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28. Evidence of MR. J. H. MERRIMAN, Deputy Commissioner of Salt and
Abkari, Central Division.
1. My answers are chiefly based on informa
-tion received from my subordinates and relate to
the Kistna, Nellore, Madras, Chingleput, North
and South Arcot, and the four ceded districts.
2. The term ganja, in this division (centre of
the Madras presidency) appears to be applied
i n - d i s c r i m i n a t e l y t o t h e h e m p p l a n t , i t s l e a v e s , a n d
flowering tops, and to the preparations therefrom
used for smoking.
The term bhang here is applied to the drink
prepared from ganja.
The term charas is practically unknown.
Flat ganja is locally known as kalli ganja,
round ganja as karuthanu ganja, and broken
ganja as aval ganja. Flat ganja is that best
known and used.
3. Does not, as far as I have gathered, grow
spontaneously in my division.
4. The different names given to the cultivated
plant are :—
By the poorer classes.
Bangaku chettu, Ganja chettu.
By the better classes.
Alwariah pathri, Ganja pathri, Basuva pathri,
Siva pathri.
These refer to the same plant,
5 and 6. I believe all the hemp plants in my
division are of the cultivated species.
7. ( a), c), and ( d). The hemplplant is cultivated
in abundance on the .'avadi hills in the Salem
district, Vellore and Polur taluks of the North
Arcot district, and Tiruhnamalai of the South
Arcot district. It is also a good deal cultivated
in the Nellore district, and specially in Duggipad,
a village in Bapatla taluk of the Kistna district.
For the rest a few trees are grown in backyards
in many parts of the division,
8. Uncertain.
9. When ganja plants are seven or eight inch--
es high, the upper part of the stem, about ½ inch,
is cut off. After a week, when the plant sprouts
on all sides, it is transplanted. Three months
after transplantation the plants are four or five
feet high. When the stems are gummy the plants
are cut off about three inches from the ground
and allowed to remain for full three days. On
the fourth night, and under the sun, they are col--
lected and stacked and kept in this state for ten
days, and then, after removing stalks, they are
trodden down in bags and tied up. An acre of
land gives about 750 lbs. weight of ganja, in--
cluding stem and stalk. Half this quantity is
useless.
10. No special class. On the Javadi hills the
persons who grow it are called Malayalies, but
they cultivate other things besides the hemp
plant.
11 and 12. Vide answer to question 3 above.
13. No restriction in the Madras presidency
Cold climate, red soil, moderate rainfall, and high
elevation are said to suit the plant best, but it
appears to thrive also in the plains.
14. Ganja and bhang (the drink) as defined in
answer No. 2 above. In every district to a small
extent. But see answer No. 7.
15. (a) Cultivated plant.— Ganja is thus pre
-pared for—
(A) Smoking— The tops are rubbed in the palm
of the hand till all the ends are removed and a
little water is added till it forms a stiff paste,
when it is mixed with a little tobacco and placed
in a pipe and smoked. A rolled leaf is some
- t i m e s u s e d i n s t e a d o f a p i p e .
(B) Ealing.— The preparation eaten is called
majum. The ganja is ground with a little water
and the mass strained through a cloth, The
juice thus passed out is added to boiling sugar or
jaggry, cardamoms being also added to taste. The
whole is then turned out on to a flat dish or
stone, and when cold is cut into squares. Some of
the poor people simply grind the ganja with a
little water and then eat it. This is said to be
more intoxicating than when prepared as a sweet
-meat.
(C) Drinking.— The preparation drunk in these
parts is called bhang. It is thus prepared. The
ganja, boiled or raw, is ground with poppy seeds,
dry ginger, and almonds, and the matter is
strained through a cloth, the resulting liquor
being mixed with milk and sugar and drunk.
Some drink it without milk and sugar, when it
is said to be more intoxicating.
16. (a) and (b) Yes.
(c) No wild hemp here.
17. Chiefly by Muhammadans, but by other
classes also to some extent.
18. Ganja.
(a) and (b) Yes.
(c) About three years.
(d) Moisture chiefly.
(e) Keep well packed and free from exposure.
A statement showing the number of ganja
licenses issued and the amount realized in the
Madras town is shown below .—
Year.
No. of
licenses
issued.
Revenue.
Licenses issued at Rs. 30 per
y ear.
1889-90
42
1,260
1890-91
45
1,965
Shops put up to auction.
1891-92
30
4,795
1892-93
35
6,117
1893-94
35
8.225
Apparently the trade is on the increase here.
19. Ganja is smoked. Majum eaten and
bhang, drunk everywhere ; majum, however,
chiefly in town.
20. All the poorer classes, but chiefly Muham
-madans and religious mendicants.
21. Flat ganja chiefly used.
22. Charas is practically unknown here.
23.
Vide answer to question 15.
The dry
leaves are used for smoking.
24. The poorer classes, but chiefly Muham
-madans and religious mendicants.
25. An open question in the absence of reliable
statistics. The figures in chapter IV point to
an increase.
26. Can't say.
27. Chiefly Muhammadans and the poorest of
other classes who can't afford more expensive
stimulant, such as arrack and opium.