Malana: The home of the World's Costliest Hashish

The colossal mountains of Himachal Pradesh hold many well kept secrets which beguile curious adventurists and backpackers from across the world. One such place is Malana.

The village is shadowed by Chandrakhani and Deotibba mountains and is situated in the isolated confines of the fabled Parvati Valley. It is believed that the Hindu goddess Parvati had once misplaced her earrings, which fell into the forests of Himachal from the heavens.

Accompanied by her husband lord Shiva, their quest for the lost earrings led them to the valley. Enchanted by the beauty of the valley, they abandoned their search and instead decided to meditate in the forests. Since then, the area has been christened Parvati Valley.

Rumoured to be one of the oldest surviving democracies in the world, the indigenous Malanis consider themselves to be the descendants of Alexander the great. Situated at an altitude of 10,000 feet, the isolated village has a distinct culture and is the subject of many local legends. To reach Malana, one must undertake a gruelling trek, which begins at the foothills of Chandrakhani.

The residents of Malana speak the Kanashi, which is a blend of Sanskrti and Tibetan. Outsiders are forbidden to learn this language. The villagers believe that they are racially superior to outsiders and tourists. Visitors are forbidden from touching their property. If violated, tourists are made to pay a fine of Rs. 2,000.

The ancient village has since time eternal depended on Cannabis as a source of livelihood. Malanis have assimilated the plant in their life, utilising it for food, clothes and the occasional use of the drug. Malana is notorious for its drug culture and the hashish made by the local villagers happens to be one of the costliest in the world.

The villagers also rear the Changthangi goat or the Pashmina Goat for making shawls. However, since the prohibition on pashmina shawls by the government of India, they have stopped selling the shawls and shifted to trading hashish.