other agricultural cultivators, and in no case have
I found the cultivation of hemp to be the chief
21
of my conversation with persons dealing in their
trade as well as those using them.
2. The descriptions given in this question of
round and flat ganja, as well as "chur," may be
accepted for this State; people don't understand
the term 'bhang,' nor do they observe distinction
between patti or ganja. They manufacture liquid
drink called "kúsúmba" used like "bhang" in
other parts of the country, either from "patti"
or "ganja." Charas is not used here, nor is it
known what it is.
Round ganja is manufactured by the flower
tops being tied with string in either plantain
leaves or rengál leaves.
7. There was uncontrolled cultivation of the
plant in the Sonepur State almost in every village
before 1889 for the production of round ganja
.
It has been stopped since 1889 under Government
orders, and ganja supplied by Government is used
by the people. It is still cultivated in the ad
-
joining Boad State.
8. There is considerable increase in the area
under the cultivation of the plant in villages
of the Boad State bordering the Sonepur State
since 1889, because (1) it has not been allowed in
the latter State, (2) it can be had cheaper than that
supplied from the Government godowns, (3)
people say that ganja manufactured from plants
cultivated in the Boad State, which are similar
to those cultivated before in Sonepur, is liked
by them better than the flat ganja, which they
think is more injurious to their health. They
say that the use of the latter causes headache.
This opinion of theirs about the quality of locally
cultivated ganja, and the several instances of
seizure of ganja smuggled from that State, shew
that the demand for the Boad ganja must have
increased. Formerly the Sonepur people did not
care to get ganja from Boad as they cultivated
similar ganja in their own house-yards. All
excessive ganja smokers whom I questioned about
this matter earnestly asked me to try to obtain
permission to cultivate and supply the local ganja.
This circumstance strengthens my belief that
there is some increase in the area under ganja
cultivation in the Boad Sate.
9. Ganja is cultivated in villages known to
me, mostly in yards of houses of cultivators or
in sugarcane fields. Its seed is thickly sown in
richly manured plot like that of chilli or bhata,
or tobacco, in the beginning of the rainy season.
After the plants are grown about five or six in
-
ches high they are removed and planted in rows
at a distance of a cubit from each other. The
ground is made soft and well manured with cow-
dung: sweepings of cattle or sheep shed are also
mixed. Excessive moisture being injurious to
the plants, high ground is selected so that water
may not remain accumulated at the roots. They
thrive better in house yards than in the sugarcane
fields. At the end of the rainy season, when the
plants are in flower, the male plants are removed:
the distinguishing sign of the latter is the
yellowish colour of their flowers, stems and
leaves, while the colour of female plants is green.
Leaves of the male plants are, however, separate
-
ly dried and mixed with those of female plants,
from which they are not then easily distinguished.
The female plants are allowed to stand till they
become ripe, when they are cut and dried. Then
the dried leaves are removed and the flower tops
are kept for a night in dew. The flower tops
are then wrapped in leaves such as of Bengal
plantain, etc., and tied with string or some fibre.
10. Persons who cultivate hemp do not belong
to any special class but are of the same classes as
source of a cultivator's living, like his grain fields
or sugarcane plantation.
14. Only ganja is prepared in the adjoining
State of Boad in the manner explained against
question 9. The same drug is used as well as
"patti" for making "bhang," called "
K ú s ú m b a . "
16. "Bhang" or "kúsúmba" is always pre-
pared by people in their houses. This drink is
never sold in the market.
17. There is no religious nor social restriction
as to the class of people. Anyone can prepare
the drugs.
18. Ganja and "patti" deteriorate by being
exposed to damp, and lose their effect in any case
after a year, up to which they retain their effect
if they are not exposed but kept in a dry state.
19. Ganja is used here both for smoking and
preparing an intoxicating drink called "kúsúmba"
(bhang). This is its general use, but I know
one man who ate and chewed ganja just like
tobacco, and people here have seen him eating at
one sitting about one chhatak or five tolas of
ganja.
21. Round ganja is preferred here for smok
-
ing.
23. Bhang is used for smoking in the absence
of ganja, but not in preference to it
.
24. All classes of people here, who are not
allowed by their religion to take liquor, drink
bhang ("kúsúmba") on the occasions of some
social gatherings or religious festivals. In the
course of my enquiry I found very few persons
who said they did not taste this drink in their
life.
25. It is on the decrease among the higher
classes of people to whom the use of liquor has
not been allowed owing to religious prejudices.
Such prejudices are gradually dying away with
the spread of the western thoughts, and alcoholic
liquor is taking its place. The Hindu religion
does not prohibit the use of ganja or bhang, and
the people believe that their gods like the devotees
taking these drugs, so that their use may enable
them to concentrate and devote their minds to
them.
26. The proportion of habitual excessive ganja
smokers and "bhang" takers is small. Simi
-
larly, the proportion of habitual moderate con
-
sumers is small. But most of the classes who are
not allowed the use of liquor are occasional con
-
sumers of "bhang."
27. In some religious institutions and social
gatherings these drugs, ganja and bhang, are
occasionally kept with the object of inducing
people to attend them. And whoever attends such
meetings is inclined to taste ganja or bhang by
seeing others using the drug. In this part of
the country I saw in several large villages reli-
-
gious places called "gudis" where occasionally
in the year some Hindu mythological books,
mostly "the Bhagwat," are read by priests and
villagers who go there to hear them read in the
evening. The priest is paid for his labour on
the completion of the reading, which continues
for several days, and the payment made by each
person is generally in accordance with his regu
-
larity in attending the lectures. Those attending
regularly pay larger sums than occasional visitors.
So the promoters keep ganja, fire, etc., at the place
to secure regular attendance of hearers. Such
institutions initiate the habit of ganja smoking.