14. Holy India: A land of double standards
When the makers of our constitution wrote about rights and equality among all the citizens of this holy land, little did they know that the future generations of political leaders would break the fundamentals of our constitution and absolutely no one would try to question the injustice for many decades henceforth.
Such is the case of adding a holy plant like Bhaang (Gaanja) into the book of Narcotics in 1985 and thereby prohibiting it for the entire nation from growing, trading or consuming it.
But how does the prohibition break the constitutional rights?
Right to life
Cannabis / Bhaang / Gaanja is a medicinal plant.
It has the ability to cure hundreds of diseases, which the western medicines have no answers to.
It has the power to keep the user in a form of super healthy state of mind and body. This helps prevent diseases.
Prohibition of a medicinal plant, is a destruction to our RIGHT TO LIFE.
Right to religion
Cannabis is at the core of Hinduism, which is the most followed faith in India. Our vedas wrote that cannabis is one among the 5 most sacred plants to live on this land.
The use of Cannabis / Bhaang / Gaanja is a sacred practice that has been a part of human culture for the whole of history and in all parts of the world.
There are plenty of religions and cults that considers cannabis to be a integral part of their practice to be able to connect with the higher self.
HINDUISM
SIKKHISM
BUDDHISM
CHRISTIANITY
ISLAM
JUDAISM
RASTAFARI
BENE RIAMBA
WU
TAOISM
NORSE
ETHIOPIAN ZION COPTIC CHURCH
SANTO DAIME
CANTHEISM
WAY OF INFINITE HARMONY
CANNABIS ASSEMBLY
CHURCH OF COGNITIVE THERAPY
TEMPLE 420
GREEN FAITH MINISTRIES
CHURCH OF COGNIZANCE
CHURCH OF THE UNIVERSE
THE FREE MARIJUANA CHURCH OF HONOLULU
THE FREE LIFE MINISTRY OF CANTHE
THE CHURCH OF HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS
THE TEMPLE OF TRUE INNER LIGHT
THE FIRST CHURCH OF CANNABIS
are just a few notable religions which considers the medicinal and spiritual use of cannabis as a holy sacrament.Prohibition of a world renowned multi-relegious practice is unconstitutional.
Right to freedom
does it make sense when one gets abused, threatened and arrested for using a plant which is holy and safe, and most importantly which is given to us by nature?
This prohibition is against our freedom to use something which is safe, for ourselves, without harming nobody.
Right against exploitation
When a person is forced to work, its exploitation.
When a person is arrested for not committing any crime and locked up in a jail for many years for growing, consuming or trading a plant;
isn't this an exploitation by the government itself?
Right to culture
Cannabis is one of the oldest cultures known to man.
Just like how it has been used in spiritual practice and medicines for thousands of years, India had a great unspoken culture of the use of BHAANG during the national festivals like Holi, Shivraatri, Raam Navami, Dussehra, Ganesh Chaturthi etc.
Prohibiting the Cannabis plant is unconstitutional because of its ability to break the cultural and traditional practices of this nation.
Right to education
Spirituality is also a subject.
It is a study which is as much as an experience as it is to learn. It is a study of the consciousness and tools to access lies within oneself and also some of the divine plants.Prohibition of Cannabis, is against the Right to Education.
How does this prohibition make India a land of double standards?
India is known to be the land of sages and saints who most often use cannabis or as they fondly call it as 'Gaanja'. In many National Festivals, Religions and Spiritual Sects, gaanja is considered to be a Prasadam (God's food).
There are undying cults within Hinduism like yogi, aghori, sadhu, sanyaasi & siddha.
Among the many saints and spiritual leaders of India, one such famous sage in the pre-independence era was Shri Gajanan Maharaj who was considered to be a reincarnation of God Ganesh.
No one knows where Shri Gajanan Maharaj came from, but he was in his 20s when he entered Shegaon, a small place in Maharashtra, India. He was at this very place from 1870s to 1910, the year he took 'samadhi' and left the earthly body. He is just one of the many sages and saints who smoked this holy plant.
But, Gajanan Maharaj possessed Super Conscious States of Mind and people worshipped him and respected
for his wisdom and views on life. He is known to his followers for his use of bhaang and guiding the people through their tough times.
During his period of time he performed many miracles like filling dried well with water, lighting his chillums without fire, drawing sugar cane juice by twisting canes with his hands, curing leprosy of a man, curing himself of the many bites of honey bees, etc.
He is one known sage who's paintings or idols till today are often portrayed with him smoking a chillum.
Just a small historic example of our forgotten culture lies in our Indian Independence Movement.
One day, Tilak ji invited Shri Gajanan Maharaj for a public meeting on the occasion of Shivaji Jayanti. When Lokamanya Tilak delivered a charismatic speech, Maharaj predicted that Tilak ji would get a very harsh sentence by the British and his words came true.
Shri Bala Gangadhar Tilak, who was an outspoken political reformer and one of the most important figures in Indian Independence Movement, was a follower of two of the greatest spiritual leaders who used bhaang regularly in their lives. Shree Gajanan Maharaj and also Shirdi Shree Sai Baba.
This is an unspoken connection between the Indian Independence Movement and the spiritual gurus whom our reformers or leaders worshipped, who were the users of cannabis.
The same practice which is condemned and outlawed in the society that we currently live in.
Just like Gajanan Maharaj or Shirdi Sai Baba, there are currently over 4 to 5 MILLION sadhus in the country who often use this herb for spiritual, mental or physical well being.
So according to the current law, these 5 million sadhus in India who are much respected and often considered holy, becomes criminals?
If not, then why are we denying the citizens of the country
to utilise this holy plant?
And yet, to this day, a corrupted law still holds strong in this country where people get jailed (non-bailable) maybe upto 10 years, for growing or consuming this HOLY PLANT?
This prohibition is unjust. The prohibition is unconstitutional. The prohibition destroys the fundamentals of this nation. This prohibition is destroying the lives of many suffering souls who are waiting for a cure for their diseases.
Let's hope that this prohibition ends soon.
Gaanja / Bhaang was a holy plant in our society which was looked up at. Gaanja / Bhaang users were considered Holy Men and was worshipped across this country. Just what has India come down to?
Destruction to aboriginal traditions and cultures, denying a spiritual experience to many people, and arresting the citizens for using the plant, while tolerating its same use among few sects of the society makes this a land of Double Standards.
In 2017, let's start to make an attempt to connect to our original culture. If not for the religion and spirituality, how about the scientific proof of its ability to cure hundreds of diseases and billions of patients around the world who needs this medicine immediately?
Is anybody out there?