CHAPTER 4: GANJA GLOBETREKKING VARANASI, INDIA According to legend, Varanasi was founded by the ganja-loving deity Lord Shiva, making it one of the seven holy cities for Hindus around the world. Also ranked among the oldest continually inhabited cities on the planet, this center of music, art, architecture, and spirituality lies on the banks of the famed Ganges river and attracts few tourists, but plenty of saddhus-wandering holy men who roam the Earth with nothing but a begging bowl and a chillum, seeking just enough food to eat and hash to smoke to satisfy the moment. Renouncing the first three Hindu goals-karma (enjoyment), artha (practical objectives), and dharma (duty)-the saddhu dedicates his (and occasionally her) life solely to liberation from this world and contemplation of the higher plane of God. Often, this involves the sacramental use of cannabis. Dreadlocked and penniless, saddhus wander across India's pilgrim routes as respected members of society, supported by donations from those they meet along the way. So, if you've been mooching weed off a friend for years, and you worry about having bad cannabis karma, it might be wise to make a pilgrimage to Varanasi and smoke out a saddhu.

Dreadlocked and penniless, saddhus wander India's pilgrim routes as respected members of society.