Malana, an Indian village renowned for its cannabis, is to be closed to tourists

It's official. The residents of Malana, a village located in northeastern India in the state of Himachal Pradesh, have decided to no longer welcome tourists to their region, according to the Indian newspaper Hindustan Times. Citing religious reasons and a decline in the traditions of the village of Malana, the residents decided to ban tourism—primarily cannabis-related tourism—in this remote corner of the Parvati Valley.

Malana Cream

One of the main reasons for cannabis tourism in India is that it is home to one of the best varieties of cannabis resin in the world: Malana Cream, also known as charas. This variety, known for its exceptional quality, is handmade. Tourists from all over the world come to enjoy it. In the Indian village, Malana Cream sells for about 20€ per 10g, which is three times more than other varieties of hashish in the state of Himachal Pradesh.

In addition, this variety is highly prized in all Coffeeshops. In the Netherlands, this variety sells for even more than in India—about 12 euros per gram.

Protecting the Village from Cannabis Tourism

The villagers convened a bicameral assembly on Tuesday, July 11, and decided to close the village to tourists. This decision is «divinely ordained» because, according to the newspaper, tourists are «accused of threatening the culture and traditions.».

The village is under the control of the local god, in whom the residents have great faith. The Parliament consulted Jamlu through divination. According to the Parliament, the god Jamlu is not fond of tourists. Bhagi Ram, a city official, reported to the Hindustan Times : «The deity does not want any villager to rent out their property as a guesthouse. He has forbidden everyone from doing so, and those who disobey his orders will have to bear the weight of his curse.».

It is in this context that the residents of Malana criticize foreigners for portraying them in a distorted light by associating their village exclusively with cannabis. «It is unfortunate that the cannabis trade has tarnished our village’s reputation. The people of Malana have their own culture and beliefs,» said one resident.

A tourism initiative

In fact, it all began in the 1970s when tourists visiting the village taught the residents of Malana how to extract cannabis resin. Local dealers don't really hide their activities and use social media, including Instagram, to sell their hashish and attract customers. They post photos of the packaged hashish and include their contact information in the captions. Interested customers could contact them directly through the app.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BKlrXdfAHYq/

Corn and potatoes are also grown by the villagers, but they haven’t been as successful. In Malana, nothing can compete with cannabis.

Mehdi Bautier