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198. Evidence of HAIDAR HOSAIN, Sayid, Zamindar, Bilgram, Hardoi district.
1. I worked with Babu Badri Nath, the late
Deputy Collector and Excise Officer of the Kheri
district, as a Reader, and have been radiated with
him throughout the whole district for the last two
months on tour. We have read several articles
published in the Pioneer regarding the hemp
drugs and thinking of what was going on.
Letters received from Colonel Harrison, the Deputy
Commissioner, with an intimation that enquiry
may be made into the drugs in question to supply
a desideratum which has long been felt in these
provinces. As the Excise Officer was very much
engaged in other duties, he wished to be helped
by me in the said matter. I immediately took up
the task on me, and thus the dry subject drawn
my attention to have a taste in and to deal with.
I commenced the enquiries in the ways of tour
from the villagers whom I could get hold of.
Whatever information I received and gathered
is all down in my private diary. At the time we
have been out in camp and passed through the
Palia, Singhai, Majgain pargana, we had a full
sight on ganja plant spontaneously grown in a
large area, even trodden under foot. As regards
to the properties, effects, injuries and benefits of
the hemp drugs, I am very much indebted to the
works of native physicians and baids.
2. The definitions given by Dr. Prain are all
acceptable in this province. No other name is
applied for these productions within my know-
ledge.
3. Hemp plant is grown spontaneously ; its pro-
duction is abundantly found in Kheri district.
4. It is known by the names of ganja and
bhang in these localities.
5. The moist climate, rainful, elevation, sea
level are specially required for the growth of the
wild hemp.
6. The growth of the wild hemp is ordinarily
seen scattered.
7. There is no cultivation of the hemp plant in
Oudh.
8. As there is no cultivation at all in Oudh, no-
thing can be known to us as to its increase and
decrease.
9. I can't say.
10. My personal knowledge is quite at a loss to
mention them who cultivate hemp for narcotic
purposes.
11. Though it is not cultivated here but heard
to be raised from the seed of the wild hemp.
12. I um unable to mention any.
13. It is wildly grown in Kheri district. In
my supposition the impossibility of its being
cultivated would be a dry climate.
14. No.
15. The people say that the users used to cut
off the ganja plants and wrap them into bundles,
and, by digging up the ground, put them under-
neath to protect them from air for a considerable
time, and then it is taken out and smoked.
16. Yes, it is generally prepared by the users
in their houses. It can be prepared from the
hemp plant wherever it is grown. I can't say
that ganja or charas can be prepared from the
wild plants wherever grown.
17. There is no special class.
18. The wild ganja is deteriorated by keeping
in this district, though it does not totally lose
its effect ; but in my opinion the people of this
district do not know, or they have no experience
at all, how to keep them in a proper way of care,
and hence it is deteriorated.
19. Ganja and charas are only smoked in these
parts.
20. Pasis, Kahars, Dhanuks, Garias, cartmen,
camel drivers, Thakurs, Kan gars, and other low
caste men smoke these drugs to some extent. The
drugs are not restricted to the lower caste,
but Brahmans have recourse to smoke them as
well. It is difficult to give the exact number of
smokers. The excess in smoking is confined princi-
pally to the Terai parganas of the Kheri district—
Palia, and Majgain, Khamgarh, Dhanrahra,
Firozabad.
21. The preparation of baluchar ganja is con-
sidered the best for smoking : it is imported from
Gwalior, Jhansi, and other Bengal Provinces and
sold here. Chur ganja grows wild in this district
particularly in the Terai villages. It is not such
an intoxicant as the baluchar ganja.
22. The charas imported into this district comes
from Gwalior, or some say, from Nepal.
23. Bhang is not smoked but drunk and eaten,
applied or rubbed as a liniment.
24. Brahmans and Thakurs drink and eat bhang
in general. They believe the plant to be a buti
or leaf appreciated as approved of by Mahadeo.
It is used or taken in different ways, and gener-
ally by Brahmans ; also for instance Chaubes of
Mathura, fakirs, sanyasis, and so forth. The drug
is taken in plain pills, and when molasses or gur
is used in the preparation of these pills, it is
called "gur bhanga." Hindu confectioners use it
in barfis (a kind of sweet), which they form falak
sair. Muhammadans are strictly forbidden its
use. It may be taken medicinally, and is given
in this way.
25. The use of these three hemp drugs is on
the ascendant, because liquor is dear and the poor
can't afford to buy it, and so resort to the use of
the drugs in question.
26. It is difficult to give a correct number of
the people who use the drug in any form ; but
it would not be out of place to mention that the
average of moderate and habitual users would be
about 30 per cent. ; (b) the great habitual users,
about 10 per cent.; (c) occasional users, 5 per
cent.; (d) occasional and great users, 2 per cent.
27. Garria, Dhanuk, Pasis, Lodhs, Kahars,
sweepers, Kanjars, Sab Khowa, Banjaras, Chamars,
Karis, Ahirs, Beldars, Nots, Bats, Gurchias
generally use the drugs in excess , even in marri-
ages and on other festive occasions.
28 (a) The average habitual users can be intoxi-
cated with a pice or a pice and a half worth, even
where it grows wild ; (b) they do not in any case
use more than two pice worth at a time.
29. No mixture is used in taking or smoking
of ganja. When used medically other substances
are mixed. The substance used is a leaf like the
tipatia plant or a plant having three leaves, and
is a creeper. It has blue flower, and tastes like
black pepper corn. It commences to grow in
the beginning of the rainy season and remains to
the end ; but lives in the Tarai or low lands for a
year; in the upper lands from June to November.
vol. v.
2 P 2