During Holi, the annual Hindu festival of colors, a drink called thandai, which literally translates to "cooling off," makes an appearance in India. Depending on where you go, the traditional milky concoction might be laced with hints of an edible Indian cannabis called bhang.
What is bhang? An avocado-green paste made with the young leaves, flowers, and stems of the cannabis plant, which get soaked, ground, and then mixed with whole milk or yogurt to make a shake. The legal status of cannabis in India is fuzzy — in some states it's permissible, in others not — but go for a drive in many places and you'll spot government-run stores beaming back at you with the words "Bhang Shop" in bright scarlet letters.
