Ranchi, Aug 12 :The Hindu month of Shravan (mid-July to mid-August), considered auspicious by worshippers of Lord Shiva, brings cheers to marijuana sellers in Deoghar district of Jharkhand.

During this period, millions of devotees clad in saffron walk, at times barefoot, to pour water on the Shiva Linga at the Baidyanath temple in Deoghar, 350 km from here. Smoking ganja (marijuana) is popular among the pilgrims.

According to one estimate, devotees consume 20-25 kg of marijuana every day.

"Marijuana is liked by Lord Shiva. There is nothing wrong in smoking ganja. It makes the 110 km journey from Sultanganj in Bihar to Deoghar easy," said Nutan, a pilgrim.

Marijuana is grown in 10 districts of Bihar and Jharkhand. There are also reports of Maoist guerrillas patronising marijuana cultivation.

The police are aware of the illegal sale of the drug but turn a blind eye, media reports say.

(IANS)

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