original_query: How has cannabis been used as an entheogen in the Indian subcontinent since the Vedic period?
query: How has cannabis been used as an entheogen in the Indian subcontinent since the Vedic period?
answer: Since the Vedic period (approx. 1500-2000 BCE), cannabis has been used as an entheogen in the Indian subcontinent in religious and spiritual contexts.  The Atharva Veda mentions it as one of five sacred plants releasing anxiety.  It's been used to achieve enlightenment, explore the mind, and as an aphrodisiac during rituals.  It's still offered to the god Shiva in temples and used in devotional meetings.