08/03/2024
The Forgotten ‘Ma*****na Paradise’ and The Hippie Era.
On the foothills of the Himalayas lies the ancient city Kathmandu Valley, the capital city of Nepal. Rich in tradition, culture, heritage, history and home to 7 UNESCO world heritage sites.
But once this city was more likely known for the best ma*****na available and also as the Ma*****na Paradise among the people all over the globe especially for the Hippies. Bustling with Hashish production as there were no restrictions or any legal barriers during those time for ma*****na in Nepal. Locally known as ‘Gaanja’ , any one could get them easily. Especially there were many government approved shops, cafes and restaurant that provided Gaanja on demand.
THE HIPPIE ERA -
The year 1970 which ignited the Hippie Era was responsible for driving thousands of Hippies from around the globe to Kathmandu. Mainly from London to Kathmandu via the famous ‘Hippie Trail’.
The Trail started from mainland England through a series of cities like Munich, Istanbul, Tehran, Kabul, Delhi and many other cities across Europe and Asia all the way to Kathmandu.
Though it was a real long and challenging journey these Hippies were ready to leave the practical western life and their homeland behind and head towards a less known side of the world. The distance itself was challenging, many would travel on fully loaded cheap private buses travelling the route some on beautifully hand painted vans and the rest would ‘hitch hike’ their journey all the way to Kathmandu.
The Hippie Era influenced many people including writers, artists, musicians during those time. Many books and songs like Down Under and Sympathy For the Devil were a part of the influence.
Life in The Paradise.
Kathmandu was a whole different world to the westerners, open to all faith and beliefs, as it offered a sense of freedom from everything they were into before starting their journey. Kathmandu was a secret heaven and get away from the busy world for them.
Kathmandu was very cheap compared to any other western city and even with a tight budget hippies would stay for months there. Kathmandu offered ma*****na that would last a whole month for a surprisingly very cheap price, around 40 shillings. Even the rent were cheap, 1 shilling a night for a room enough for a small group. Government approved cafes, shops and restaurants were everywhere to be found and hippies would spend most of their time in such places smoking hashish.
These were the things that pulled thousands of people around the world to this one less known city Kathmandu.
They would spend most of their money on ma*****na, limiting their budget for foods. Surviving on chunks of bread and goat cheese as their regular meal.
Later on, Kathmandu became a place where people from all over would come and meet, people of different age, race, ethnicity. It became a hub for the hippies and ma*****na smokers. They would laugh, love and enjoy each others company worrying about nothing else. They gave a different meaning to their lives. Many would not want to go back to their home countries. It was like a magnet pulling in all those people to their self proclaimed paradise.
What could be reason behind?
Maybe it was the Era that made such a huge influence.
It also resulted increase of Hashish Production eventually leading smuggling of Nepalese Hashish through various routes via India to the wider world.But in 1973 Nepalese Government banned Ma*****na and declared it illegal across the nation.
Following the Iranian Revolution and Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan in late 1970’s closed the overland route of The Hippie Trail for the westerners resulting The End of The Hippie Era.
Source from Medium by Chetan Gurung.
