175
My impression is that the quantity of ganja
grown in the Agency is trifling ; but I had no
opport uni t y of ascert ai ni ng fact s for mysel f si nce
this inquiry began. I have never been called upon
to make an enquiry in connection with complaints
of smuggling into the Central Provinces. I was
Collector of this district in 1892. I should see
no very strong objection to limiting legal posses-
sion to the amount which might be held to be
equivalent to the produce of one or two plants.
And my opinion applies to the Agency also. I
say one or two plants; but my meaning is that no
one ought to be made criminally liable for possess-
ing the produce of the number of plants that are
ordinarily found growing in a garden in this dis-
trict. If you go further than this, preventive
measures of an inquisitorial kind become necessary.
In this district you hardly ever see more than one
or two plants growing in a garden. I consider it
would be more objectionable to allow cultivation,
and have the preventive force marking down
plants and searching houses when the crop was
gathered with certainty of detection, than to pro-
hibit cultivation altogether,
The people of the Agency Tracts, specially
the hill people, are very much addicted to spirits
and toddy. No system of liquor excise has ever
been framed for the Agency. The abkari revenue
is leased by farms or shops in
m u c h t h e s a m e w a y a s i t h a s b e e n d e a l t w i t h f r o m t h e t i m e w h e n
Government first began to exercise control over
it. I am endeavouring to reduce the number of
shops, but consider that it would be impolitic
and dangerous to move too rapidly in this direc-
tion.
I cannot say that it is my experience that
where the liquor habit is strong the ganja habit
is practically unknown. I know nothing what-
ever on this point as regards this district. I do
not even know where the ganja habit is most or
where least prevalent. Returns from other pro-
vinces would lead me to suppose that such is the
case; but I have no practical experience on the
point.
I can say nothing definite regarding the extent
to which the ganja habit prevails among the
people of the Agency Tracts. My knowledge
on the subject is practically nil. I have no reason
for supposing the ganja habit to be more pre
valent in one part of the Agency than in another.
As regards foreigners, they are almost unknown
i i n t h e A g e n c y .
9. Evidence of MR. J. THOMSON, Collector of Chingleput.
1. Only such as the head of this district can
obtain from or through others. No personal
observation.
2. May be accepted. Charas is not used in
the district generally. The three varieties of
ganja are locally known as padai ganja (flat ganja),
vurulai ganja (round ganja), and avilu ganja
(broken ganja or chur). Bhang or siddhi is known
as bhangi leaf. Charas is known as ganja pal
(ganja milk or juice). Ganja is known as
kalpam.
3. It does not grow spontaneously in this
district.
7. The plant is not cultivated in this district
13. No restrictions in this district.
15. Preparations for
(A) Smoking .—Twenty -five to 30 grains of
unimpregnated flowers (ganja) are sepa-
rated from the leaves, etc., well mixed
with dried tobacco leaves on the palm
of the hand, and after being placed over
a thin layer of prepared tobacco in a
small bowl smoked through a short
hooka.
(B)
Eating.—Siddhi or bhang (leaves) are
well boiled in water with ghee, and the
jelly thus formed is cooked with milk
and sugar into a paste, which, when it
hardens, is cut into small tablets. The
jelly secured by boiling the leaves is
also mixed up with various confections,
some of which are used as medicines.
The chief temptations for admixing this
drug in the confections are (1) on
account of the pleasure of slight intoxi-
cation derived therefrom, and (2) on
account of its medicinal effects as creat-
ing appetite, acting as an astringent or
as an aphrodisiac.
(C) Drinking.—The dried leaves are ground
with aniseed and poppy seed, etc., and
diluted in cow's milk or cocoanut milk or
limejuice; spices are sometimes mixed.
The preparation is called " Bhang" by
Rajputs, Mahrattas, etc.; " Juice of
Wisdom " or " Milk of Wisdom" by
Sudras. It is also called " Rama',s
Juice," i.e., the juice with the aid of
which Rama (an incarnation of god)
can be seen.
16. Yes, prepared by consumers in their own
houses and wherever grown.
17. (A) and (C)of question 15, by consumers
themselves.
(B) By native doctors to be administered as
medicine, by shopkeepers for sale, and by
consumers themselves in some cases.
18. Ganja is said to keep for four months,
after which it deteriorates. Others not known.
19. Ganja is used for smoking as well as for
eating in the form of confections, such as majum,
purnă d h i , m a d a n a k a m a s w a r i ,
m a n m a t h a c h i n t a m a n i a n d s o m e t i m e s u s e d a s d r i n k ; a l s o m i x e d u p
with cocoanut milk, etc. Smoking and drinking
are rare, but confections are resorted to mostly
as medicines by all classes of people all over the
country wherever native medical aid is resorted
to.
20. Religious fanatics of all classes, known as
bairagis, fakirs, sanyasis and mendicants and
habitual beggars, such as pandarams, etc., smoke
ganja. Charas not used in this district. Ganja
smoking is said to be prevalent among the sepoys
of the Native Army, both retired and in active
service, to a slight extent. No specific locality
can be given.
21. Flat ganja.
22. Charas not used here.
23. Not used for smkoing.
24. Bhang is used as a drink by some of the
Rajputs and Mahrattas as well as those enu-
merated under question 20.
25. Cannot be stated with any degree of ac-
curacy, the men using them being of very obscure
social standing.
26. Only ganja and bhang are used. In the
case of ganja smoking, about 80 per cent. may
be said to fall under (a), 10 under (b), and the
other 10 under (c). In the case of ganja con-
fections almost all under (a). In the case of
bhang almost all under (a).