Various methods of smoking chillums include the traditional method of mixing charas or marijuana with tobacco, or as in the Rastafari ceremony – here chillums made of cow’s horns, with a large wooden bowl, are used for rituals in Rasta sessions.

In the Hindu ritual, the stone is placed on a wet cloth and the chillum is filled with herb till its maximum capacity. A smoker uses a cloth while smoking chillums in order to avoid burning the hands. The chillum’s mouthpiece is cupped between two hands so that the smoke could be inhaled without touching the chillum. Doing otherwise would mean a break of etiquette. A match is lit and various incantations to Shiva are chanted before the smoke is inhaled by the person. It is necessary to ignite the chillum well; so the smoker needs to puff strongly and then pass it on to the person his right.