123
preparations of these drugs. I am of opinion
that the latter class are more specially swelling
the ranks of ganja-smokers. I mean by those to
whom liquor is a religious prohibition.
26. The answers are a mere guess. Under—
(a) I should put down 10 per cent. for Chanda
District;
(b) 2 per cent. for Chanda District;
(c) 4 per cent. for Chanda District;
(d) 1 per cent. for Chanda District.
27. (a) The habitual moderate consumers are
the labouring classes, whose earnings are small,
such as Gonds, sweepers, Lohars, Badhais and
Chamars.
(b) Habitual excessive consumers are the gosains,
bairagis and jogis.
(c) Occasional moderate consumers are the
Dhakani Brahmins and other Hindus.
(d) Occasional excessive consumers are the
gosains and bairagis.
The habits of life and circumstances which lead
to the practice of ganja in its various forms are in
the case of—
(a) hard and unwholesome labour;
(b) devotion and forgetfulness of pains en-
dured and austerities practised by them;
(c) mere pleasure and excitement for the time
being;
(d) as No. (b) above.
28. (a) Three masas of ganja, which costs 4½
pies.
(b) Two tolas of ganja, which costs 3 annas.
29. (a) Ordinarily, tobacco is mixed with
ganja for smoking. ( b) Exceptionally, the
habitual, excessive ganja-smoker mixes with it
the seeds of "dhatura" and "kuchla" (nux
vomica).
The object of these admixtures is to give ganja
more intoxicating power.
I have not heard of "bhang massala" being
sold in the bazar in this district. But the follow
-ing ingredients are usually mixed with the "sum
- m e r b e v e r a g e " c a l l e d " b h a n g " : — ( 1 ) S u g a r ,
sometimes "gur" (treacle); (2) almonds; (3)
raisins; (4) khaskas (poppy seeds): all these are
ground finely in milk or water, well strained, and
added to "bhang," in order to give the beve
-rage a flavour and zest. Some spices are also add
- e d t o i t , s u c h a s n u t m e g , c a r d a m o m , e t c . T h i s
is the Indian home-made liquor which is in special
favour with all communities of Hindus.
30. The majority of ganja smokers smoke it in
company. Those who smoke 4½ pies worth of
ganja smoke it in solitude, if they have nobody at
hand to join them. Generally, the male sex are
addicted to this vice, but the wives of bairagis and
gosains also smoke it. It is also to some extent
smoked by kaikadines and prostitutes. Ganja
smoking is generally commenced in the prime of
life, say, at 20. Children are generally given the
beverage called bhang. The sweet called majum
is sometimes used by them, as also ganja, which is
used by them in a preparation called "chivda."
But the latter is done very occasionally.
31. Yes, the habit of smoking ganja, drinking
bhang and eating of majum is easily formed.
Almost all evil habits are easily formed. It is
not difficult to break off the habit when it is newly
formed. Bad habits are more easily nipped in the
bud than at any other time. Yes, there is a great
tendency for the moderate habit of ganja-smoking
bhang-drinking and majum eating to develop
itself into the excessive. There is no evil or bad
habit that I know of that does not develop itself
into extreme degrees. Things go from bad to
worse when they are not properly attended to or
looked into.
32. So far as I am aware of, no social or reli
- g i o u s c u s t o m r e q u i r e s t h e u s e o f g a n j a - s m o k i n g .
But the beverage called bhang, and the sweet
called majum are customarily used at certain
festivals and in certain places of India, as for in
- s t a n c e a t D u r g a P u j a a n d H o l i . A t C h a n d a t h e
Chamars use "ganja dust" in the preparation of
a beverage called gulabpani, which is drunk at a
ceremony called "dadhi" (the first shaving of
beard) when no liquor is permitted.
33. Ganja-smoking is considered very dis
- r e p u t a b l e , b u t n o t t h e o t h e r u s e s t o w h i c h i t i s p u t ,
as using it in "vadas," "bhajas," "chivdas," etc.
The religious sentiment of the Muhammadans is
unerringly against ganja-smoking, as it is against
the use of all intoxicants. No such religious senti
- m e n t e x i s t s a m o n g s t H i n d u s a g a i n s t t h e u s e o f
narcotics, as there is against the use of alcohol.
But both Hindus and Muhammadans, as well as
other religionists, consider ganja-smoking as bad
and lowering, on account of the disastrous effects
it produces on the physical and mental faculties of
the smoker. "Ganjadi," "affeemchi," "mad
- d a t t i " a r e w e l l k n o w n a b u s i v e a n d d i s g r a c e f u l
epithets, used against idle and inactive moods and
idiotic actions on the part of an awfully careless
man.
34. Gosains and bairagis, jogis, fakirs, and
the poor labourers can ill afford to forego the use
of ganja-smoking. The reason is that the use of
it is not prohibited by religion in the case of
H i n d u s , a n d g a n j a i s s o c h e a p c o m p a r e d t o t h e
price of liquor.
Majum-eaters, bhang-drinkers, and the occa
- s i o n a l p l e a s u r e - s e e k e r w o u l d f e e l t h e l o s s o f i t , a s
it is the only cheap, intoxicating drug that they
can use without incurring the displeasure or
odium of their co-religionists.
35. I do not think it feasible to entirely pro
- h i b i t t h e u s e o f g a n j a , b h a n g o r m a j u m a l l a t
once. I should think it would be illicitly con
- s u m e d . T h e p r o h i b i t i o n o f a n y o f t h e s e d r u g s
could only be enforced by drastic measures which
I am loath to recommend. I am inclined to think
that the prohibition would occasion great discon
- t e n t a n d l e a d t o p o l i t i c a l d a n g e r . B a i r a g i s ,
gosains, jogis and fakirs would constitute them
-selves into leaders of the rebellion if ganja smok
- i n g w a s p r o h i b i t e d .
The higher class Hindus, bairagis, gosains,
jogis, and fakirs would certainly not resort to
alcoholic stimulants, for they are prohibited to
use them. In their extremity they would have
recourse to opium and its various preparations,
such as maddat and chandu.
36. I do not think that alcohol is now being to
any extent substituted for ganja, bhang or
majum, for reasons already given in my previous
replies. But, on the contrary, I fear there is great
d a n g e r o f l i q u o r - d r i n k e r s b e i n g d r i v e n t o t h e u s e
of ganja on account of its cheapness. Causes
—(1) the labourers receive poor wages; (2) ganja
is comparatively cheap; (3) the consumption
of ganja is annually increasing in the Central
Provinces and in the Zamindaries and Feuda
- t o r y S t a t e s o f t h e C e n t r a l P r o v i n c e s .