Drugs on the Road

A chillum is a conical pipe traditionally made from fired clay. It’s designed for smoking a mixture of charas and tobacco and tends to have quite a kick. The chillum is always accompanied by a conical stone which prevents pieces of burning charas falling into the smoker’s mouth. There is also a wetted piece of cloth known as the safi which is a second safety guard. Sadhus in India who follow Shiva may own little more than a blanket, a begging bowl and a chillum.

It’s a very social form of smoking as a chillum is generally far too strong to be smoked alone. The whole operation of preparing the mix and smoking the charas is something of a ritual. The etiquette in a sadhu circle is almost impossible to get right but the main thing is to never pass the chillum to the left – this direction is generally taboo as the left hand is used to clean the anus after going to the bathroom.

Amongst his many attibrutes, the Hindu god, Shiva, is considered to be the Lord of Charas and he’s always invoked with the ceremony of smoking the chillum. Smokers cry out “Bom Bolendad“ or “Bom Shankar“ as the chillum is lit and the more stoned you become, the closer you enter into Shiva’s presence. Which is a nice way for the average stoned hippy to feel that he’s on a spiritual path…

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