Himachal
Malana Cream
Top 5 Reasons Why Malana Is So High On Global Map
Malana in Himachal Pradesh’s Parvati valley is perhaps the only Indian village known globally. What Namche Bazaar in Nepal is to Mount Everest trekkers, Malana is to Kullu-Manali visitors. Tucked in the dangerously beautiful mountains of Parvati valley in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh, this ancient village had existed for centuries hidden away from the preying eyes of an outside world till it was discovered in the 1980s.
A Himalayan Shangri-La, the mysterious Malana is a perfect getaway for the modern world. But what makes Malana so famous and a little infamous? Here are the top 5 reasons:
1. Malana Cream
Located at an altitude of over 3,000 meters, Malana has all the right climatic conditions to grow best cannabis. And it sure does. Malana produces the best quality hash in the world aka Malana Cream and was actually awarded at a competition in Netherlands some years back. No wonder the rush of visitors to Malana never ends throughout the year. And oh, by the way, Malana Cream is available on the darknet too.
2. Oldest democracy
Malana is considered one of the oldest democracies of the world. The village is governed by a council of the local deity Jamlu Rishi. The council has 11 members and all decisions are taken in a democratic way and in the name of Jamlu Rishi. All disputes are settled by the deity’s council and police have never been called to this village. The system of direct democracy is very similar to that of ancient Greece and this is why Malana is also known as the ‘Athens of Himalayas’.
3. Descendants of the army of Alexander The Great
Malana has apparently another Greek connection. The legend has it that Malana was founded by soldiers of the army of Alexander the Great and Malanis are their descendants.
4. Unique culture and language
Malanis have a unique culture and they speak Rakshsi or devil’s language, which is not understood by the outsiders. Malanis also consider themselves untouchables and if you touch them or any of their marked places of importance, you are punished with a fine. Till a decades back, people from the outside were not even welcome in the village.
5. Malana Crime
Malana hit the international headlines first in the 90s and came on the world map after foreigners started disappearing in the Kullu valley and mostly from around Malana in the Parvati valley. Over a dozen foreigners went missing between 1990 and 2003 and in most cases it was believed that drugs were the cause.
