72
Sakins. I am to say that in all towns it is under
stood that women of more or less doubtful charac
ter follow the trade of supplying "huqqas"
ready for smoking to passers-by who want a
smoke of tobacco. These women are also known
as Sakins.
Oral evidence.
Question 46.—It is generally believed that
excessive use is sure to produce insanity. All my
answers are only merely the general opinion.
The general opinion is that liquor affects the
intellect like ganja does, but not to the extent
of causing insanity. I mean the opinion of native
baids and hakims whom I have consulted by
"general opinion." I can mention Hakim Bankelal
of Unao, Vaid Missarji of Maki, and Hakim
Hafiz Masaod Ahimat. I can name no others.
The general opinion I have quoted with reference
to alcohol is not based upon the opinions of the
people named above. It is based on my personal
experiense. The last sentence of my answer 45
is my individual opinion, the result of my own
observation. I have met about twelve cases of
insanity of the kind, of whom four are in my
own mahalla in Lucknow. 1 know two such
cases in Unao, two in Fyzabad, and one at Khane-
garh in the Keri District. Of other insanes
personally known to me, I can mention four-
two men and two women. These are not hemp
drug cases. I do not know the habits of any one
of the nine hemp drug insanes so intimately as to
be able to say that his insanity was due to hemp
drugs alone. None of them has been in. any
asylum or under medical observation.
Question 55.—Matua is a kind of corn, Kodon
is kodua ; also a kind of grain.
Question 68.—The sakins I refer to are of
Lucknow. They are prostitutes and their daugh
ters are prostitutes. Licenses for sale of the drugs
are given to them. There are such women in
Fyzabad also who hold licenses. I suppose these
women must have been granted licenses because
they keep shops. I don't know if their names
are entered in the licenses. I have seen shops
kept by women of the same class in Agra and
Delhi.
47. Evidence of MIRZA IRFAN ALI BEG, Moghal Chagtai, Deputy Collector, Gonda.
1. Enquiries from the ganja smokers, bhang
consumers and old shopkeepers of hemp drugs
(i.e., retail vendors and not thekedars).
2. Bhang is also called "buti" by sadhu fakirs.
A fourth variety of ganja is called "jangli," which
grows in this district spontaneously in the north.
Yes, the above definitions may be accepted, and
they are known by the same names as given in the
question, with the additional names as given in
reply against them.
3. Gonda district (Parganas Balrampur, Tulshi-
pur and Utraula specially).
4. Bhang is generally given the name to the
hemp plant, but it is called ganja in cases when it
does not flower.
5. It grows in damp places.
6. Dense.
7. No.
14. In Gonda district the following drugs are
prepared (not manufactured) :—
(a) Ganja in small quantities, especially for
private use.
(c) Bhang in large quantities for sale within
and without the district.
15. (b) Wild plants, when ripe, are sickled in
February and March, dried in sun, threshed, and
their leaves collected. These leaves are called
bhang.
B.—If pounded and made into pills, they eat
it.
C.—If pounded and mixed with sufficient
quantity of water, they drink it.
A.—If the wild plants do not flower, they are,
like the above method, dried, and their
kalies (i. e., buds or flowering tops)
broken, and, after being mixed with
tobacco, are used in smoking. These
kalies thus obtained are called ganja.
16. Bhang is prepared by the people in their
bouses for their private use, and it can be prepared
from the hemp plant wherever grown. Charas is
not prepared in this district at all, Ganja can be
prepared from the wild plant wherever grown.
In doubtful cases the latter is prepared by twist
ing the twigs when the plants are young, and by
this process they do not flower.
17. In this district the drug contractor generally
makes bhang, which is sold and exported by him
to other districts. For private use the people of
all classes generally prepare bhang and ganja both.
18. With ordinary care ganja and charas are
kept good for one year only, and bhang for two
years only, after which time they lose their effect.
Dampness and air deteriorates them. To prevent
deterioration, they are put on wooden frames
higher from the ground.
19. Ganja and charas are used for smoking.
20. In the Gonda district, Hindu sadhu fakirs
(mendicants) do smoke ganja and charas without
a single exception. Kshattris, about 50 per cent.,
smoke it also. The civilized classes of people
generally hate the drugs.
21. Baluchar (flat).
22. "Bhura" also called "Yarkandi" is chiefly
used. It is imported from Punjab.
23. Sometimes, when the people of low caste
and straitened in condition do not find ganja, they
use bhang in smoking, after mixing it with
tobacco.
24. Brahmins 50 per cent. and Kshattris 10
per cent. approximately eat and drink bhang in
this district of Gonda in the following propor
tion :—
Brahmins
.
Kshattris .
Eat.
Drink.
. 20 + 30 =50 per cent.
.
2 +
8 =10
„
25. The use of the three drugs is on the increase.
Ten years before this it was sold in half the
quantities it is sold now.
28.
Ganja,
(a)
(b)
Bhang.
(a)
(b)
Average allowance. Cost.
1⅛ masha 1 anna
1¼ tola
8 annas
Average allowance. Cost.
¼ chittack 1 pie
1
„
3 pies
For one man.
For one man.