vol. vi.
2 T
305
hung to a beam with the bottom above under
<br/>shade. It is kept thus for about four days. It
<br/>is then exposed in the sun at day-time and to
<br/>cold at nights for a period of three days. Then
<br/>the branches are removed off the trunk, placed
< b r / > o n e o v e r t h e o t h e r , t r o d d e n u n d e r f o o t a n d r o l l e d < b r / >
into small bundles. These bundles are placed on<br/>
a bed of straw with wooden planks over them.
<br/>Then heavy weights or stones are put upon the
<br/>planks, which keep the bundles pressed down.
<br/>They are thus kept for about three days. After-<br/>-
wards the bundles are taken and separated and<br/>
exposed in open air. After two minutes or so,
<br/>they are trodden under foot in order to get rid of
<br/>the dried leaves. When all the leaves are re-<br/>-
moved, they are exposed to cold in the night.
<br/>Early in the next morning they are taken and
<br/>spread again upon straw and pressed down with
<br/>planks. They are kept in this state one full day.
< b r / > T h e n e x t m o r n i n g , t h e p l a n k s a r e r e m o v e d a n d < b r / >
the twigs with flower-tops are separated and sub-
-<br/>jected to gentle shaking, in order to rid off the
<br/>leaves, if any. Then they are rolled up into
< b r / > b u n d l e s , o r t h e a g g l u t i n a t e d t o p s a r e d e t a c h e d < b r / >
and preserved in earthen vessels. This is how
< b r / > g a n j a i s p r e p a r e d f o r s m o k i n g .
The dried leaves that are thrown down after
<br/>so many processes of elimination above referred to
<br/>are used as bhang or patti. After carefully re-<br/>-
moving the stalks, the dried leaves are boiled in
<br/>water for some time ; and the boiled leaves are
<br/>well squeezed with the hands in order to purge
<br/>them of all filth and dirt, and then dried in the
<br/>sun. They are next boiled either in milk or
<br/>cocoanut-water. The quantity of milk or cocoa-<br/>-
nut-water must be proportionate to the quantity
<br/>of leaves boiled, so that the milk or the cocoanut-
<br/>water might he entirely absorbed by the leaves.
<br/>They are again kept in the hot sun for about three
<br/>or four days. After they are well dried, they are
<br/>preserved in earthen vessels for use. This is
<br/>how bhang or patti is prepared from cultivated
<br/>hemp-plant for the purpose of drinking.
16. Bhang is prepared by some in their houses
<br/>and by others in temples. Yes, it can be pre-
-<br/>pared from the hemp-plant, wherever grown. As
<br/>regards the preparation of ganja from the wild
<br/>plant, no trial has been made as yet in this
< b r / > t a l u k a .
17. By the licensed vendors and habitual con-
<br/>sumers. These are generally men of every deno-<br/>-
mination.
18. Ganja and patti do deteriorate by keeping.
<br/>But they do not quite lose their effect in time.
<br/>Ganja keeps good for about two years and patti for
<br/>six months at the most. The causes of deterior-<br/>-
ation are :— (1) Ganja becomes quite dry as dust,
<br/>and loses its resinous matter. (2) Patti gets
<br/>decomposed.
19. Ganja is not only used for smoking, but
<br/>also in the preparation of hemp-water and certain
<br/>other drugs, such as kamaswaramu, majumu,
< b r / > h a l w a , p h a n k i a n d g a n j a o i n t m e n t .
Ganja water :—Ganja is mixed with pepper,
<br/>and powdered to dust in a stone mortar. Then<br/>water is poured in, and the liquid mixture is
<br/>filtered. Before it is ready for use, the liquid is
<br/>kept, being poured from one vessel into another
< b r / > f o r t e n m i n u t e s , a n d t h e n d r u n k .
Kamaswaramu :—Ganja is wrapped in a piece
<br/>of white cloth and boiled in cow-milk. After an
<br/>hour or so, the ganja is thrown out, and the
<br/>boiled milk is churned into butter or ghi, which
<br/>with certain other ingredients, gives you the
< b r / > a b o v e n a m e d p r e p a r a t i o n .
Majumu :—Ganja is powdered, and the powder
<br/>is fried in Afterwards it is mixed with
<br/>sugar and jaggery and other ingredients, and
< b r / > m a j u m i s f o r m e d .
Phanki :—Seeds and stalks are removed from
<br/>ganja. With a few drops of water it is well
<br/>squeezed until it becomes a consistent clot, which
< b r / > i s s w a l l o w e d a t a g u l p .
Ganja ointment :—Ganja is boiled in Ippa oil,
<br/>and the oil is painted over the legs of the patient
< b r / > i n c r a m p s .
These are prevalent in this taluka.
20. There is no charas here, Generally lower
<br/>classes of people and bairagis smoke ganja.
<br/>Proportion not known.
21. Only flat ganja is found in this taluka.
22. No charas prepared here.
23. Patti or bhang is scarcely used for smok-
<br/>ing. If used at all, it is by those that are too
<br/>poor to purchase ganja.
24. Men of every denomination eat and drink
<br/>bhang. About 20 per cent. of the population of
<br/>Parlakimedi town, including those that consume
<br/>it on special occasions.
25. Use of bhang seems to be on the increase,
<br/>on account of its supposed exhilarating and re-<br/>-
freshing effects. Smoking of ganja is supposed
<br/>to prevent malarial fever, which exists to a large
<br/>extent in this taluka.
26. Do not know.
27. Smoking ganja is prevalent only in the
<br/>lower classes. Bhang is consumed more by well-
<br/>to-do people.
28. (a) About two tolas per diem; cost half
< b r / > a n n a .
(b) About ten to twelve tolas; cost about three
<br/>annas.
29. The ingredient that is ordinarily mixed
<br/>with ganja for smoking is tobacco; and the in-<br/>-
gredients exceptionally mixed are sandal-wood
<br/>powder, musk, poison, opium, attar, .Hibiscus
<br/>tortuosus and Cyperus rotundas. The ingredient
<br/>ordinarily mixed with ganja or patti for drinking
<br/>is pepper, and those exceptionally used are cloves,
<br/>cardamoms, nutmeg, mace, cassia leaves, poppy,<br/>
cinnamon and various other spices.
Dhatura is used both in smoking and drinking.
<br/>Poison, dhatura, opium, and nutmeg are used to
<br/>give greater
intoxication. Other articles are used
<br/>only to give flavour.
30. More in solitude than in company. Smok-
<br/>ing confined only to the male sex. Prostitutes
<br/>eat and drink preparations of bhang. Children
<br/>do not use them.
31. The habit is easily formed. When once
<br/>formed, it is very difficult to break it off all on
<br/>a sudden. But it can be given up gradually.
<br/>There is a tendency for the moderate habit to de-
-<br/>velop into the excessive
.
32. On Mesha Sankramanam day, it is the
<br/>custom-here to drink hemp water. It is believe
d<br/>that Anjanayya, with whom ganja is a favourite
<br/>object, was born in this day. This custom does
<br/>not seem to receive any sanction from the Sastras,
<br/>but has been in existence from time beyond living
<br/>memory. It is not absolutely necessary to drink
<br/>hemp water on this day. The custom is some-
-<br/>times more honoured in the breach than in the<br/>
observance. The drug taken on this particular
<br/>day is generally temperate, and is not likely to lead
<br/>to the formation of the habit.