214
63. There is at present no difference observed
between wholesale and retail vend, and I think
there need be no such difference, as the transac-
tions in this district are very little. But the
cultivation and sale by others than licensed persons
should be stopped.
64. Neither exports nor imports here.
65. At present fees are collected from vendors
licensed to sell ganja, which seems reasonable.
The present fees may be continued, but unlicensed
sale must be stopped.
66. Not necessary.
67. None.
68, There is a shop licensed in Anantapur
town for sale, but the consumers are not allow-
ed to use the drug within the premises of the
shop. This should be continued.
69. The wishes of the people are not consulted
before the opening of a shop; but I think they as
well as local public opinion should be consulted.
70. None. Cultivators use untaxed ganja and
sell it to licensed and unlicensed persons either for
consumption or for sale. Licensed vendors get it
from cultivators and sometimes from middlemen
and sell it in their shops.
34. Evidence of W . VENKATAPPIAH PAN TULU GARU, Brahmin, Deputy Collector,
Chatrapur, Ganjam.
1. I enquired of the sellers, cultivators, eaters,
smokers, and drinkers of ganja, bhang, majum
and hemp plants in Chatrapur, Berhampur,
Injili and Aska, on the 9th, l0th, lath and 12th
November 1893, having only returned from leave
on 1st November 1893. My information is
based upon the custom prevailing generally in
this district, and particularly in the above places.
2. The definitions may be accepted with the
following modifications, viz.:—
Charas and round ganja are unknown here.
Flat ganja and bhang are locally known to be
kali and siddhi or patti respectively. Chur is
also known to consist of the fallen pieces of kali
and leaves in the course of the preparation of
ganja which is not made by treading under foot,
but by pressing under the weight of a heavy flat
stone.
3 to 6 No wild plant grows here sponta-
neously.
7. In this district the cultivation is made for
(a) and (c) only.
9. In the month of July seed beds are first
grown, and after 15 days or so when the plant
grows four inches high, it is transplanted at two
in each bed. As soon as the hemp plant grows
big, its large leaves are removed. Ass dung and
red-earth are put in the beds of plants. The ends
of the plant are also removed. During its growth,
its trunk will be split three or four inches above
its bed and a piece of tile invariably and some
opium also sometimes will be stuffed into it. This
portion of the trunk will be bandaged. It will
also be twisted before the kali or the flower top
begins to ripen.
10. There is no special class of persons who
cultivate the plant for its narcotic products. All
classes of people do it. Cultivators grow the
plant in sugarcane, tobacco and brinjal gardens.
The cultivators of this plant are of the same
classes as other agricultural cultivators.
11. No
12. No.
13. There is no restriction for the cultivation
of the hemp plant. It is grown everywhere. If
the land on which the plant is cultivated is of
gravel and dry soil, the plant will grow lux-
uriantly. The plant flourishes well in the hills
under morning dew. Too much rain injures the
plant. The trees are grown apart from one
another so that the boughs of one may not touch
those of the other. Vide also answer to question 2.
14. The following products are prepared in this
district:—
- Prepared to a limited extent in
(a) Ganj a
the hills and plains of this dis-
(c) B ha ng
trict for the most part in back
yards.
Charas is not known in this district.
15. There is no wild plant. From the culti-
vated plant-
(a) Ganja is prepared for smoking. In the
month of January when the plant is
ripe it is cut down and the branches
are pressed under the weight of a
heavy flat stone for three days and
then exposed to the sun and night
frost for three days over the roofs of
the houses, and finally kept under
beds or mattresses on which people lie
down for three days. By this process
ganja or kali is formed. In the course
of the above three processes, broken
pieces of ganja and big leaves fall
down which are separately preserved
for chur and bhang, or subji or patti
respectively. The kali so prepared is
used for smoking with the use. of an
earthen pipe locally called chillum.
(b) Eating.— Chur is used for eating in the
shape of round balls called majum.
The chur is dried and powdered toge-
ther with dried ginger and spices,
such as cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg,
etc., and put in a pan of boiled
jaggery or sugar mixed with ghee, and
stirred round repeatedly till the whole
stuff gets cool and condensed, when
it is made into small balls of marble
size. These balls are swallowed by
themselves.
(c) Drinking.—The aforesaid big leaves, i.e.,
subji or patti, are boiled in water and
then dried in the sun and powdered.
This powder is mixed with the powder
of pepper, aniseed, poppy-seeds, cloves,
nutmeg, etc., and is then ground soft
with water, and the whole mass is
well mixed in a quantity of water and
strained in a piece of cloth. The
remnants in the cloth are thrown
away and the liquid so filtered is
drunk with or without sugar. This
drink is locally called bhang.
Kúsúmba is a refined preparation of bhang con-
sumed by wealthier classes.