Maha Shivratri 2020: From Bhang Ke Pakode to Bhang Sweets, DIY Recipes You Can Try Instead of Thandhai, This Mahashivratri (Watch Videos)

Maha Shivratri wil be celebrated on February 21 this year. And you know what that means, you can have bhang, guilt-free (In limitation though). Bhang is said to be Lord Shiva's beloved drink. According to the Bhagwat Purana, Lord Shiva, after drinking poison that came out of the ocean churning (Samudra Manthan), drank bhang.  Ashwini Kumar distracted Shiva from using cannabis, and Dhatura and ever since that time, whoever worships Lord Shiva, they offer him Bhang and Dhatura. Shiva is said to love cannabis. It is believed that whoever offers bhang and dhatura pleases Lord Shiva. Apart from this, milk, water, Bel patta, sandalwood,  rice, roli, moli, saffron, and plum are also offered to Shiva.  Maha Shivratri 2020 Vrat Time & Puja Vidhi: Complete Vrat Katha, Puja Samagri List and Shubh Muhurat to Perform Mahashivaratri Puja. 

While we have established that bhang is like prasad on this day because Lord Shiva loves it too, let's figure out different ways to consume bhang on this day. You must have mostly seen people make bhang thandai on this day, which is one of the tastiest and quickest ways of having hemp on Mahashivratri, but there are other interesting ways to include bhang in your food too. Here are some easy bhang recipes you can easily make at home with tutorial videos. Maha Shivratri 2020 Puja Vidhi: Why is Bel Patra and Milk Offered to Lord Shiva? 6 Other Things You Must Do For Good Luck. 

Bhang Pakode

If you are someone who loves pakodas or something savoury instead of thandai you can easily make bhang pakoras at home you will need all the ingredients you use to make the regular pakoras, along with some bhang. Watch bhang pakora video recipe:

Uttarakhand Special Bhang Ki Chutney

Chutneys are India's special dip that no other country has managed to recreate. This Maha Shivratri, you can add some bhang to your regular chutney to make it just perfect. Here's a video tutorial on how to make bhang ki chutney, Uttarakhand special:

Bhang Barfi

If you have a sweet tooth and do not want to indulge in a regular thandai, here is how to give your regular barfi a twist and try this amazing bhang wali barfi. Check out the tutorial video on how to make bhang wali barfi:

We would like to take this opportunity to wish you a very happy Maha Shivratri. However, you must remember that consuming bhang is not legal in many countries and therefore can be a punishable offence to possess. Also, while hemp may have its own set of health benefits they also have side-effects when taken in abundance.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 19, 2020 06:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).