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23. Evidence of ANANDI PERSHAD, Excise Daroga, Hoshangabad.
1. I am serving as Excise Daroga in the Cen-
tral Provinces since the year 1864. I, therefore,
while on tour, had several opportunities to come
into contact with and receive information from
the licensed contractors and vendors regarding the
hemp drugs. I have also gained much experience
during my long service of 29 years in the Excise
Department. I therefore pass my opinion with
regard to the intoxication and the system of
management of the drug as my experience teaches
me.
2. Charas is not produced in these provinces,
therefore its information in detail will be known
from Punjab people. Flat ganja is produced in
these provinces, which is defined in the question.
Round ganja is not made in these provinces. The
flower-tops of flat ganja when detached from the
twigs form the broken ganja, and it is correctly
defined. In these provinces these products are
known as " flat ganja" and " broken ganja."
3. In the capacity of Excise Daroga I had been
in Jabalpur, Saugor, Damoh, Narsinghpur, and
Hoshangabad districts, In none of the aforesaid
five districts hemp plant grows spontaneously.
It no doubt grows so in Punjab, therefore its full
information can be had from the inhabitants of
Punjab.
4. The ganja, that is made from the hemp plant
is, in these provinces, known as " flat ganja "
and " broken ganja " which are defined in ques-
tion 2.
5. Wild hemp does not grow in these provin-
ces, therefore I am unable to say anything about
it.
6. As wild hemp does not grow in these pro-
vinces, so I cannot say about it.
7. (a) Hemp, in these provinces, is cultivated
in tahsil Khandwa, of the Nimar district.
(b) Charas is not produced in these provin-
ces.
(c) Bhang is imported from Rajputana.
Its amount of production will be known from
Khandwa.
8. Statement of hemp cultivation will reach
your office from Khandwa. It shall clear every-
thing.
9. The correct answer for this will be had from
Khandwa.
10. Hemp cultivation is not restricted to a
particular class. Cultivators of all classes do it.
11. As the wild hemp is not cultivated in these
provinces so its seed is not used.
12. As the wild hemp does not grow in these
provinces so I know nothing about it.
13. Hemp cultivation in these provinces is
restricted to tahsil Khandwa of the Nimar dis-
trict only. Hemp of superior quality is produced
there. It so abundantly grows there that it is
not only sufficient to meet the requirements of
these provinces, but it is exported to North-West-
ern Provinces, Oudh and Bundelkhand Feudatory
States also. Therefore special arrangements are
made for godown there and its cultivation is pro-
hibited in the other districts, Other information
regarding the soil, rainfall, etc., will be known
from Khandwa.
14. In these provinces hemp is cultivated in
tehsil Khandwa of the Nimar district. Charas
is not produced. Bhang is not produced in these
provinces. It is imported from Rajputana and
Ajmere. The amount of hemp cultivation will
be known from its statement from the Nimar
district.
15. Wild hemp does not grow in these prov-
inces. Hemp is produced from the cultivated
seed at Khandwa. It is smoked like tobacco.
They also eat it with sugar and ghee.
16. They, as a rule, do not make bhang in their
own houses, because its cultivation is prohibited.
Bhang is not produced from the hemp plant. It
is imported from Rajputana, Gonda, Bahraich in
Oudh. Wild hemp is not cultivated in these prov-
inces.
17. In Khandwa, every class of tenant culti-
vates hemp, and generally the grocers and confec-
tioners make majum.
18. I cannot say anything about charas, as it is
not produced in these provinces. Ganja and
bhang deteriorate if they are kept for one year.
If ordinary care is taken, it can remain safe for
two years, but becomes less effective. Damp soon
deteriorates it. There are no special measures to
prevent its deterioration, but it remains safe in
wooden boxes and baskets of bamboos ; otherwise
after one year it becomes less intoxicating and its
colour is changed.
19. Like tobacco, ganja and charas are smoked;
otherwise hemp is at first powdered and washed
with water ; water is then extracted out. After-
wards they mix dried tobacco with it and smoke it.
In the other way they make majum of ganja and
eat it. It is prepared with ghee and sugar. It is
used in these provinces very freely, especially in
the Holi festivals.
20. They do not smoke charas in these pro-
vinces. Ganja is generally much consumed by
the fakirs, gosains, sailors, water-carriers, shoe-
makers, palanquin bearers and other menial
classes. Persons of high caste very seldom smoke
it. The number of hemp consumers is about 5 per
cent.
21. Neither the round hemp is produced in these
provinces nor it is sold here. All persons like flat
ganja which they call " kalidar." They use broken
ganja when they cannot get the flat.
22. Charas is neither sold nor smoked by the
people of these provinces.
23. The people of these provinces do not smoke
bhang.
24. They use bhang to a very limited extent in
large towns, such as Hoshangabad, Harda, Seoni
and Sohagpur. They use it especially in the
summer season. Mostly bhang is used by the
Rajputana grocers, Brahmins, Marwaris, and the
inhabitants of North-Western Provinces. The
persons who have settled in these provinces long
ago neither drink nor eat it. During the Holi
festivals they generally eat majum made from
bhang by mixing ghee and sugar with it. They
also drink it, when powdered, with water. In
villages they neither eat nor drink bhang. Five
per cent. of the population eat and drink bhang.
25. Charas is not at all used in these provinces.
Ganja is much used, and bhang to a very small
extent.
26. They do not smoke charas in these prov-
inces. The average number addicted to ganja
smoking is 5 per cent. of the whole population of
the district, and that of bhang, 2 per cent. The
average of the persons who have become slaves to