Indian spiritual, narcotic, and yogic philosophy first found its way into popular music through the global hippie movements of the Sixties. Devotees have paid tribute by using the plant toward good, from the relief of anxiety to the supplementation of yogic meditation. Lord Shiva, as a higher being, was free of the negative effects of the intoxication, and was able to reap only benefit toward his meditative thought from his use. British colonial accounts almost incredulously describe marijuana use in India to be widespread, but still free of abuse and overuse, with negligible detriment observed in the population. Light recreational marijuana use came to carve its own culture in India over the years. The naturally growing cannabis in India and Nepal was inevitably consumed by the locals, and, upon discovering its psychoactive effects, the plant has found enthusiasts among those attempting to expand their minds toward a higher level of being. Shiva’s association with marijuana mainly stems from his depiction in a higher, blissful state of consciousness. The veracity of this story is doubtful, but it has not stopped Shiva’s devotees from consuming the plant in his honour.

Some of the elixir dripped onto the Earth, sprouting cannabis plants wherever it graced.

One legend goes so far as to trace the existence of cannabis on Earth to Lord Shiva, as he and other gods churned the great ocean of matter to make Amrita, the potion for eternal life. How has one of Hinduism’s foremost deities come to be associated with this world of psychedelia? The roots of the fascination stretch thousands of years, through India’s relationship with narcotics and transcendent thought.

The Hindu god has found unparalleled fanfare within the Indian and even worldwide trance movement. Why the Hindu God has found such reverence in the EDM sceneĪ cursory browse through Indian EDM on Youtube is inevitably met with a series of song titles and album art with strong references to Lord Shiva.

Shiva trance songs