366
to the fanatic ardour inspired by draughts of
hemp. This Misl had a famous cannon of vast
calibre used by Ranjit Singh at the siege of
Multan, called "the bhangi top." It is still to
be seen in Lahore, and (like Mons Meg in
Edinburgh) is one of the popular sights of the
place.
The virtues of bhang are recorded in the follow-
ing old Punjabi dohas or couplets :—
Bhang te akang jin tin lok táre haín
Sohi ján Nirsk jere bhang te niáre haín.
(Anglicè.)
Bhang has unequalled virtues and has saved
three worlds :
Those who avoid bhang are the men who go
to hell.
Bhang kahe main rang ba rangi ;
Post kahe main shah jehán ;
Afim kahe main Chimani Begam*
Mujhko kháke jae kahán ?
(Anglicè.)
Bhang boasts of various pleasures ;
Post† declares he rules the world ;
Opium claims that he is like Chimani
Begam ;
Whoever experiences his charms will never
forsake him.
28. Bhang is a most powerful drug. A novice
will get intoxicated on one rupee's weight of the
dried leaf (=12 mashas or 2/5 oz. avoirdupois).
Habitual consumers will take two to ten rupees
weight. Six (6) mashas or eight annas weight or
1/5 oz. avoirdupois is an average dose.
In Bashahr it is said three mashas of charas is
the charge for a hukka.
29. Charas is smoked with tobacco : with bhang
(sukha) milk, etc., is sometimes mixed, and the
compound is called sardai (or the cold drink).
Common additions to sukha are black pepper,
sugar, almonds, aniseed (sounf).
SO. Bhang and charas are said to be generally
used in company. Consumers are mostly of the
male sex. Occasionally, but rarely, females, prin-
cipally, it is said, prostitutes, use bhang and
charas. No cases of children using it are known.
31. I am inclined to think that, as is the case
with opium, and to some degree certainly with
tobacco, the habit is difficult to abandon.
32. Bhang is drunk at some religious places in
the Punjab ; but drinking it is not compulsory,
At the Hindu festival of Sheoratri it is (as is also
dhatura) offered to Mahadeo.
33. I think the use of hemp drugs is generally
in disrepute, and no doubt this is owing to its
usual effects. I here quote again a native official :
"Except some religious sadhus, who are respected
by vulgar and ignorant people only, persons who
smoke charas or drink bhang are condemned
usually. They are called 'bhangar' and 'charsi,'
and are considerded as good-for-nothing fellows.
Habitual excessive use demoralises a man ; he is
lazy and often leads a miserable life."
I am not aware that the hemp plant is ever
worshipped in the Punjab ; but the charas smoker,
with his first respiration of smoke, calls upon his
God as the cloud of smoke rises in the air, and, as
it were, dedicates to him his act of smoking.
34. It would, I believe, be so. The habit is
probably one difficult to abandon.
I have seen the proportion of habitual smokers
of charas estimated at "1 in 300 or less." I
should say it is much less.
35. I think it would be feasible to prohibit for
the Punjab the use of charas and ganja, as they
are not made in the Punjab, and, I suppose, cannot,
for some climatic reason, be made in the province
(though in the hill tracts of the Simla district a
kind of charas can, as above said, be made or
collected).
The gradual stoppage of import of ganja and
charas might be tried. It is not as yet a very
widely spread habit, but it might grow. It would
cause great pain and discontent if the prohibition
were sudden and comprehensive ; but this would
not amount to political danger. The consump-
tion of bhang cannot be stopped. A prohibitory
measure regarding ganja and charas would be no
doubt followed at once to some extent by a re-
course to opium and alcohol.
36. This is a very difficult question to answer.
As above said, Sir Robert Egerton made an
enquiry in 1880 or 1881, and the records should
be forthcoming. The native official above men-
tioned says : " I believe that the people who can
afford it are taking to alcohol instead of these
drugs, because that is considered an amiri nasha.
As far as my personal experience goes, the
number of wine drinkers is yearly increasing, and
there is no doubt about it. When I was a boy
reading in school, there were perhaps not more
than half a dozen men in Gurdaspur (where I was
brought up) who drank wine ; but during the
last 15 or 20 years the number has vastly in-
creased."
40. (a) Yes.
(b) Yes.
They are said to be useful in diarrhoea and in
affections of the lungs. An application of the
boiled leaves relieves pain (as in piles).
41. I never heard of the use of these drugs
being beneficial except as medicines.
42. I can quite believe the moderate occasional
use of the drugs may be comparatively harmless.
But I am not aware that they are commonly used
occasionally and in moderation. They may, how-
ever, be so used for all I know.
Native opinion seems divided on the point of
the ultimate effect of moderate use. Some say it
is harmless ; others, that it produces cough,
asthma, headache, weakness of digestion, weak-
ness of sight.
43. Yes; probably.
44. Appear to be vertigo, feeling of constric-
tion of throat, red staring eyes.
The effects are said to be the reverse of bene-
ficial ; but the Biláspúr State says it sharpens the
wits of those accustomed to its use.
In the hot weather it is used as a refrigerent or
cooling drink (sardai).
Bhang and charas produces intoxication with
increase of appetite. The after-effects are said to
be unpleasant.
The effect of the drug lasts from 5 to 24 hours.
45. The habitual use of the drug is said to
increase the sputum (balgham) and weaken the
eyes. Its excess use is also said to cause leanness
* Chimani Begam was a queen whose beauty caused all who beheld her to become enamoured of her charms.
† Poppy heads.
vol. vii.
3 B 2