A Sweet Cannabis Drink- Thandaai

Adarsh Verma for News to Use July 21, 2009

Apart from being the center for salvation and niravana and known as the most spiritual city, Banaras officially named as Varanasi offers a tempting and ancient hindu cuisine as compared to other parts of India. The Jalebi dahi treat can be mouth watering ( A crispy refined floor fried snack with fresh curd served in pattal ( dried large tree leaves) specially in the mornings and cost just Rs. 5-10 a plate or pattal somewhere around 10-20 cents. Imagine an early morning dip into the ganges in the holiest and oldest city of the world with steamy hot jalebis and curd following.

One can also opt for Kachauris and sabji (crispy salty fried cookies stuffed with various authentic masalas inside served with hot curry made of tomato, potato and other green vegetables with lots of spices added into it. Usually it accompanies a large glass of sweet lassi ( a fresh milk & curd drink with lots of thick cream on the top) served specially in hand made clay pots.

Evenings comes with a different color in the city of shiva located in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh popular for its religious and cultural importance and definetly the Taj Mahal, which is around 400 kms from Varanasi. A Banarasi thandaai ( a clod milky drink made of milk, pistachios, cashew nuts and badaam or almonds, rose petals, poppy seeds and masalas) can be tried with Bhaang which is prepared by crushing the buds and leaves of Cannabis using a mortar and pestle into a green paste. This green paste of cannabis is can be either taken separately after having a sip of Thandaai or can be mixed with it, its so intoxicating in nature that it may let you see the cows on the road turn into giant dinosaurs or small dogs turning into oranges. Its also known as Shivji ka Prasad ( a drink served after praying lord shiva).

After having a Bhaang Thandaai one can enjoy the world famous Banarasi Paan chewing betel leaves stuffed with mint, coconut, areca nut, tobacco, candied fruit and fennal seeds normally served after the meals however locals don’t ming having a good Banarasi Paan anytime of the day and you will find number of Banarasis with a mouth full and red with a flavored Banarasi Paan.

Places can be seen and visited for relaxation or tourism point of view, however a city like Banaras (Varanasi) will give you the pleasure and relaxation of a lifetime with so much it has to offer for the human mind mouth and body. No doubt it is called as the oldest city in the world as it has absorbed a little from everything it has seen in ages from various influences.

more: www.varanasicity.com/history-of-varanasi.html