Akshaya Bahibala, author, Bhang Journeys – “I believe in the power of stories”
Bookseller and co-founder of Bhubaneshwar’s The Walking BookFairs bookstore, Akshaya Bahibala’s debut book is a recounting of the years he spent intoxicated along with an assessment of the production and abuse of drugs in Orissa
Why was it important to tell your story?
My story is that of a nobody on the street addicted to bhang, ganja and alcohol, with no opportunities, working as a waiter to make ends meet. I have seen people dying on the street, killing themselves in despair. I recently visited a little restaurant where I worked as a waiter almost 23 years back and was surprised to see that the same men who worked with me then, have now become old men but continue to work as waiters, still getting paid badly, still getting treated badly. They seem to have accepted this life, and they seem to have no hope in “democracy” which promised a better life for all. I have somehow managed to come out of it, but I felt that I must write this book because I believe in the power of stories. Many can turn their lives around and do whatever they want. It’s just a matter of finding a little hope and faith and courage.
As a bookseller, what kind of impact do you hope your book will have on readers?
Many booksellers who work in bookstores in this country don’t read because they can’t afford to read or are not expected to read. I met a young guy at one of the airport bookstores recently who confided in me that he doesn’t read and is expected only to bill the books and merchandise being sold. This is the harsh reality of the Indian book industry where people are hired on a very low salary. Before starting my own independent bookstore, I used to work at one of the leading bookstores in India. I don’t see any books written by waiters, bookstore workers or any other working-class people in India. My book is for everybody, people find it funny, people find it insightful, people find hope in it.
Your journey from being dependent on ganja to leaving it behind and becoming a successful bookseller has been a unique one. What have been the high and low points of your life since you took a step back from intoxication?
What is life when there is no high and low? I love this ride of life and I believe I have had one of the most colourful and wonderful journeys so far. I am not sure if I am a successful bookseller but I am happy that I don’t work as a waiter or as a worker in a bookstore. Books taught me that there is just one life. Give it your all and let no one stop you from what you want to be.
While accompanying the raids in Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, etc. with excise officials, you encountered tribals whose livelihoods depended on illegal ganja plantations. What is your interpretation of the whole process – the growing, raiding, and growing again, and the violence that ensues between the villagers and the police. Do you think the government will ever be able to find a logical solution to this whilst reinstating the tribals?
My book is just the beginning of a larger debate which needs to happen in our society. The elected representatives of Koraput, Raygada, Gajapati etc and the excise minister should have a debate in the state assembly to discuss these matters. Surely, we can find a logical solution. More importantly, we need to find ways to provide better livelihood options to villagers engaged in ganja farming.
The book is a travel narrative of bhang and other narcotics enveloping the state of Orissa. Do you plan to travel to other states in India (and internationally) and do a similar deep dive?
I am happy that I am probably the first to write a book like this but certainly not the first to take a journey down the paths of bhang or ganja. I would be really happy to write more if my readers want to know more. Maybe Bhang Journeys II will happen if my publisher believes in me and gives me more advance money for travel and writing, why not?
Do you think India should legalize the controlled production of cannabis – owing to its potential usage for medicinal derivatives and the hemp market (seed/oil)?
Who am I to say if India should legalize it or not? I don’t believe in kings or supreme leaders. India is a democratic country, and I am a citizen of this democratic country and I have the right to express my feelings and views. Now if this book can spark a debate for us all to have a conversation and then come to any conclusion, I will be very happy to be part of it. My duty as a citizen and writer is to express my views. Come to think to think, alcohol is legal and we are increasing the supply for it for the sake of higher revenue generation then what’s wrong with bhang or ganja?
Arunima Mazumdar is an independent writer. She is @sermoninstone on Twitter and @sermonsinstone on Instagram.