Bhanga
/ˈbʱəŋ.ɡə/noun
A traditional cannabis preparation, especially one made from the plant’s leaves and flowering tops, used in South Asian contexts.
Did you know?In Sanskrit, bhanga could mean both cannabis and “breaking” or “fracture,” likely referring to the plant material being crushed during preparation.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bhreg-
“To break or fracture”
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
bhaṅga
“Breaking, fracture; also hemp or a cannabis preparation”
Classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
bhaṅgā
“Cannabis plant or intoxicating preparation made from it”
Medieval Indo-Aryan
Prakrits
bhaṅgā
“Cannabis and cannabis drink or paste”
Medieval to Modern South Asia
Hindi and related languages
bhāṅg
“A preparation of cannabis, commonly consumed as a drink or edible”
Modern English
English
bhanga
“A transliterated form of the South Asian cannabis term, less common in English than bhang”