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The famous Ganja Chowk of Raigarh city is still known for its unique name. During the princely period, a government recognized hemp and cannabis shop used to operate here, due to which this square was named Ganja Chowk. Despite many efforts, this historical name has not changed till date.
Raigarh: Even today people know a square located within the city by the name of ‘Ganja Chowk’. But why was this square named Ganja Chowk? The interesting story behind this has come to light. Senior journalist Anil Pandey told Local 18 that in olden times, when ganja was sold officially, the official shop for selling ganja in the city was in Sonar Para. This was the place where government approved marijuana and hemp were sold. People from the city and surrounding areas used to come from here to buy ganja.
this is the reason
In the initial times, this Chowk was the main center of Ganja sale, due to which gradually people started calling it Ganja Chowk. Later, sales started at other places including Station Chowk, but the identity of this Chowk remained intact. Even after the ban on the sale of Ganja in 1985, this name was so popular on the lips of the people that till today this area is called Ganja Chowk.
Santosh Bohidar, who lives in the locality, says that since the princely times, this square was considered the biggest square of the city. There used to be a big ganja shop near the house of a Jaiswal family located at a short distance from the Chowk. Due to being the biggest square and having a big ganja shop there, it was named Ganja Chowk.
There was also an attempt to change the name
They say that several attempts were made to change the name of the Chowk, but the name Ganja Chowk had become so popular that it could not be changed till date. During the princely period, the struggle for freedom and even after independence, this square has been an important base for freedom fighters. Even today, the people of Raigarh know this square by its old, historical and unique name, Ganja Chowk.
