Drinking Bhang Lassi in Jaisalmer, India

Table of Contents

What is Bhang Lassi?

Very popular in India, lassi is a yogurt-based drink that is often blended with spices and sometimes fruits. You can have it sweet or you can have it with salt. You can have it on its own or as an accompaniment to your meals. The milk in the lassi is the perfect antidote to all that spice in your tikka masala.

But sometimes — in certain parts of India (like Jaisalmer) — this innocent drink can also be blended with a special ingredient called ‘bhang’.

Bhang is edible cannabis. So, basically, bhang lassi is weed-infused smoothie. Sounds like heaven yet?

Is Bhang Lassi Legal?

Drugs (including weed) are generally illegal in all of India. But then again, India can be a very confusing country. For example, there are tons of marijuana plants growing freely on the roadside in some regions and nobody gives a rat’s a**.

Similarly, when it comes to bhang lassi, the government seems to turn a blind eye to it. There’s even a bhang lassi shop in Jaisalmer that is actually “government-authorized”. Well, at least that’s what their signboard says.

Drinking bhang lassi in Jaisalmer India | Ummi Goes Where? — Government-authorized bhang shop.

Where to Find Bhang Lassi in Jaisalmer

The government-authorized bhang lassi shop is located right at the gate of Jaisalmer Fort. I believe it’s possible to find bhang lassi in other shops around Jaisalmer and they are probably cheaper, but then you never know what they might put in your drink, or if they put anything at all.

This one is by far the most legit. Besides, there are a few other blogs that have written about it.

What to Expect at a Bhang Lassi Shop

The shop is basically just a hole in the wall. A small door leads to a narrow sitting area with a few chairs and a table. On the wall are posters, one of which has pictures of famous people who have visited the shop. Outside, there’s a fridge, a low table and some pots and pans where the shopkeeper prepares the drinks.

I was not allowed to take a picture of the menu, but they have an assortment of other drinks as well, including fruit juices, soda, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. You can order any drink you want and have them put bhang in it. And you can choose the strength — from light to medium to strong.

If drug-laced drinks aren’t your thing, you could try the drug-laced cookies or just smoke a joint.

I ordered a sweet lassi with medium-strength bhang, which cost me 150 rupees. For only 50 rupees more, I could have had the stronger one, but decided to heed the warning of another blogger that wrote that bhang lassi could make you loopy for hours. Apparently, it’s much stronger than a joint or a space brownie.

White bhang lassi drink in a plastic cup — My sweet bhang lassi

My Experience Trying Bhang Lassi

After slurping the last drops of my bhang lassi (which tasted just like normal lassi), I went back to my hostel, locked myself in my room, and waited for the effect to kick in. Based on my previous experience with space brownies, I knew it would take at least 30 minutes before I would feel anything.

Thirty minutes later, nothing happened. I waited another hour, and then another, and then for the rest of the night. Unfortunately, nothing happened at all.

I don’t know if that meant I had just got scammed or if my body had somehow developed a resistance towards edible cannabis. I was tempted to go back to the shop the next day and try the stronger one, but finally decided against it as I had already blown my budget.

Tips for Taking Bhang Lassi

Keep in mind that individual results may vary. Although I personally didn’t feel anything with the medium-strength bhang, I would still suggest taking it easy, especially if it’s your first time trying edible cannabis.
It is best to have a friend with you or someone you can trust to take care of you and your stuff, in case you get a bad reaction to the bhang lassi.
Do not take bhang lassi before doing any activity that requires concentration, like driving a motorbike!
Do not take on an empty stomach.
Try to buy from government-authorized shops, and not from some random street vendors.
Remember that drugs are illegal in India. This article is by no means trying to encourage the consumption of drugs. Please refer to the disclaimer at the bottom of the page.