📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Medhi jyoti
Religion
Dhatura: From Sawan Offerings to Shiva to Modern Concerns
✍️ News18
🗓 26 Aug 2026, 09:48 AM
👁 2
Dhatura, a poisonous plant revered in Sawan rituals, is being scrutinized for its medicinal and illicit uses.
Dhatura (Datura stramonium) is a thorny shrub native to the Americas but now widespread across India. The plant’s bright orange or purple flowers and large seeds have made it a familiar sight in rural landscapes.
In the holy month of Sawan, devotees offer Dhatura to Lord Shiva as a symbol of devotion and penance. The ritual, steeped in tradition, is believed to appease the deity and ward off misfortunes.
While the plant is used in some Ayurvedic preparations for pain relief and as a sedative, its alkaloids—scopolamine and hyoscyamine—are highly toxic. Overdose can lead to delirium, hallucinations, and even death.
Recent reports highlight a rise in illegal cultivation and black‑market sales of Dhatura, prompting authorities to tighten regulations and increase public awareness of its dangers.
In the holy month of Sawan, devotees offer Dhatura to Lord Shiva as a symbol of devotion and penance. The ritual, steeped in tradition, is believed to appease the deity and ward off misfortunes.
While the plant is used in some Ayurvedic preparations for pain relief and as a sedative, its alkaloids—scopolamine and hyoscyamine—are highly toxic. Overdose can lead to delirium, hallucinations, and even death.
Recent reports highlight a rise in illegal cultivation and black‑market sales of Dhatura, prompting authorities to tighten regulations and increase public awareness of its dangers.