128
makes it altogether unwholesome for human con-
sumption, though it is said to be good for medi-
cinal purposes in the treatment of cattle and
horse. The leafy part assumes a greyish tint and
the resin, containing definite carbon compounds, is
weakened. If the room in which it is kept be
kept dry and warm by artificial means, it could
be made to last for another 12 months. The
room should be well ventilated, and should not
have any stone pavement. People now keep it
hermetically closed in a common earthen pot, in
the mouth of which is kept a small quantity of
cotton. The mouth of this pot is then covered
over with saj or teak leaves and well plastered
over with mud, which is made to dry in the sun
before the pot is consigned to its final destina-
tion.
19. I know nothing of charas. Ganja is used
only for smoking.
20. Labouring classes that work out in sun and
rain, particularly in jungly and swampy places.
Bairagis, sanyasis and other ascetics use it freely
wherever they may be.
21. Only flat ganja is used in these parts.
There is also another kind of ganja, called pattar,
that comes from Holkar's territories or rather is
smuggled.
22. I do not know if charas is at all used in
these Provinces.
23. No, for the simple reason that it contains
the least resinous matter which is the active in-
gredient in producing intoxication.
24. Bhang is consumed generally by well-to-do
people. Chaubes of Mathura and Marwaris seem
to patronize it particularly. It is more largely
consumed during the hot months, as it is believed
to be cooling and digestive. Poor men and men of
business do not, for one thing, patronize this
bhang, as it requires quite one hour's time before
it can be made; whereas ganja ball can be prepared
for the chillum (pipe) in about one-fourth the time;
indeed it can be made while the maker is attend-
ing to his usual work.
25. I am not able to cite statistics on this point;
but the lower class of people who consumed liquor
before have taken to ganja, because liquor has
become expensive to them. This is the general
reason given by persons who are questioned on the
subject; and there seems to be some truth in it.
26. I would not answer this question, as I have
not been able to collect correct statistics.
27. Mendicants, domestic servants, black magi-
cians and all orders of ascetics. These classes of
people are as a rule ill clad. They think that the
use of the drug fortifies them against the extremes
of weather. Bairagis and sanyasis use it because
it enables them to meditate properly. Debauchees
use the drug as they it is an increaser of
pleasure. Poor people, because it is an assuager
of cares.
28. (a) One pice worth.
(b ) Two annas worth.
29. Ordinarily tobacco is mixed with ganja in
the proportion of 1/3 to 2/3 ganja. Exceptionally
cardamoms and otto of roses or other otto. Yes.
Dhatura seed is sometimes smoked with ganja,
when the latter fails to give requisite intoxication.
Bhang is seldom or never drunk alone. Bhang
massala consists of the following:—(1) black pep-
per, (2) sonph kasini (Faeniculum panmorium) ,
(3) dora (large cardomoms), (4) gulab-ka-phul
(rose flower), to which, if circumstances permit,
other things are added as kesar (saffron), gul
khairu (hollyhock), badam (almonds), etc. The
secret of intoxication consists in the fact that
bhang and this massala must be kept in water for
about an hour, and then the whole thing well
pounded for two hours at least, before it is strained.
When strained, sugar and milk are added to it.
30. Ganja or bhang are generally used in com-
pany. One always notices a few dambhais associ-
ate smokers clustered round a devotee; and during
the hot months it is quite a common practice for a
few friends to get together and go out to a garden
for a pic-nic or on the banks of a river, when each
man gets his share of a lota of the aromatic
bhang, which is prepared on the spot. Not neces-
sarily confined to male sex, but women of any
respectability have nothing to do with either, even
on festive occasions. I have not seen many
children use ganja or bhang as a rule, but on
certain occasions persons of tender years do drink
bhang. Boys attached to devotees, however, learn
to smoke and drink as soon as they become mem-
bers of the fraternity.
31. Yes, it is. Yes, it is difficult to break off.
I have certainly noticed this tendency.
32. Nobody, who is not addicted to it, touches
ganja, even on feast days; but the case is different
with bhang, for one may use it on occasions of
marriage, Holi, Dewali, Shivratri, Sawan, Dasahra,
Nauratri, etc., when he would not touch it on
other days of the year. On these occasions parti
-cularly the habitual consumers add to it the root of
the jwar plant, about 6 mashas in weight and less,
generally kaner ki jar (the root of oleander) which
makes the beverage very intoxicating indeed.
Bhang is sacred to Mahadeo, one of the gods of
the Hindu Trinity, which is represented as always
under its influence. It is, therefore, classed with
soma, which is one of the five plants which liberated
human beings from all their earthly sins. It was,
say the devotees of the destroyer (Mahadeo), one
of the nectars which was given to man when the
gods churned the ocean. It is not essential, but
the staunch worshippers of the Mahadeo make it
their duty to drink bhang on the days which are
sacred to that god, if only on the pretence that it
enables them to concentrate their attention to the
worship of that god. The use of bhang on such
occasions is temperate, so far as the novices are
concerned. To the ordinary consumers, it is a day
which affords a sound excuse for extra strong
libation.
As these religious observances are not few and
far between in the Hindu calendar, I am certainly
of opinion that even this occasional use leads to
the formation of the habit, which ends in ruining
the so-called devotees of the god.
33. A man who smokes ganja is looked down
upon even by persons of his own social standing,
much more so by persons above his. Bhang
- d r i n k e r , h o w e v e r , i s n o t i n s u c h a b a d r e p u t e .
The reasons appear to be that a ganja-smoker is
almost always easily excitable, is not amenable to
reason, is ever disposed to quarrel, even with his
best friends. He is an uncertain friend and a bad
enemy, for once he resolves to do a thing, no
matter however wrong, he does it at all hazard.
The bhang-drinker is, on the other hand, quiet and
forbearing, more so than the ganja-smoker is.
I am not aware that the hemp plant is ever
worshipped, though I know when persons begin
to tread it in process of its manufacture they
reverentially join their hands and bow respectfully
to the heap which they are about to tread.