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Bhang Journeys: Stories, Histories, Trips and Travels
‘A wild ride through the dreamworlds and shadow life of bhang and ganja in Odisha… Akshaya Bahibala is the Baudelaire of Indian literature.’—Chandrahas Choudhury
For ten years, from 1998 to 2008, Akshaya Bahibala was in the grip of bhang, of ganja—drinking it, smoking it, experiencing the highs and lows of an addict on Puri’s beaches with hippies, backpackers and drop-outs from France and Japan, Italy and Norway. Then he drew back from the edge and tried to make a life, working as a waiter, a salesman, a bookseller. He starts this journal-cum-travel book with startling, fragmented memories of his lost decade. From these, he moves to stories about people across Odisha whose lives revolve around ganja-bhang-opium. There is the owner of a government approved bhang shop who takes pride in selling the purest bhang available and insists it can make people as forgiving and non-violent as Jesus. The opium cutter who learned as a boy how to massage a lump of opium with mustard oil and carve it into little tablets. The girl who survived cholera by licking opium and became a lifelong addict. The goldsmith whose opium de-addiction card entitles him to 20 grams a month, but who wishes it were 25. The ganja farmer who came from Punjab in a helicopter. A young man, a victim of ganja and-bhang-fuelled paranoia, who believes Indian and American spies are out to get him. Excise department men who go to destroy ganja plantations and are beaten up by angry villagers. Interspersed with these stories are official data on opium produced, seized and destroyed; UN reports on the medicinal properties of cannabis; and a veteran’s recipes for bhang laddoos and sharbat.
Full of surprises, utterly distinctive, this entertaining, often trippy book of memories, journeys, facts and figures about the popular intoxicant is both a celebration and a warning.
For ten years, from 1998 to 2008, Akshaya Bahibala was in the grip of bhang, of ganja—drinking it, smoking it, experiencing the highs and lows of an addict on Puri’s beaches with hippies, backpackers and drop-outs from France and Japan, Italy and Norway. Then he drew back from the edge and tried to make a life, working as a waiter, a salesman, a bookseller. He starts this journal-cum-travel book with startling, fragmented memories of his lost decade. From these, he moves to stories about people across Odisha whose lives revolve around ganja-bhang-opium. There is the owner of a government approved bhang shop who takes pride in selling the purest bhang available and insists it can make people as forgiving and non-violent as Jesus. The opium cutter who learned as a boy how to massage a lump of opium with mustard oil and carve it into little tablets. The girl who survived cholera by licking opium and became a lifelong addict. The goldsmith whose opium de-addiction card entitles him to 20 grams a month, but who wishes it were 25. The ganja farmer who came from Punjab in a helicopter. A young man, a victim of ganja and-bhang-fuelled paranoia, who believes Indian and American spies are out to get him. Excise department men who go to destroy ganja plantations and are beaten up by angry villagers. Interspersed with these stories are official data on opium produced, seized and destroyed; UN reports on the medicinal properties of cannabis; and a veteran’s recipes for bhang laddoos and sharbat.
Full of surprises, utterly distinctive, this entertaining, often trippy book of memories, journeys, facts and figures about the popular intoxicant is both a celebration and a warning.
- GenresNonfiction
184 pages, Paperback
Published March 1, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
October 7, 2025
"Bhang. Ganja. Drifting. You are not alone."
From the beaches and roads of Puri to the mountains of Hampi, the author has chased his share of high amidst all trials and tribulations. The initial curious pull to a hard addiction to Bhang and the resulting delusion of persecution tugs at all my emotions because I come from a family of addicts. What was commendable was him attaining sobriety. It's not easy.
"The road to recovery wasn't easy. Simply deciding to quit drugs didn't cure me overnight of low confidence and an almost paralyzing fear of everything around me."
The book also talks about how some countries are approving Cannabis as a legal substance. In India however, Cannabis is an illegal substance. Yet illegal farming takes place in cold, hard to reach hilly areas where the poor grow the plants for some quick money paid by the mafia. Most are destroyed by the government. With the rise of many hard drugs in Odisha, cannabis seems like a small thing. Many use cannabis for respiratory ailments (point to note that the smoke itself irritates the respiratory system but the ingestion can cause bronchodilation), anxiety, seizures, tremors etc BUT chances of addiction with delusions, arrythmias of heart, memory impairment and respiratory ailments are there too. It's a double edged sword. The book also has explores the historic government run opium centres for de-addiction that issued cards to the addicts. Now they are just a thing of the past. Even though great for relief of pain, the addiction factor is currently pushing all anaesthesiologists to push for opioid free anaesthesia and analgesia.
A very raw and dual approach to the author's bhang and opium journey. A must read.
"You carry your Puri with you, inside you, somewhere. Everyone has a Puri. I had my Puri-or it had me..."
P.S - The book has recipes for Bhang Laddoos and Sherbet.
From the beaches and roads of Puri to the mountains of Hampi, the author has chased his share of high amidst all trials and tribulations. The initial curious pull to a hard addiction to Bhang and the resulting delusion of persecution tugs at all my emotions because I come from a family of addicts. What was commendable was him attaining sobriety. It's not easy.
"The road to recovery wasn't easy. Simply deciding to quit drugs didn't cure me overnight of low confidence and an almost paralyzing fear of everything around me."
The book also talks about how some countries are approving Cannabis as a legal substance. In India however, Cannabis is an illegal substance. Yet illegal farming takes place in cold, hard to reach hilly areas where the poor grow the plants for some quick money paid by the mafia. Most are destroyed by the government. With the rise of many hard drugs in Odisha, cannabis seems like a small thing. Many use cannabis for respiratory ailments (point to note that the smoke itself irritates the respiratory system but the ingestion can cause bronchodilation), anxiety, seizures, tremors etc BUT chances of addiction with delusions, arrythmias of heart, memory impairment and respiratory ailments are there too. It's a double edged sword. The book also has explores the historic government run opium centres for de-addiction that issued cards to the addicts. Now they are just a thing of the past. Even though great for relief of pain, the addiction factor is currently pushing all anaesthesiologists to push for opioid free anaesthesia and analgesia.
A very raw and dual approach to the author's bhang and opium journey. A must read.
"You carry your Puri with you, inside you, somewhere. Everyone has a Puri. I had my Puri-or it had me..."
P.S - The book has recipes for Bhang Laddoos and Sherbet.
May 20, 2024
Informative, insightful, deeply personal, and journalistic. Gives you a look into the business of illegal ganja farming, the plight of the bhang seller and Government opium de-addiction programs through anecdotes and interviews of people going through them.
April 14, 2024
I reviewed this for Business Standard. You can read the review here: https://www.business-standard.com/boo...
"“Ten years go by like this. You wake up. You roll a joint. You smoke it. You go to the beach. You meet a bunch of friends, old friends, joint friends, and sometimes a few hippies, White folk. You roll some more joints. Or fill and fire some chillums. You drink some beer or swig Old Monk rum and hang out at the beach or under a banyan tree and you smoke. Rinse. Repeat.” So begins Bhang Journeys by Akshaya Bahibala as he chronicles his own addiction to marijuana and writes about individuals across his home state, Odisha, whose lives, in some or the other way, ceaselessly orbit around bhang, ganja and opium."
"“Ten years go by like this. You wake up. You roll a joint. You smoke it. You go to the beach. You meet a bunch of friends, old friends, joint friends, and sometimes a few hippies, White folk. You roll some more joints. Or fill and fire some chillums. You drink some beer or swig Old Monk rum and hang out at the beach or under a banyan tree and you smoke. Rinse. Repeat.” So begins Bhang Journeys by Akshaya Bahibala as he chronicles his own addiction to marijuana and writes about individuals across his home state, Odisha, whose lives, in some or the other way, ceaselessly orbit around bhang, ganja and opium."
May 2, 2024
An account of fascinating escapades and many interesting facts about the popular intoxicants in India. Discover stories you would never hear from mainstream media avenues. Expect a mix of chilling narratives and satirically amusing anecdotes!
Disclaimer— you needn’t be high on bhang/opium to write a book, you just need to have the ability to articulate your experiences well like it has been done in this book!
Disclaimer— you needn’t be high on bhang/opium to write a book, you just need to have the ability to articulate your experiences well like it has been done in this book!
October 26, 2024
Bhang Journeys is about bhang (Cannabis sativa). Author Akshaya Bahibala really makes of this book a journey: personal and public. Exploratory. Nostalgic. He covers the gamut of sub-topics, beginning with his own very long tryst with bhang, which he first encountered as a teenager in Puri. From his addiction to the substance and his subsequent realization of how it was wrecking his life, Bahibala moves on to other related aspects of bhang. The claims for medicinal and health benefits. Odisha’s love-hate relationship with bhang, from the cannabis plantation-destroying raids carried out by the Excise Department of the state, to the Central Bhang Gola office, which dispenses authorized bhang. The smuggling of bhang, the sale of bhang, the poverty that drives people to cultivate it. The corruption. Recipes for bhang laddoos, bhang lassi, and more.
Bhang Journeys is a very eclectic sort of book. Bahibala looks at bhang from different angles, and manages to be objective about it all. Through his research, through the people he’s met and talked to—addicts, farmers, sellers, Excise staff, ganja-cutters, and many more—we get to see this controversial plant from varied points of view, and never does Bahibala stand in judgement (though, often, I could not help but think what a knotty problem this thing is, and how the government seems to end up running around in circles—and the poor are always at the receiving end of it all).
A short, immensely interesting, very readable book.
Much longer review (and some more) at my blog, here: https://madhulikareads.wordpress.com/...
Bhang Journeys is a very eclectic sort of book. Bahibala looks at bhang from different angles, and manages to be objective about it all. Through his research, through the people he’s met and talked to—addicts, farmers, sellers, Excise staff, ganja-cutters, and many more—we get to see this controversial plant from varied points of view, and never does Bahibala stand in judgement (though, often, I could not help but think what a knotty problem this thing is, and how the government seems to end up running around in circles—and the poor are always at the receiving end of it all).
A short, immensely interesting, very readable book.
Much longer review (and some more) at my blog, here: https://madhulikareads.wordpress.com/...
April 9, 2026
ये किताब बहुत कुछ करना चाहती है, लेकिन अंततः असफल रहती है। आत्मकथा, यात्रावृत, सामाजिक चित्रण एवम् ऐतिहासिक-चिकित्सीय-वैधानिक लेख, सब कुछ समेटने का प्रयास है। इसमें मेरी माने तो केवल पहला ही हिस्सा रोचक था। शोध उतना कुछ खास नहीं है। पढ़ने के बाद ये भी प्रतीत होता है की लेखक उड़िया होने के बावजूद भी काफ़ी हद तक स्थानीय प्रथाओं स्थानीय परंपराओं को एक बाहरी दृष्टि से देखता है। मैंने सोचा था ये मूल रूप से उड़िया में लिखी किताब का अनुवाद है। लेकिन असल में Bhang Journeys: Stories, Histories, Trips and Travels मूल किताब है जिसका अनुवाद Vyalok
ने किया है। भाषा बहुत सहज है और मालूम नहीं होता कि इसका अनुवाद अंग्रेज़ी से हुआ है । Abhishek Shukla की Deep Work और M.L. Parihar की Jaat-Paant Ka Vinash (जात-पांत का विनाश) दोनों में साफ़ पता चलता है, पर यहाँ ऐसा नहीं है। यद्यपि किताब उतनी खास नहीं है, फिर भी आधुनिक हिंदी अनुवाद के एक नमूने के तौर पर इसके लिए विशेष स्थान है।
September 3, 2024
Bhang Journeys by Akshaya Bahibala
I came across this book on Instagram and was instantly intrigued. Deciding to give it a try, I found myself hooked—it truly is a page-turner, filled with fascinating stories and facts about bhang and ganja.
The book is written in a narrative style, rich with the author’s personal experiences with these substances. But it has more than just stories; it is more like a documentary on drugs, exploring how entire communities’ livelihoods depend on such plantations. It made me wonder how this book might impact someone who uses drugs, or someone who’s never consumed them. Honestly, I don’t have an answer to that, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
What stood out to me was the non-judgmental approach the book takes. It doesn’t impose moral restrictions or criticize drug consumption. Instead, it highlights the author’s travels, his personal experiences with bhang and ganja, and the stories of the people of Odisha, whose lives revolve around these substances. Overall, it’s a fascinating, short read—both educational and eye-opening.
I came across this book on Instagram and was instantly intrigued. Deciding to give it a try, I found myself hooked—it truly is a page-turner, filled with fascinating stories and facts about bhang and ganja.
The book is written in a narrative style, rich with the author’s personal experiences with these substances. But it has more than just stories; it is more like a documentary on drugs, exploring how entire communities’ livelihoods depend on such plantations. It made me wonder how this book might impact someone who uses drugs, or someone who’s never consumed them. Honestly, I don’t have an answer to that, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
What stood out to me was the non-judgmental approach the book takes. It doesn’t impose moral restrictions or criticize drug consumption. Instead, it highlights the author’s travels, his personal experiences with bhang and ganja, and the stories of the people of Odisha, whose lives revolve around these substances. Overall, it’s a fascinating, short read—both educational and eye-opening.
May 5, 2024
Before even beginning the book, I was curious to know about its contents obviously because it deals with a subject less spoken about openly. Interestingly, the non-fictional book, is not just an autobiographical account but an amalgamation of both semi-autobiography and a detailed study on the culture and politics of the state Odisha. Wonderfully distinct from most such books, it not only deals with the author’s experiences but also the varied perceptions of diverse categories of people on the manufacture and consumption of bhang and ganja, that provides the readers with various perspectives on the same subject and gives them an option to evaluate it in an unbiased, non-restricted and pragmatic manner.
It is undoubtedly a multifaceted book that simultaneously exposes the readers to the cultural, geographical and political history and reality of the state. It talks about hidden truths of Odisha, such as the age-old tradition of manufacture and consumption of bhang, its medicinal benefits as mentioned in traditional Indian scriptures, the dependance of people on bhang for finance and livelihood, and how even till this date, it is unjust for people in districts like Koraput, Malkangiri, Gajapati and Kandhamal, to have their ganja plantations destroyed, under government laws to ban the use of opium, without providing an alternative to gain livelihood.
The book is based on real-life events, facts and evidences after a thorough research on the subject by the author. It offers a groundbreaking approach to concerns of ganja consumption, manufacture, prohibition of ganja while legalization of alcohol despite its warnings of diseases, the consumption of brown sugar due to ban of ganja, and the hypocrisy of political system. The personal touch of the author is subtle and accurate, which makes the work raw and original. Akshaya Bahibala’s focus on issues that are suppressed and require to be voiced makes him a progressive writer, that the generation is in dire need of, amidst times when the unidimensional academic approach to literature and knowledge is keeping us unaware and our information biased and limited, and makes his “Bhang Journeys” a sensational and extremely useful work.
It is undoubtedly a multifaceted book that simultaneously exposes the readers to the cultural, geographical and political history and reality of the state. It talks about hidden truths of Odisha, such as the age-old tradition of manufacture and consumption of bhang, its medicinal benefits as mentioned in traditional Indian scriptures, the dependance of people on bhang for finance and livelihood, and how even till this date, it is unjust for people in districts like Koraput, Malkangiri, Gajapati and Kandhamal, to have their ganja plantations destroyed, under government laws to ban the use of opium, without providing an alternative to gain livelihood.
The book is based on real-life events, facts and evidences after a thorough research on the subject by the author. It offers a groundbreaking approach to concerns of ganja consumption, manufacture, prohibition of ganja while legalization of alcohol despite its warnings of diseases, the consumption of brown sugar due to ban of ganja, and the hypocrisy of political system. The personal touch of the author is subtle and accurate, which makes the work raw and original. Akshaya Bahibala’s focus on issues that are suppressed and require to be voiced makes him a progressive writer, that the generation is in dire need of, amidst times when the unidimensional academic approach to literature and knowledge is keeping us unaware and our information biased and limited, and makes his “Bhang Journeys” a sensational and extremely useful work.
May 7, 2024
This was a refreshingly honest account of the cultural trajectory of bhang, in all its myriad forms interspersed with the author's own personal adventures.
We hear first hand accounts of people in the process of making, selling or consuming these drugs. These opinions end up revealing a great deal about the people and their social location as much as it does about bhang in itself. The brahmin who thinks the ayurvedic nature of bhang makes it the wonder-drug of peace as opposed to alcohol, his "brahmin-ness" being a supposed surety of his truthful nature & therefore a reliable indicator of his claims according to him.
The bhang doctors who claim the miraculous effects of bhang being implicated in ayurveda & other holy scriptures, while encouraging the author to seek online "sources" for confirmation of these claims. One would think the burden of proof lies on one who makes the claim but not for these curious kabirajs, vaidyas & ayurvedic practitioners. The opium cutter who scraps out a living without protective gear or job security for decades & the fascinating few opium addict card holders.
The journey into the ganja fields is what tethered me to this book deeply. It was painful to witness the dispossession of autonomy of tribal women & villagers intersect with the interests of a State that is coming up with disappointingly bad policies to curb drug trade & addiction. It makes you look at the the bigger narrative of development & growth to ask, who is this prosperity for? Whose suffering is stamped on the cannabis that reaches our peace-loving uber cool crowd that loves disappearing into the wonderland of weed? Can our bhang lovers ever reconcile their hippie outlook with the actual journey bhang takes to reach them?
I don't know. But I am glad the author has created a text where one might get to witness this contradiction & ask these difficult questions.
We hear first hand accounts of people in the process of making, selling or consuming these drugs. These opinions end up revealing a great deal about the people and their social location as much as it does about bhang in itself. The brahmin who thinks the ayurvedic nature of bhang makes it the wonder-drug of peace as opposed to alcohol, his "brahmin-ness" being a supposed surety of his truthful nature & therefore a reliable indicator of his claims according to him.
The bhang doctors who claim the miraculous effects of bhang being implicated in ayurveda & other holy scriptures, while encouraging the author to seek online "sources" for confirmation of these claims. One would think the burden of proof lies on one who makes the claim but not for these curious kabirajs, vaidyas & ayurvedic practitioners. The opium cutter who scraps out a living without protective gear or job security for decades & the fascinating few opium addict card holders.
The journey into the ganja fields is what tethered me to this book deeply. It was painful to witness the dispossession of autonomy of tribal women & villagers intersect with the interests of a State that is coming up with disappointingly bad policies to curb drug trade & addiction. It makes you look at the the bigger narrative of development & growth to ask, who is this prosperity for? Whose suffering is stamped on the cannabis that reaches our peace-loving uber cool crowd that loves disappearing into the wonderland of weed? Can our bhang lovers ever reconcile their hippie outlook with the actual journey bhang takes to reach them?
I don't know. But I am glad the author has created a text where one might get to witness this contradiction & ask these difficult questions.
November 4, 2025
✨ Book Review ✨
Bhang Journeys: Stories, Histories, Trips and Travels
by Akshaya Bahibala
"A wild, trippy ride through the dreamworlds of bhang and ganja in Odisha." 🌿
Akshaya Bahibala takes us on a decade-long journey from the smoky beaches of Puri to the calm hills of Hampi where bhang, ganja, and opium form the strange yet soulful backdrop of life. What starts as simple curiosity slowly spirals into addiction, self-destruction, and, eventually, recovery.
The book beautifully blends memoir, travelogue, and storytelling, introducing us to people whose lives revolve around these intoxicants the bhang shop owner, the opium cutter, the ganja farmer, and many others living at the edge of legality and survival. Mixed with bits of history, government data, and even UN reports, Bhang Journeys feels like both a personal confession and a social reflection.
Akshaya's honesty stands out he doesn’t shy away from showing the paranoia, the loneliness, or the slow, painful process of healing.
"The road to recovery wasn’t easy. Simply deciding to quit drugs didn’t cure me overnight of low confidence and an almost paralyzing fear of everything around me."
What I liked most is how balanced the tone is it never glorifies nor judges. It just tells the story as it is, raw and real. And ending the book with recipes for bhang laddoos and sherbet felt oddly comforting, like a gentle reminder that life comes full circle.
Verdict:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (4/5)
An honest, haunting, and deeply human read about chasing highs, hitting lows, and finding peace in between. Definitely recommended for readers who enjoy thoughtful Indian non-fiction.
Bhang Journeys: Stories, Histories, Trips and Travels
by Akshaya Bahibala
"A wild, trippy ride through the dreamworlds of bhang and ganja in Odisha." 🌿
Akshaya Bahibala takes us on a decade-long journey from the smoky beaches of Puri to the calm hills of Hampi where bhang, ganja, and opium form the strange yet soulful backdrop of life. What starts as simple curiosity slowly spirals into addiction, self-destruction, and, eventually, recovery.
The book beautifully blends memoir, travelogue, and storytelling, introducing us to people whose lives revolve around these intoxicants the bhang shop owner, the opium cutter, the ganja farmer, and many others living at the edge of legality and survival. Mixed with bits of history, government data, and even UN reports, Bhang Journeys feels like both a personal confession and a social reflection.
Akshaya's honesty stands out he doesn’t shy away from showing the paranoia, the loneliness, or the slow, painful process of healing.
"The road to recovery wasn’t easy. Simply deciding to quit drugs didn’t cure me overnight of low confidence and an almost paralyzing fear of everything around me."
What I liked most is how balanced the tone is it never glorifies nor judges. It just tells the story as it is, raw and real. And ending the book with recipes for bhang laddoos and sherbet felt oddly comforting, like a gentle reminder that life comes full circle.
Verdict:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (4/5)
An honest, haunting, and deeply human read about chasing highs, hitting lows, and finding peace in between. Definitely recommended for readers who enjoy thoughtful Indian non-fiction.
May 3, 2024
"Bhang Journey: Stories, History, Trips and Travels" by Akshaya Bahibala dives deep into the world of bhang and ganja, offering a unique blend of personal experience and historical exploration.
Here's a breakdown of what the book likely offers:
-Personal Journey: Bahibala shares his firsthand experiences, detailing the highs of bhang and ganja on the beach road of Puri, potentially including introspective thoughts and reflections.
-Travelogue: The book takes readers on a journey as Bahibala delves into the history and cultural significance of bhang and ganja, with insights gained from his travels.
-Culinary Delights: Expect a collection of interesting and perhaps, unique recipes featuring bhang, offering practical ways to incorporate it into food and drinks.
-Beyond Bhang: Bahibala delves into the world of opium, potentially exploring its history, uses, and societal impact.
-Insider Access: The book promises a glimpse into the world of excise officers who work amidst the controlled substances, potentially offering a rare perspective.
Overall, "Bhang Journey" seems like a well-rounded exploration of psychoactive substances, particularly bhang and ganja, that goes beyond just personal experience. It delves into history, culture, and practical aspects, potentially making it an intriguing read for those curious about these substances and their multifaceted impact.
Here's a breakdown of what the book likely offers:
-Personal Journey: Bahibala shares his firsthand experiences, detailing the highs of bhang and ganja on the beach road of Puri, potentially including introspective thoughts and reflections.
-Travelogue: The book takes readers on a journey as Bahibala delves into the history and cultural significance of bhang and ganja, with insights gained from his travels.
-Culinary Delights: Expect a collection of interesting and perhaps, unique recipes featuring bhang, offering practical ways to incorporate it into food and drinks.
-Beyond Bhang: Bahibala delves into the world of opium, potentially exploring its history, uses, and societal impact.
-Insider Access: The book promises a glimpse into the world of excise officers who work amidst the controlled substances, potentially offering a rare perspective.
Overall, "Bhang Journey" seems like a well-rounded exploration of psychoactive substances, particularly bhang and ganja, that goes beyond just personal experience. It delves into history, culture, and practical aspects, potentially making it an intriguing read for those curious about these substances and their multifaceted impact.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2024
The moment I picked up this book I really wondered what it would be. Would it interest me? How would a person who has never taken these drugs respond to the book? How would a person who actually has taken drugs also respond to the book?
It was only after completing the book that I could sum up my experience of reading it. When I started off reading how Akshaya spent those years on the Puri Beach, I thought it would be a very personal retelling of his life from addiction to de-addiction. I thought it would turn out to be a typical triumph over circumstances story, but then Akshaya did really surprise me!
The book just doesn’t chronicle Akshaya’s experience of addiction but also traverses through the jungles of Odissa, through the Government depots and the reasons of how livelihoods are getting dependent on this crop. I especially could imagine how Akshaya travelled and talked to people, police and purchasers of the drug in legal and non-legal ways.
Overall it was an insightful read connecting something that’s debatable in legal angle, scientific viewpoints, livelihood perspectives and the drain of the police force engaged in the war in between legalization and mafias.
It was only after completing the book that I could sum up my experience of reading it. When I started off reading how Akshaya spent those years on the Puri Beach, I thought it would be a very personal retelling of his life from addiction to de-addiction. I thought it would turn out to be a typical triumph over circumstances story, but then Akshaya did really surprise me!
The book just doesn’t chronicle Akshaya’s experience of addiction but also traverses through the jungles of Odissa, through the Government depots and the reasons of how livelihoods are getting dependent on this crop. I especially could imagine how Akshaya travelled and talked to people, police and purchasers of the drug in legal and non-legal ways.
Overall it was an insightful read connecting something that’s debatable in legal angle, scientific viewpoints, livelihood perspectives and the drain of the police force engaged in the war in between legalization and mafias.
May 3, 2024
My first impression of the writing is that it is distinct, kind of a personal diary, and fact based, where the author has himself interviewed the stakeholders. In that way, this novel is authentic and revealed me facts about my home state, which I hardly knew.
While partaking bhang, I and my friends never thought about the story behind it, the farmers who produced it, the challenges they would be facing, the journey from the farms to our hands. Ganja is illegal in India, but the irony is everywhere it is available. If it is available everywhere, then one can imagine the quantities it must be getting produced and the level of illegal activities, corruption which is satisfying this supply demand. This novel tells that story. In this manner, it reveals how ganja/bhang is produced and consumed in our country.
Prohibition in some states has aided and abetted the bootlegging industry. The same situation has happened for ganja/bhang as well, albeit on a national scale. It would help if we legalise this drug, but establishing controls like alcohol/cigarette industry has (ex - no underage drinking).
While partaking bhang, I and my friends never thought about the story behind it, the farmers who produced it, the challenges they would be facing, the journey from the farms to our hands. Ganja is illegal in India, but the irony is everywhere it is available. If it is available everywhere, then one can imagine the quantities it must be getting produced and the level of illegal activities, corruption which is satisfying this supply demand. This novel tells that story. In this manner, it reveals how ganja/bhang is produced and consumed in our country.
Prohibition in some states has aided and abetted the bootlegging industry. The same situation has happened for ganja/bhang as well, albeit on a national scale. It would help if we legalise this drug, but establishing controls like alcohol/cigarette industry has (ex - no underage drinking).
April 20, 2024
There are many ways to feel young, keep young and keep going to one's youth. Reminiscing is one of them. Going back to one's youth and reliving the past, albeit in a saner and more responsible manner is something all of us want to do. Not necessarily going back to smoking pot or binging on all one had done, Akshaya has a great time going back in time and making a research project of the business of Bhang and how even the State is complicit in what it tries to ban and control. A must read for all those who wish to understand the nitty-gritties of the 'herb' from all angles, be it of the tribal growers whose livelihood and very survival depends on growing it and who largely suffer at the hands of the police' the middle men who make most profit and get away from any trouble; the suppliers in cities; the transporters; the users, the police and other law authorities and lastly the good and bad of bhang and charas viz other addictions like alcohol and chemical drugs. A fun read.
May 31, 2024
After long finished a book in one sitting . No it's not a small book or a quick fiction ,rather a combination of so many aspects . It's actually the variety that prevents the flow from becoming monotonous. Very rightly named ' Bhang Journeys ' ,the writing style is simple description so vivid , that a reader lives the journey ,almost tastes the flavours of the simple meals and gets the deep sense of fatigue as the day ends after a difficult raid .
Another notable point that keeps the charm on are the rich local anecdotes randomly sprinkled all over the book .
My only Issue was under what category of the library should I put the book in - A memoir,a travelogue, history ,documentary ?? So well now it flashes under all these and even as a recipe book.
Read it and relish it . Absolutely worth it.
Another notable point that keeps the charm on are the rich local anecdotes randomly sprinkled all over the book .
My only Issue was under what category of the library should I put the book in - A memoir,a travelogue, history ,documentary ?? So well now it flashes under all these and even as a recipe book.
Read it and relish it . Absolutely worth it.
July 22, 2024
This book provides the reader with many memoirs/ stories from people who come from various backgrounds regarding the use and legality of natural narcotics. The stories regarding the specific narcotics been arranged into their own respective sections. The Author, Mr.Akshay Bahibala has done a remarkable job in providing a lot of interesting information in this book while staying unbiased in his accounts, and hence, letting the reader form their own opinion on such a controversial topic.
My personal favorite has to be the story from half a century ago by a retired civil servant. It is about his time in the Nazirkhana of Cuttack where the peon used to make bhang golis after finishing his work ,which the officers used to consume at the end of the day.
Highly recommend it to someone who is very interested in the topic.
My personal favorite has to be the story from half a century ago by a retired civil servant. It is about his time in the Nazirkhana of Cuttack where the peon used to make bhang golis after finishing his work ,which the officers used to consume at the end of the day.
Highly recommend it to someone who is very interested in the topic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2024
Having read Akshay’s earlier works, this was something different and unexpected. Both journalistic and personal, the book presents a contemporary memoir of cannabis in Odisha. Having been an addict himself, the author presents a mostly unbiased narrative of the history of cannabis within the state. The book is neither a celebration of the intoxicant, nor a condemnation. The author carefully looks at the impact of the drug on all stakeholders involved, beginning from the farmer, the government, the seller and the consumer.
The writing style is also very vivid, taking you through the hills, valleys, forests and lanes of Odisha, across different time zones. The author does a great job in capturing the intricacies of language, tone and speech of the locals whose story he presents in the book.
Bhang Journeys is a wonderful amalgamation of a variety of things related to cannabis, covering intriguing yet unknown aspects of a taboo topic.
The writing style is also very vivid, taking you through the hills, valleys, forests and lanes of Odisha, across different time zones. The author does a great job in capturing the intricacies of language, tone and speech of the locals whose story he presents in the book.
Bhang Journeys is a wonderful amalgamation of a variety of things related to cannabis, covering intriguing yet unknown aspects of a taboo topic.
July 5, 2024
Bhang Journeys is a heartfelt and intimate work, rich with anecdotes. It compels readers to reconsider their perspective on intoxicants and life by thoughtfully examining the contrasting aspects of morality. The author skillfully presents a nuanced case for intoxicants, exploring both ends of the spectrum. The narrative includes a deeply personal account of the author's tryst with addiction, the challenges faced by bhang sellers, government actions against illegal cultivation, and a well-researched history of intoxicant use in India. The book also features some stats, some personal viewpoints from those involved in the trade, and even a couple of bhang recipes. The author's unique style of writing makes this book a must-read!
July 19, 2024
Being an ardent fan of the smoke clad Mahadeva I have been making bhaang preparations on Shivaratri. I have an inclination towards stories on bhang and bang…I spotted Bhang Journeys authored by Akshaya Bahibala in a bookshop. I immediately bought it and savoured a taste of bhang in each page. This book has touched every aspect of bhang journeys, from plantations to destructions, Mr Bahibala’s addiction during a phase of his life and a detailed tools and techniques used in bhang mixing, cutting etc. We can travel through the dank alleys of Puri to meet bhang addicts and buy from bhang shops and take a tour with Mr Bahibala to know about more bhang related issues in the districts of Orissa. What a great read👍🏻
August 4, 2024
This book by the author Akshay Bahibala is about his personal experience with opium,bhang and ganja. A documentary on the consumption of opium in Odisha about the Excise Department of Odisha, The government Bhang Shop,the recipes associated with bhang, opium card holders through a political point of view some Acts related to opium, visiting ganga fields and many such informations about Bhang. The author presents detailed information about the Ganja plantation, opium production(the opium cutter) and also he shows how the farmers of ganja, opium and bhang suffer due to the excise officer raid mainly in Malkangiri, koraput, Rayagad, Gajapati, kandhamal and Bouh. Also What the doctors and ayurveda say about the consumption of bhang.
June 8, 2024
Such a nice read and the author has put down his early days in Puri, that had got engulfed by his smoky affairs, before putting a full stop to it by evading from the place . But he still has not got enough of the dose from life & his tribe , that made him to come back and see how much Bhang culture in Puri and the rest of Odisha has changed since.
The book has been nicely decorated with the history and the current status of Marijuana (the entire plant 🌱),which has ultimately been replaced upto some extent by the newly entrants in the market.
Every one should give this book a try, being a quick read and containing no addictives.😉
The book has been nicely decorated with the history and the current status of Marijuana (the entire plant 🌱),which has ultimately been replaced upto some extent by the newly entrants in the market.
Every one should give this book a try, being a quick read and containing no addictives.😉
June 16, 2024
A brief history of intoxicants like bhang/ganja which are used rampantly in the state of Odisha. Interesting to come across the processes behind government bhag shops & opium cards issued by the state. The author accompanies the excise department teams in various southern Odisha districts which produce the crop in acres & acres of forest land, the teams are meant for destroying the illegal cultivation of the cannabis crop. The tribals who often dwell in the forest are often caught in the exchange between the state & the smuggling mafia, since there is a lot of money involved.
January 31, 2025
Bhang Journeys is a must read for anyone interested in the cultural, historical, and social aspects of bhang and ganja in Odisha. It offers a rare and comprehensive glimpse into a topic that is often shrouded in taboo and misunderstanding. Akshaya's personal journey, combined with his extensive research and engaging writing style, makes this book a fascinating and insightful read. Whether you are a fan of travelogues, memoirs, or simply curious about the world of psychoactive substances, "Bhang Journey" is a book that will leave you both informed and entertained.
July 17, 2024
Humorous, informative, and thought-provoking, Bhang Journeys is a compelling read. Just two pages in, I found myself setting the book aside to contemplate what I had just read! The author ensured I did that a couple of times during my read.His storytelling prowess and his ability to interweave multiple themes make this book a must-read. You'll probably finish it in one go!
July 10, 2024
The first book of its kind that I've read. This is well researched, as far as I can tell. Again, I've never read something like this before but it was a brilliant read. Would totally totally recommend!!
July 26, 2024
My knowledge has always been pretty restricted when it comes to bhang, ganja and opium, this book felt like reading through the brief history of intoxicants through a journal validated with facts. The book is definitely interesting, informative and insightful.
April 13, 2024
3.874651 stars
May 18, 2024
I recommend this book should only be read by mentally adult or mature persons.
May 24, 2025
Rarely do I find a book, especially a non fiction one so perfect as to give it a review of 5 stars, but this one deserved it. Memoir as well as informative. That’s all you really need to know.
November 4, 2025
A Very raw and original expression.
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