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61. Evidence of CHANDI PERSHAD, Brahmin, Malguzar, and President, Municipal
Committee, Chanda.
1. Have constantly mixed socially with con
-sumers of the drug.
2. I accept these definitions save with regard to
bhang. The t erm ' bhang' i s, I bel i eve, used i n
a different sense in the North-Western Provinces,
but in these parts it is applied to the refuse of
ganja.
3. It grows spontaneously in the neighbourhood
of Dehra Dun, not in these provinces.
4. It is known as 'jungli ganja.'
6. Sometimes dense and sometimes scattered.
7. In the Nimar district only.
9. It is sown in July and requires somewhat
sandy soil, such as would be suitable for kharif
crops.
11. No.
12. This may happen occasionally, but not to any
large extent. Ganja was formerly cultivated in
this district, though not very largely, but its
cultivation has been forbidden for the last twenty
to twenty-five years.
14. Ganja is prepared, and also bhang in the
sense in which the term is used here (see question
2 above).
16. (a ) No.
( b) and (c) Ganja for administration to animals,
but not for human use, is obtained from the wild
plant.
18. Ganja keeps good about two years. After
that it loses its strength. It should be kept from
damp, and if allowed to get damp may be spoilt
in two months.
19. Ganja is also used as a medicine, and is
occasionally eaten in lieu of bhang.
20. Charas is not used in these parts.
21. Only one kind, the flat, is used in these
parts.
23. Not in this district.
24. The bhang of this district is eaten to some
extent by Brahmins, Chattris, Marwaris, and Jats
(from the North-Western Provinces). Low-caste
people do not much use it.
25. The sale of ganja in this district is increas
-ing. The reason is, I think, that the retail vend
-ors outside Chanda itself get their licenses cheap,
and so are able to sell the drug cheap.
26. Occasional consumers are rare. I should
say 10 per cent. only. If men take it at all, they
generally take it habitually; and if they take it
habitually, they generally from time to time take
it in excess. But constantly excessive consumers
are rare.
27. Musalmans, fakirs, gosains, bairagis, Nais,
Barhais, and Gohars, a few Dakhani Brahmins
and Chattris, and Banias, all these are habitual
consumers. Excessive consumers are generally
bairagis and gosains. The company of smokers is
a great cause of the habit being adopted thoug
h t h e r e a r e a l s o o t h e r c a u s e s , w h i c h w i l l b e n o t e d
below.
28. (a) Two or three annas' worth a day, or
even four annas' worth.
(b) Six annas' worth a day.
29. Nothing is mixed with ganja, but dhatura
is commonly mixed with bhang.
Ye s I know ' bha ng ma s s a l a , ' but i t i s not s ol d
in this district. People make it for themselves.
Its ingredients are rose-flowers, poppy seeds
,
black pepper, carraway seeds, kasni, cucumber
seeds, milk and sugar, and almonds,
'Majum' is made of ghee, sugar, and bhang.
30. Bhang is generally eaten in solitude, but
ganja is smoked in company. Their consumption
is generally confined to the male sex. It is gene
-rally begun in youth, but once begun is continued
to old age. Children do not consume either ganja
or bhang.
31. The habit is easily formed, and with diffi
-culty broken off. The habit of eating bhang is
not so difficult to break with, but that of smoking
ganja is much more so, not more than 5 per cent.
of smokers give up the habit. There is a ten
-dency for the moderate habit to develop into the
excessive.
32. There is no social or religious obligations to
take these drugs even amongst bairagis and go
-sains. Bhang is sometimes spoken of as 'Maha
-deo's leaves,' but there is nothing in the Shastras
to that effect.
33. (a) and (b) It is considered disreputable,
because it produces intoxication, and impairs the
intellect, but there is no religious prohibition of
its use.
(c) No.
34. Ganja smoking is a thing which is done
daily, and fore-going it would be a serious priva
-tion to those accustomed to it. This is not so
much the case with eating bhang, which is a more
occasional thing. Some 5 per cent. of the total
population of this district are, I should say, ganja
smokers, and some 3 per cent. bhang eaters.
35. (a ) Bhang eating might be forbidden, but
not ganja smoking.
(b) Yes, where British territory adjoins Native
States.
(c) The best means of prohibition would be by
gradually raising the price.
(d) The prohibition would occasion discontent
amongst habitual consumers.
(e) There would be some danger from this dis
-content, but not much.
(f) Consumers of ganja and bhang, if cut off
from them, would not take to liquor or opium.
36. No.
39. Ganja smoking is more injurious than
bhang eating.
40. (a) Yes, both ganja and bhang are used by
native doctors.
(b) Yes, bhang, but not ganja.
41. (a) Eating bhang is good for the digestion,
but not ganja smoking.
(b) Eating bhang is also good in the way of
giving staying-power and alleviating fatigue, but
not ganja smoking.
(c) Neither eating bhang nor smoking ganja
is of any use as a febrifuge.
Under (a) and (b) moderate eating is under-
stood
No other beneficial effect is obtained from the
practice.
42. Habitual eating of bhang is harmless, if
not beneficial, but ganja smoking is always more
or less harmful.
43. Yes.