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169. Evidence of V. SIVA YOGI, Brahmin, 1st Grade Pleader and .Municipal
Chairman, Vellore.
1. Such opportunities as have been afforded
during the course of my frequent journey in my
professional capacity as Pleader.
2.
Yes ; the names as defined here.
3. I am not aware of any district in which it
grows spontaneously ; but it is cultivated at the
foot of the hills called the Malayalam hills in
Vellore taluk, as also in the Chittaldroog, Mysore
province, and on the Nilgiris.
4. The plant itself is known by a single name,
ganja tree ; but the Arabic name is aseesh, and
preparations from it are known by several names.
5. I am unable to give the special conditions to
the growth of the wild hemp besides those given
below. It is generally cultivated during the dewy
season, Cold climate is necessary and a red soil.
6. The growth is ordinarily scattered, but when
dense the plants are transplanted.
7. ( a ) Yes ; in the Malayalam hills of the
Vellore taluk to a great extent.
8. Cannot say.
9. The land is tilled, manured, and seeds sown
like dhall (grain).
10. A special class known as the Malyalees cul-
tivate it. They live apart from others on the
hills.
11. I am not in a position to say so, but it is
quite probable that they will gather seeds from
the wild hemp. The Malyalees generally secure
seeds during harvest time.
12. In the Malayalam tract of. Vellore taluk
the people generally cultivate the wild hemp for
the production of ganja to a large extent. The
male plant is not generally extirpated, but a small
number of the female is.
13. The cultivation is not restricted. It has
been for a very long time cultivated in the Malaya-
lam tract; and I am not in a position to state
why it has been cultivated in that tract alone.
Probably because it is indigenous.
14. Yes. (a) Ganja and ( b ) charas are prepared
in the Polur taluk of this district to a large ex-
tent, and (e) bhang in the Vellore taluk to a small
extent for daily consumption.
15. Method of preparation from ( a) the culti-
vated plant : As soon as the plant grows to a
certain height, they nip the heads to prevent it
growing much higher, when it begins to spread.
After the flower tops are sufficiently ripe, the
plants are cut and stripped of the leaves, of tops
and flowers, which are put in a date-leaf basket
and trodden under foot. They then cover these
with palmyra leaves, and place large stones over
them for a period of about 15 days, so that the
agglutinated flower tops assume a flattened shape.
This is called flat ganja, which is afterwards sold.
(A) For smoki ng. — T h e
g a n j a , w h e n p u r c h a s e d
for smoking, is first saturated in the hollow of the
hand with a little water and rubbed for about six
or seven times, by which means the seeds are ex-
tracted and the mass becomes resinous. To this
is added small pieces of tobacco for smoking. The
name of this smoking preparation is ganja dhum.
(B) For eating .—The flat ganja on being pur-
chased is fried with ghee, by which the active
principle is extracted. The refuse, consisting of
leaves and flowers, is removed by straining. The
VOL. VI.
active principle is then mixed with almonds, grapes,
apricots, and other fruits, and sweetened with
sugar. This preparation is eaten as " halwa."
The ignorant call this preparation majum, but by
the educated it is known as maljum.
(C) For drinking .—The flat ganja on being
purchased is placed on a frying pan on the fire
and warmed. It is then taken down and ground
into powder. Ragi is bought and soaked in water ;
it then begins to ferment, after which the active
principle in the form of a milky juice is extracted
and which is boiled ; it is then taken down and
allowed to cool. The powdered ganja in small
quantities is mixed with this and drunk. This is
one method of preparing bhang. A second method
of preparing bhang is that they boil the ganja
with water. The active principle is secured and
the water thrown away. This active principle is
ground and made into boluses, which are daily
consumed.
A third method adopted in the preparation of
bhang is that the wild ganja is boiled with water.
The active principle is thus secured and the water
is thrown away. The active principle is then
ground and strained. Almonds, apricots, poppy
seeds, water melon seeds, and melon seeds are
procured, and the kernels of these are ground with
rose water. The active principle of ganja is then
mixed with rose water in a new pot previously
fumigated with incense, and the other ingredients
are added. To this mixture milk is added and
sugarcandy water. Plaintain is broken into pieces
and mixed with this. This preparation is known
by three names—bhang, sabji, and punnia.
16. Bhang is prepared generally by people in
their houses, It cannot be prepared from the
hemp plant wherever grown, nor can ganja and
charas be prepared.
17. By the Rajputs and the Muhammadans.
18. Bhang does deteriorate by keeping. It
does lose its effect in time. It keeps good with
ordinary care for about 12 hours. No special
measures can prevent deterioration. As for ganja
and charas, they can keep for years without deterio-
ration.
19. Ganja and charas are only used for smok-
ing.
20. The Rajputs and the Muhammadans, speci-
ally of the Indian classes. Thirty per cent. in
almost all localities where these are to be had.
21. The flat kind of ganja is used for smoking
in this province.
22. Foreign charas is chiefly used. From
China and Nepal.
23. Bhang is never used for smoking.
24. The Rajputs, the Muhammadans, and a
few Hindus eat bhang. Twenty per cent, in
almost all localities where manufactured.
25. The use of ganja, charas and bhang are on
the decrease, owing to the sudden death or injury
to consumers as also to their poverty.
26. I cannot state for each of these drugs what
proportion of the consumers are habitual moderate
consumers, or otherwise, but this much is certain—
once they begin, the habit grows.
27. Cannot say.
28. A pie's worth.
3 G 2