What is Chillum? Why Sadhu Smoke This?

A chillum, or chilam, is a straight conical pipe with end-to-end channel, traditionally made of clay and used since at least the eighteenth century by as sadhus in India. It was invented in India. Traditionally, chillums are made of clay, stone or wood and have been used by the Sadhus (Holy Men) in India and by Hindu monks in the Himalayan area since at least the 18th century to smoke opium, cannabis and other narcotics or herbs.

 The chillum is a narrow funnel originally shaped out of fired clay. Chillums were thought to have originated in India or South America. Chillums were orginally used in a spiritual manor by Hindu priests. Today they are used by stoners everywhere. Inside the chillum is filter stone to prevent the weed (or whatever it is that your smoking) from falling into your mouth. Today, some chillums come with an attachment at the top that can hold a lighter. This attachment makes it possible to just hold the chillum from the lighter, light and go! Smaller chillums bring hot smoke directly into your lungs. The larger the chillum, the colder the smoke and the more you get in your lungs. The Hindu holy man called “sadhu” smoking  chillum in India, ndia is the Land of Gods, and we see and serve to god in the form of sadhu.

The Sadhu usually wears on his forehead the three lines of the god’s trident drawn in ash or sandalwood paste which may be vertical or horizontal. Endless variations of these sectarian marks, depending on the sect, are possible. They may decorate their bodies with various lines and markings, cover the entire torso with ashes, carry a metal trident and wear rosaries. The hair and the beard are uncut and matted.The Sadhu is credited with much of the development of Indian culture, art, architecture, music, poetry and literature, influencing and forming the very world he has abandoned with his endless travels from one sacred site to another, singing songs and reciting poetry and carrying icons, paintings and other sanctified objects.