В долине Кулу древние боги вынудили жителей уничтожить незаконные плантации конопли ради спасения от засухи

The Kullu Valley in Himachal Pradesh presents a captivating paradox. Known globally as the “Valley of Gods” for its ancient, living deity culture, it is equally famous on the international counter-culture map for producing high-grade cannabis. The intersection of rigid spiritual governance and a booming narcotic economy creates a complex landscape where ancient traditions collide with global drug trends. In Kullu, deities are not viewed as static, mythic statues trapped in stone. They are treated as living, breathing monarchs who actively govern the civic, judicial, and social lives of villagers. Every village has its own presiding deity, with the supreme administrative hierarchy overseen by Lord Raghunath, the principal deity of the valley. A deity rules through a specialized human staff, including the Kardar (manager), Pazyara (priest), and Goor (shaman). The Goor enters a physical trance (khel) where the deity channels through their body to speak directly to the public. Through the Goor, the deity settles property disputes, passes local laws, dictates political preferences, and penalizes wrongdoers. The grandest manifestation of this culture occurs during the Kullu Dussehra festival. Over 200 village deities travel down from remote mountains in colorful Raths (palanquins) to pay obeisance to Lord Raghunath. The connection between Kullu and cannabis is rooted in centuries-old indigenous utility. However, this relationship has completely mutated over the last few decades due to global demand. Historically, wild cannabis (hemp) was a multi-purpose botanical staple in the harsh Himalayan terrain. Indigenous communities used robust hemp fibres to weave ropes and traditional grass slippers (pula) required for sacred temple service and pilgrimage treks. Seeds were used in local culinary delicacies like Siddu. It was used to treat joint pains and cattle ailments. Smoking charas (resin) or bhang in traditional chillums or hookahs was a regular social habit associated with the asceticism of Lord Shiva. It served as a tool for spiritual endurance, not commercial profit. The landscape changed drastically in the late 20th century when Western travelers on the “Hippie Trail” discovered the Parvati Valley and villages like Malana. The unique climatic conditions of the high-altitude valleys help cultivate cannabis that yields some of the world’s finest, hand-rubbed hashish, globally trademarked as “Malana Cream”. Areas like Kasol, Tosh, and Chalal grew into centers for recreational drug tourism, earning titles like “Little Tel Aviv” due to the large influx of Israeli backpackers. Cultivation shifted from wild gathering to oranised illegal cultivation, often supported by foreign drug cartels introducing hybrid seeds to boost potency. The relationship between the all-powerful deities and the illicit drug trade is highly nuanced, marked by strict boundaries, spiritual commands, and absolute isolation. Malana is governed entirely by deity Jamlu Devta. Believing themselves to be of pure Aryan descent, locals consider outsiders “impure”. While the village thrives financially on the international charas trade, Jamlu Devta’s laws strictly forbid tourists from touching any resident, wall, or temple, penalising violations with heavy divine fines. When the drug trade brings excessive police intervention or ecological ruin, the deities step in. For example, in 2024, the goddess of Kothi Sari valley commanded villagers to uproot 15 hectares of illegal cannabis crops to end a severe dry spell. The villagers immediately obeyed out of divine fear. While cannabis has a cultural and historical link to the valley, a dangerous shift toward lethal synthetic drugs like “Chitta” (heroin) has gripped the youth of Kullu. Local deity committees and village councils (Mahila Mandals) are aggressively using the cultural authority of the Devtas to launch anti-addiction and drug-eradication drives. Sanjay Dutta, an engineer by qualification but is a journalist by choice. He has worked for the premier new agency Press Trust of India and leading English daily Indian Express. With more than a decade of experience, he has been highlighting issues related to environment, tourism and other aspects affecting mountain ecology. Sanjay Dutta lives in a village close to Manali in Kullu valley of Himachal.