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20. Evidence* of SODHI ISHAR SINGH, Sikh, Extra Assistant Commissioner,
Hoshiarpur
District.
2. Ganja is neither produced in the Punjab nor
used. If it is used in the Punjab it is only by
the people of other provinces of India who come
to the Punjab and bring it here with them. If
one wishes to buy ganja in the Punjab it is not
procurable.
3. In the Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur districts.
4. In addition to the names mentioned (in the
question) the Muhammadans call it buti and the
Sikhs generally sukha.
6. The growth is according to the fertility of
the soil. It is generally dense.
7. I have never seen bhang being cultivated in
this district.
10. Neither is there any class nor other agricul-
turists.
11. I know nothing about it.
12. This question does not concern the Punjab.
13. This question does not appear to concern
the Punjab.
14. Ganja and charas are not manufactured.
Bhang leaves are collected from the wild hemp
plant in great abundance in the Gurdaspur district.
I cannot state the quantity, but it amounts to
hundreds of maunds.
15. I know nothing about the cultivated plants,
nor can I state anything about its preparations.
As to the wild hemp plant, the plant is reaped
before ripening and kept until it dries. Its leaves
are then separated, and these are called bhang.
(A) Nobody smokes it.
(B) Some people eat dry bhang.
(C) It is often drunk after being pounded.
16. Those people who drink bhang or sell it,
can prepare it in their own houses. Bhang can
be prepared from any hemp plant wherever grown.
But the bhang obtained from hemp plants grow-
ing on certain tracts is superior in quality, and
that of other tracts is of an inferior quality. I
can give no reply regarding charas and ganja.
17. The bhang referred to in answer No. 16
can be prepared by every one who likes to prepare
it. It cannot be stated which particular class of
men prepare it.
18. Nothing can be said regarding ganja.
Charas keeps good for three years, during which
it gradually loses its effect as time goes on, until
after four years it becomes absolutely useless. It
does not deteriorate at all for one year. It also de-
teriorates if kept under the sun or in a warm
place. The natural effect of charas will, as a
matter of course, decrease during the periods above
referred to, no matter whatever care is taken. It
should be kept in a cool place to prevent dete-
rioration.
If it is exposed to sun within the
periods above referred to, it should then be kept
in a cool place to avoid deterioration.
I can state nothing about ganja.
Bhang
naturally does not lose effect for one year, no
matter whether it is kept in a cool or warm place.
It, however, deteriorates if it is drenched.
19. No answer can be given about ganja.
Charas is smoked in a huka. I can state no
other method of smoking it. No particular place
can be mentioned where the use of charas is
prevalent.
20. I know nothing about ganja. Charas is
generally used by jogis, sanyasis and suthras, and
also by other fakirs (with the exception of Sikhs),
whether they be Hindus or Muhammadans who
live in takias, thakurdawaras, shiwalas and devit-
dawaras (Hindu temples). It is also used by those
shopkeepers who are addicted to its use, and by
the gamblers to a great extent. Such people
exist more or less in every part of the country.
If the fakirs be added to their number, it comes
to 5 per cent. more or less of the population in
the Punjab. The percentage is, however, high in
cold countries.
21. Ganja is neither imported into nor used in
the Punjab.
22. Charas is not manufactured here. It is
imported from Yarkand.
23. So far as I know, no body smokes bhang.
24. (a) Bhang is eaten by Nihangs, a free sect
of the Sikhs; other fakirs, called aghoris, and such
people who have formed a habit of drinking
bhang pounded in a large quantity of water.
(b) Hindus and Sikhs generally, and to a small
extent the Muhammadans also drink bhang.
The number of the people who drink bhang is
very small and cannot be exactly stated.
Bhang is drunk in every part of the Punjab,
and especially in the Multan, Lahore, and Amrit-
sar districts.
25. With the exception of ganja, the use of
bhang and charas is on the increase on account of
the expansion of the population and the spread of
liberty. The other reason is that charas was for-
merly imported into the country. It was im-
ported to a very small extent from Kashmir; but
as it was very inferior in quality, the people
smoked it very little. The use of charas has in-
creased since its importation from Yarkand has
commenced.
As regards bhang, the reason is
that as the population of the country has increased,
the use of bhang has also proportionately in-
creased. It is also a rule that a consumer of bhang
or charas offers the drugs in small doses to those
who are sitting about him when he consumes them.
As bhang prevents malarious diseases, the people
are compelled, out of necessity, to use it in the hot
i and the rainy seasons, which are very unhealthy
in this country.
2G. As regards charas—
(a) The habitual excessive consumers are jogis,
sanyasis, suthras, bairagis, takiadars, and
others fakirs of the Hindu and Muham-
madan religions.
(b) The habitual moderate consumers are the
associates or followers of the above,
and others, such as gamblers and habit-
ual offenders, who reside in towns.
(c) The excessive consumers are the Brahmins
and priests of the Ganges or other places
of pilgrimage.
(d) See above. The occasional moderate con-
sumers also use it excessively in cold
climates or when the snow falls. The
percentage of such people is not more
than 5 per cent.
vol.v
*Translation.
3 I