Welcome, Allow me to usher you into the den of tranquility. We shall
utilize Hashish as our guide to exotic places. as the aroma fills your
head, the sweet tingling is felt deep within your lungs. gliding
effortlessly on heights of Hash to the east and the land of charras.
Ah, Nepal!! The country with the highest mountain and it's Hash offers
an incredible altitude also. For thousands of years hashish has been
utilized by the inhabitants as both a medicinal herb and as an
intoxicant.
There are several countries that produce Hash, but only two basic types
can be produced. These are either pollen or resin Hash. Nepal, which
yields the resin variety, is known to have potentially the most
powerful resin Hash. However, because the resins must be gathered by
man, there are many variables that must be considered in seeking the
highest quality resin Hash.
Resin is gathered by hand-rubbing the Cannibis Indica, which is the
Asian variety of marijuana. Proper care must be taken when rubbing the
plants to insure maximum quality. To the unconcerned rubber, the plant
is lifeless, to be attacked and wutilated so as to squeeze the joy juice
from it's leaves and stalk, thus getting unnecessary weed fiber mixed
with the resin. Others respect the herb and treat their plants with
tenderness. They will converse with the plant as their hands gently
stroke it, knowing that they are stimulating their mistress to secrete
it's precious sap for them. When properly rubbed, the plant lives on and
continues to produce resin until the rains comes to bring the harvest
season to an end. So the wise harvester can visit his herbal lady daily,
caressing her and building up the sparkling resins on his hands. The
hands are periodically rubbed together to adhere the resin and form
little beads of sticky Hash. More and more rubbing produces a sufficient
amount of beads to be formed into balls or fingers of pugnent Hash.
A tremendous amount of man hours are required to obtain a quantity of
Hash and it's not unlikely for a hard working Hash rubber to gather only
a kilo during the two month harvest season. This directly affects the
market price and, of course, the availability, but considering the
potential for quality this laboring can be easily rationalized. Since
this actual labor is involved why not produce the very best? Easily
said, but other variables must now be considered. The altitude of the
plants should be mentioned as an important factor in resin production as
the best plants thrive at the elevation between 5,000 and 7,000 feet.
There is a Hash belt spanning thousands of miles and several countries,
winding it's way through the Himalayan mountain range. Before you grab
your hiking boots, let me say that not every hillside is covered with
resin dripping plants because other factors are involved. For instance,
the temperatures and the amount of daily exposure to the energy giving
sun are controlling factors in the growth of a premimium plant. During
the summer months the plants will protect themselves from the intensity
of the sun by secreting resins. Thus the harvester is collecting the
juices that flow from the plant rather that milking it.
Another variable of quality is the precipitation level. Understandably
the rains wash the resins away, so one must gather the vital fluids when
the plant is near or at it's maximum output. If the harvester waits too
long the resin may be carried away by the monsoons. Also, if the plant
is rubbed early in the morning while the dew is still clinging to it,
the water will accumulate with the resin. This usually makes the Hash
harsh in the upper throat when smoked and will also cause the Hash to
mold. This whitish mold is often mistaken for opium, but rarely will
this be the case. Sometimes water is intentionally rubbed on the outside
of a group of Nepalese fingers or a ball. This will cause a mold to form
on the outside which will harden it and create crust to protect the
moist interior. This is the basic packaging and protection of the Hash,
but freshness can only exist for a short period this way.
Occasionally resin has been adulterated with ghee or wax. The 'ghee',
which is animal or vegetable oil, is used as a coating on the hands to
assist the gathering of the resins and also as a binder to aid in
adhering. This is also true with wax, and sometimes water might be
introduced as a momentary binder. These adulterations do not yield pure
highest quality Hash for the purest resin will adhere to itself. When
considering the legend of opiated Hash, one should realize that opium
smokers prefer pure opium and the Hash consumers prefer the purest
Hash. If opium and Hash are mixed together it is usually because both
are of low grade and when combined might become marketable.
Our journey to Nepal has been brief but I hope all will make the trip
again. Nepal was the last country in the world to make Hashish
"illegal", but the Hash culture will witness the rise and fall of the
prohibition. We shall explore new haights on further adventures into the
realm of Hash. Until then, Best of Bowls! "Bom Bhola!!"
