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73. Evidence of BABA KIRPA SINGH, Manager, Charitable Institution, Sialkot.
Oral evidence.
I am Manager of the Charitable Institution kept
by the late Baba Vir Singh, about 3 miles from
Athari.
Sir Donald McLeod gave an order, continuing
a privilege accorded in Sikh times, for one boat-
load of bhang to be taken annually to the dharam-
sa'a without interference. It is brought down an-
nually from the Shakargarh tahsil of the Gurdas-
pur district by the Manager himself in the month
of May or June. At that time of the year the
plant can be taken off the fields without trouble, for
the crops have been removed. The bhang plant is
also ripe at that time of the year. If it is cut too
young it has no "nasha" and it rots in the boat.
The plant is brought down with the seed on it, but
the seed is removed when the leaves are pre-
pared for use. The seeds are useless, as they have
no intoxicating property.
Where we gather bhang, the plant does not bear
a flowering head resembling ganja. Nothing is
paid to the zamindars, who are glad to let us have
the bhang, and consider it an honour to supply us.
On the contrary, they feed us when we go to collect
the bhang.
The bhang is used by the sadhus belonging to
the institution, and is distributed to the lepers, and
the maimed, and halt and blind who arc supported
by the institution. Two or three sadhus are told
off to pound the bhang and prepare it. The drug
is not measured out. It is consumed very freely.
I myself have a masha of bhang pounded up for
me twice a day. The others consume much more
than I do, for Babu Vir Singh told me to take
very little.
The poor people are very much benefited by it.
I have never known any one injured by it. It is
supposed to be good for leprosy in drying up the
discharge. About 200 men, i.e., all the people in
the Gurdwara, drink every day. The boat-load is
sufficient for all the wants of the dharamsala.
There are no women in the dharamsala, and we
never give it to women.
Charas is not used at all, as it is forbidden to
the Sikhs to smoke.
74. Evidence of BABU P. C. CHATTERJEE , Head Master, Church Mission School,
Majitha, District Amritsar.
1. I have had long and familar conversation
with consumers of hemp drugs of all sorts. I have
observed with sorrow their miserable circumstance,
and the patient suffering of their family. I
have had many interesting discussions on the sub-
ject with experienced medical men. I have im-
parted instruction to the children of many hemp
drug consumers.
3. Almost in all the districts of the Punjab
hemp drugs grow spontaneously. It is abundant
in Hoshiarpur. Cannabis sativa of Ambuta in
Hoshiarpur, and that of Jermia in Gurdaspur are
remarkable for their intoxicating power.
4. It is known by the names of bhang, buti,
sabzi, bijia, and sukha. All these names refer to
the same plant.
5. River and canal banks, and other shady and
moist places seem to be favourable for the growth
of the hemp plants.
6. Dense.
7. Yes. In Multan and Jhang districts hemp
plant is cultivated for use as bhang in small quan-
tities.
8. There has been a decrease in the area, as the
use of bhang among Sikh Sardars and other influ-
ential and well-to-do men is at a discount now.
9. The seeds are sown in a small plot of ground
which serves as a nursery. The plants, when
grown to a certain height, are transplanted.
10. Fakirs, men in charge of dharmsalas, and
some bhang-drinking zamindars, cultivate hemp
drugs for personal use, as well as for distribution
among friends.
11. Bhang is boiled or warmed on fire. Some
put hot copper in bhang to make it more intoxicat-
ing
16. Yes.
17. Cultivators sell bhang, but some people pro-
duce bhang for their own use.
18. Charas deteriorates after a year. In four
years it altogether loses its effects. Heat chiefly
deteriorates charas. It should be kept in a cool
place. Bhang does not deteriorate. The older it
is, the better.
19. Charas and ganja are only smoked here. I
have not seen or heard of their being put to any
other use.
20. Ganja is smoked in Bengal and North-
Western Provinces by low class and illiterate
people, and fakirs of all kinds. Punjabis rarely
smoke ganja, but charas is smoked by Brahmins,
mirasis, and both Hindu and Muhammadan fakirs.
I do not think there is much difference in the pro-
portion of ganja and charas smokers. Charas and
ganja are generally smoked by the people of cities
and towns, and rarely by villagers.
22. Foreign. Generally imported from Yarkand
and Ladakh.
24. Nehangs and other Sikhs, who live in
dharmsalas, Muhammadan and Hindu fakirs,
mirasis, and some Brahmins, who live on alms,
generally drink bhang. Some people, specially of
Multan district, eat majum—bhang mixed in sugar
and butter.
25. Decrease. Civilisation, spread of education
and use of wine, struggle for living, which is harder
now than formerly, abolition of dharmsalas and
other alms-houses, and general discouragement to
beggars of all sorts, are the reasons for the de-
crease.
26. Some Sikh zamindars, or so-called soldiers,
and Sikh fakirs are habitual moderate drinkers of
bhang. These people have not got much to do,
but depend either on their small inherited property
or on alms for support.
27. Nehangs indulge in habitual excessive use of
bhang. They chiefly depend for their support on
alms. Brahmins, mirasis, and fakirs smoke charas
and drink bhang habitually, and general1ly in large
quantities. They also depend on alms for their