog
I was walking along Fatehabad Road in Agra, on the edge of the tourist area, waving away the “Hello, sir, tuk-tuk?” that came every 10 seconds. Suddenly a shopkeeper from a roadside shop ran after me, loudly asking just one word: “***?” “***?” His short, to-the-point approach made me stop with interest and ask again.
My friend, Shiva’s messenger
We went into his Shiva Music Shop to look at the collection of musical instruments: *** shaped like a soft, fragrant sausage and some dubious *** with seeds. “My soft one is the best in the area, *** for ***.” “No, no, bro, I don’t ***, but the seeds from your second bag have actually caught my interest.”
That soft ***
My new friend let me take out a couple of seeds, we chatted, took a photo together and went our separate ways. A couple of days later, before leaving Agra, I returned to ***. “Where’s it from?” “Orissa, *** and *** is yours.” “I only want it for the seeds, maybe ***?” “All right, you’ve talked me into it, ***.”
Seeds ***, *** into the fire
That evening I reached Jaipur. At the hotel I sorted through the ***. I threw out the sticks, selected the seeds and carefully kept the remaining *** until it was needed, since I hadn’t planned to *** for most of my journey.
Rolling
One of the last evenings, I went for a walk in Hauz Khas Park in the Delhi district of the same name. It was finally time for the long-awaited ***. I dropped into a nearby bong shop and picked up some papers. I sat under a little tree in the park and ***.
Smouldering
Milk academic
“And as the milk was drunk sip by sip, THC molecules entered the blood” Taj Mahal — Utro To
Bhang is a traditional Indian drink made from cannabis leaves. It can also be consumed as a herbal ball, which you swallow with a glass of water. There are many materials about its history and cultural significance, so I won’t go into depth.
In many parts of India, the sale of bhang is legal. State shops hold sales licences. These shops are controlled by the state, and bhang is sold according to regulated standards (probably).
I didn’t try bhang for two reasons. First, I was worried that my trip might be ruined by some infection because of my weak immunity to local bugs. Second, I couldn’t afford to spend a day in an excessively relaxed state.
But I did see two such shops in Agra and Jaipur. The Agra one (in the video and the first photos) is an unremarkable shop beside the road, with no thematic imagery. Rather dirty and making me worry about my health. Unfamiliar milk and balls carefully wrapped in plastic are kept in a large black bag behind the counter. They put a ball in a sieve and pour liquid over it, then collect it in a glass and hand it to an Indian man. The guy decided to charge himself up with positive energy for the day ahead.
In Jaipur, it’s a neat little shop with an appealing counter. Here your neat little ball rests on a tray in the fridge. They pour lassi (Indian yoghurt) over it from a clean factory-sealed package. I watch a visitor take a ball, roll it in his hands to compress it, toss it down his throat and chase it with a jug of water. The main thing is to do it quickly to avoid triggering a gag reflex. They say the taste is mediocre.
A bhang shop in Jaipur
Later, a new friend of mine, a specialist in Indian cannabis culture, told me the risk of poisoning was extremely low. The product could be consumed without much concern. Beginners should use 1 ball, as it can send them into a long relaxation. Experienced users with high tolerance can consume 3 at once. Maybe someday I’ll return here after all.
Smog over Delhi
If a country has ***, there must be something to *** it through. Having acquired *** *** to carry around and wanting to get some souvenirs, I set off to explore smoking culture.
My only photo of the Little Goa smoke shop, near Hauz Khas Park.
Little Goa is a chain of shops with a loud name that lures tourists. I found it on Google Maps in the Hauz Khas Park area of Delhi. A “youthful” place for people with above-average incomes. Modern coffee shops, branded clothing stores and opportunities to enjoy your free time in clubs or playing laser tag.
On arrival, you expect a smiling guy who’ll help you choose the best device based on the characteristics of your ***… Instead you meet reserved dudes who are shy about telling you about the shop and send you to the website. After I told them about myself and explained the situation, they gave me their blessing: “Only one photo, bro, okay?” Later a friend explained that I had probably landed in one of the less good branches of the chain.
The shop’s selection is wide and extensive. Even in Georgia, I don’t come across such a choice. Different bongs with upgrade options, pipes of various designs, papers, cigars, hookahs… In general, the shop can cover any smoker’s needs. And the sweetest part: on one display I spotted a dozen familiar packs from Dinafem. After checking the website, I found that they also operate as a grow shop where you can buy a full kit for an indoor cycle.
I visited the next shop in the Paharganj district. A tourist area for lovers of chaos. Cheap hotels, bars and all sorts of sellers of Indian clothing and souvenirs. Here I cheaply bought a dozen things with Indian imagery, some of them even woven from hemp fibres. And indeed, over several days I kept hearing offers of *** and *** on the street. Luckily, the dubious ladies and I only exchanged glances.
A street in the Paharganj district where the shop is located
The guys at the local shop were kind and open: “Make yourself at home, mate, it’s all for you.” And once again an endless choice of devices, grinders, safes and little bags. A smoker’s paradise. I picked up a few souvenirs and was pleased with the development of the smoker niche in India.
Find Zen
“An old man once took me aside and said: move quietly, then they’ll speak loudly about you” OU74 — King Size
I’m a breeder, remember? So missing the chance to immerse myself in the seed scene would have been a huge omission. I went back to Google Maps and found a little seed shop called Zen Seeds Bank. Choosing a bright, pleasant day, I went to the spot at Zen Bussines Center; for some reason the similar name didn’t bother me. However, when I arrived, a big disappointment awaited me…
There is no shop at the location, only a business centre with offices, one of which belongs to the brand. But nobody was there. After talking to the concierge about the purpose of my visit, he called the manager, explained the situation and exchanged our numbers with a Zen Seeds representative.
I wrote to the contact and said I wanted to learn more about the seedbank to tell its story in my material. A video call simply followed. On the line was Raman Chauhan, a giant of cannabis culture in India. An influential, kind, bright and open person. I was invited to meet, see the company and get to know the team.
Raman at Hemp Expo in India. Photo from the Zen Seeds Bank website.
On the Zen business centre website, my host was introduced as follows:
“Raman Chauhan is a co-founder and senior executive who, over his career, has played an important role in raising and deploying more than 30 million dollars for the company’s expansion and development. His extensive experience spans more than two decades in advanced technologies, renewable energy and semiconductor research and development.
Highlights of his career include implementing ICs and processes for GaN Technologies, serving as Senior Vice President of Business Development at Future Gaming, Chief Executive Officer of Spice Gas, a Spice Energy group company specialising in renewable energy, and Chief Strategy Officer at De Core Nano Semiconductors.”
Raman and the Blazen Photonics mascot
Maestro Raman develops legal cannabis projects in India and Thailand. Among the brands under his wing that interest me are Zen Seeds Bank and the Blazen Photonics production facility.
For Zen Seeds Bank, he put together a team of professionals from India, the USA, Thailand and Canada. The guys have experience growing cannabis since 1989 and know their cannabis genetics. They have facilities in Hapur (India), Sacramento (USA) and Pattaya (Thailand), where they grow hemp and produce medical seeds.
They also have a subsidiary, BLAZEN PHOTONICS. There you can find everything for indoor growing: substrates, tents, fertilisers and lighting. The brand offers to solve most of your concerns with products of its own manufacture.
A screenshot of the brand’s Instagram account: Raman talks about his favourite strain on a farm in Thailand.
Raman wasn’t there. He was on a farm in Thailand at the time. So he handed me over to his partner, who also serves as the brand’s marketer, Brojendro Singh. Bro is also a co-founder of Hempistani.
A photo from Brojendro’s Instagram account.
Hempistani works to make the world better through cannabis. They want to show everyone how useful cannabis can be for improving life. Their mission is to tell people what cannabis is, bring companies and organisations together to develop the industry, work with government and scientists to create rules for using hemp and help farmers and those who sell cannabis. They also provide advice to people just starting out in the green business.
A Vice-style conversation
We arranged to meet Brojendro the next day. On arriving at the metro station, I was met by a guy over 30 with a grin from ear to ear, a neck tattoo, a stylish cap and a light puffer jacket. A smoker; you recognise your own everywhere. At that moment I had no idea who this person was.
Brojendro and Raman talking in one of their Instagram videos
We came to the office and talked formally about their company and me. I’d say we chatted for 5 hours, but unfortunately my English is limited and I have little experience. For most of the time I listened attentively and enthusiastically, looking into my conversation partner’s eyes, burning with passion for his work.
“It’s not just business, we’re all here for fun,” Brojendro mentioned
Over the time we spent together, I was immersed in information about contemporary cannabis culture. My knowledge expanded to cover the whole spectrum of areas directly and indirectly connected with both medicine and recreation. I learned more about the legal workings of the cannabis market and even discussed how things look in practice, including CBD and hemp regulation problems. Of course, we also discussed problems in the country that are close to our own realities. Corruption. Alcoholism. The situation with *** from Afghanistan and Pakistan. Chinese ***. And how the online dark market works. Familiar cases kept coming to mind. How close we are.
Blazen Photonics
Getting to know the model range
After several hours of conversation, we finally remembered that I’d come to take photos and rushed off to the Blazen Photonics assembly workshop, a subsidiary of Zen Seeds Bank. Clean, tidy production. Components arrive here to be assembled into lights and later stored in the warehouse. A design engineer sits in an office, while in the next room two guys in uniform work on assembly.
Assembling a light
To equip their products, the guys use LEDs from Osram and Seoul Semiconductor, with MeanWell and Inventronics as drivers. Models from 100 to 800 watts are available to buy. The smallest, Harrier 100w, will cost its lucky owner 16 thousand rupees, while the largest, Lightening 800w, will go home with you for 88 thousand Indian coins. Incidentally, the lights are named after one of Raman’s favourite subjects: US military hardware.
Zen Seeds
After looking around the workshop, we came back to talk about seeds. On the table appeared a bag made of hemp fibres with the brand’s logo, full of seeds. Gelato, Purple Thai, Planet Of The Grapes, Frisian Duck x Purple Frisian Duck auto… What!? Frisian Duck? Guys, you have mutant strains? My amazement at this gift of fate knew no bounds.
“Could I have some..?” I decided to ask. “You can,” Bro replied. Even happier, I picked the strains that interested me most out of the ziplock bags for new experiments.
The bank currently has 20+ strains in its range. Some are being tested, others have already been added to the main lineup. Products are distributed across India and Thailand. The main focus is on A plant that starts flowering independently of the length of the day. autoflowering ↗ strains, as outdoor growing is the most common way to grow cannabis in India.
I’d divide the brand’s strains into several key groups:
Tasty strains — Zkittlez, Strawberry OG, Red Banana Berry, Gelato
Classics — Blackberry, Super Silver Haze, Skunk, Gorilla Glue
Beautiful flower — Purple Kush, Violet Kush, Black Bud.
Mutants for stealth — Freakshow, Frisian Duck, Frisian Duck x Purple Kush, Frisian Duck x Purple Frisian Duck.
CBD strains — Rosella CBD, Dr.Hypno CBD.
Price list:
Tasty strains, classics and beauties — 1,460 rupees for three seeds. 2,700 for six.
Mutants — 2,600 rupees for 3 and 5,000 for 6.
CBD — 3,000 for 3 and 6,000 for 6 medical ones.
And at this point I couldn’t resist and immediately started germinating three Duckfoot-leaf hybrids from Zen and a Duck from Dutch Passion that I’d had lying around, for testing and new experiments.
Make yourself at home
“If there’s a cupboard in the house, you’re calm as a boa — a minimum of problems and no setups” Le Truk — Shkaf
In the last couple of days, just when I thought I’d finished my cannabis trip, a local indoor grower contacted me. “I’ll show you something for your material,” the new contact cheered me up. “We’re going to the suburbs; we only have 5–10 minutes to be there. In and out.” “Can I take photos?” “Of course, but not for publication.”
Let’s imagine this is that very photo)
We jump into a car and head to the outskirts of Delhi, to a high-rise. The guy doesn’t live here. It’s a growing space chosen with particular care. On the table are a bong and rolling papers. In one of the back rooms, about twenty small plants are packed into an area of roughly 3 square metres. Four LED lights provide a total of 800w. The substrate is peat-based, watered by hand. There’s no extraction, only ventilation to circulate air inside the room and an air conditioner.
Despite the area, this grow isn’t commercial. The gardener is building skills to use them in Thailand. He uses the resulting *** for extracts and medical purposes. The guy snaps off a little branch from a recent harvest, and we head back to New Delhi. We walk, ***, talk about psychedelics and how cannabis helped him get out of depression.
Comeback
“My people are everywhere, and there are more of us than yesterday — Rasta Mafia rules in every corner of the planet” Le Truk — Made in Brazil
This trip was a real discovery for me. I immersed myself in contemporary culture and history and learned how people live in the local cannabis world. We are equals, and our path leads in the same direction. Each of us has a part of a researcher striving for new discoveries.
Returning home, I brought back not only souvenirs but also invaluable experience. India left a special mark on my heart, and I’m sure I’ll return here someday.
Now I’m well rested, recharged and ready for new experiments. I invite you, my friend, to watch the tests of the hybrids and the landrace I managed to get during the adventure. Alongside them, I’m starting a cycle with Legitimo cannabis hops. Most importantly, I’ll show how I’m working on an autoflowering Feminized seeds are produced to give female plants. feminised ↗ version of my own mutant strain, Drunken Bastard x Lowryder.