78
(2) From the fibres cloth, etc., are manufac-
tured, viz.:—(a) Teoka, or a sheet 2½ yards
long and 1¼ yards broad ; it is the dress of both
males and females of this country. They
wrap it round the body in different fashion.
It is used for other purposes also. (6) Bags,
large or small. (c) Nets of different kind and
size. (d) Shoes in the northern parganas. (e)
Ropes of all sizes.
(3) The bhusa or bhang is also useful as
bhang, and also for manure where bhang is
not made.
(4) The stalks even are not useless. They
serve as torches.
Nearly one-third of the population of Garhwal is
clothed by this plant. It puts money into the
pockets of the people and supplies their other wants.
The only objectionable part of this plant is charas,
but it is not largely prepared in this country. In
fact, the plant is cultivated for other useful purposes
than charas, and any mischief that charas may do is
far outweighed by the good that the plant does.
People sell teokas and bags which they don't require
themselves. A teoka sells for Re. 1-2-0, and a bag
for 2 or 3 annas.
10. In this country "Khasias" or "Pabhilas,"
a class of people above the Domes and below Raj-
puts in social scale, who do not wear sacred thread,
cultivate hemp and make clothes, etc., out of the
fibres. Some Domes who have land of their own,
or who hold other people's land as tenants, also sow
hemp. But Brahmins and Rajputs have a preju-
dice against sowing hemp, and they generally do
not sow it. If any Brahmin or Rajput wants to
sow hemp for his own use, he must engage the
services of a Khasia or Dome to do all the labour for
him. It may, however, be mentioned that the
higher classes, although they have a prejudice
against sowing or reaping of the plant, neverthe-
less have no prejudice against making charas or tak-
ing out fibres from the stalks. They do not, how-
ever, weave the fibres themselves, but give them to
a Khasia or Dome, who gives them half the cloth
made out of the fibres.
11 to 13. Ganja is unknown here.
14. Charas only is manufactured in this coun-
try—more in Pargana Chandpur and Dewalgarh,
less in Choundkote, Barah Syun, Badhan and Talla
and Malla Salans. In Chandpur and Dewalgarh
also it is not largely prepared. The people cultivate
the plant more for its fibres and seeds than for
charas. What little charas they make is given as a
present or sold at Ramnagar and Kotdwin some-
times, but rarely, to the license vendor. A man
sells charas from 8 annas to Rs. 5 worth in one
year.
15. There is no difference in the method of pre-
paring charas from wild or cultivated plants. It is
done in the same way. As stated elsewhere, very
little charas is made from wild hemp, but whatever
is made, the method of preparing is the same.
About the middle of Kartik, when the seeds have
become ripe in a fine sunny day, the plant-bearing
seed called 'sujango' is cut down at the root and
spread in the field. It is allowed to dry for about
24 hours. Then the people who prepare charas sit
round the plants on the ground. It must be a
sunny day, and the warmest part of it. In the
mornings and evenings, when the sun is weak,
charas does not exude from the leaves.
A handful of leaves is plucked, bigger leaves are
thrown out, and that portion which contains seeds
is retained in the hands and gently rubbed between
the palms for about 10 minutes. The resinous
substance sticks to the palms, and the seeds and
the pressed leaves fall on the ground. The substance
that sticks to the palm is then scratched out and
rolled into small cakes or balls. Those who don't
care much for charas press the plants with their
feet, and a little charas sticks to the feet, which is
collected in the same way. Out of 5 or 6 good
plants about a tola of charas may be extracted.
There is another way of extracting charas, but
it is very rarely practised. The charas that is made
in this way is called Chakar Muthi and is of a very
superior kind. When the seeds are ripe and it is
time to cut down the plants, when the plants are
standing, by running the hand through the plant
from bottom up to the top, a little resinous sub-
tance sticks to the palm of the hand. This charas
is called Chakar Muthi, but this system is sup-
posed to weaken the fibres, and for that reason it is
not practised.
The pressed leaves are called bhang dhusa ; some
people preserve them, but the majority use them as
manure.
Bhang and majum are made from these leaves,
and they are also cooked with meat and urd paste,
as stated elsewhere. Bhang and majum are seldom
used. It is charas only which is smoked in this
district.
16. Bhang and ganja are not prepared here ;
charas can be made from the wild plant in Urgam
(vide Chapter II, questions 3, 4, 5 and 6). In
other places also charas can be made from wild hemp
wherever grown ; but, as a matter of fact, it is
very seldom made.
17. There is no particular class to which prepara-
tion of charas is confined. All classes prepare it.
Even Brahmins and Rajputs, who have a prejudice
against sowing the plant, have no scruple in extract-
ing charas when the plant is cut down by Khasias
or Domes for them.
18. Charas can keep for one year very well, and
with care it can keep for two years. After that it
loses its narcotic effect, and is practically useless.
Damp spoils charas, and it should not be mixed
with any kind of grain. If kept in a dry place in
air-tight wooden or tin boxes, it can keep for two
years.
19. Charas, besides being smoked, is sometimes
used as a medicine. Charas finely powdered, if
applied to a cut, stops the flow of blood and heals up
the wound. Sometimes, but rarely, the powder
dissolved in water is given to man suffering from
pain in the stomach caused by indigestion or cold,
and the patient recovers. This use is made of
charas wherever procurable.
20. Ganja is not smoked in this country. There
is no particular class to which charas smoking is
confined. All classes smoke it. If any particular
class be named it is that of the fakirs, who are the
most inveterate charas smokers. The growers of
hemp or people in the villages do not smoke. If
any one does, he may be one in a thousand. People
living in towns or places of note along the pilgrim
route to Badrinath and in their vicinity, such as Sri-
nagar, Deoprayag, Kotdwin, Nand Prayag, Kam-
prayag and Joshinath, etc., smoke charas. The
greater portion of charas sold by the license vendors
is consumed by the pilgrims coming from different
parts of India to the sacred shrines of Badrinath
and Kedarnath. Mostly by the fakirs. The charas
smoking part of the population of this district,
taken as a whole, will not be perhaps 3 per cent.
21. Ganja is unknown here.