130
54. Evidence of BABU HIRA LALL BANERJEE, Brahmin, Deputy Magistrate and
Deputy Collector, Monghyr.
1. Experience gained during the course of my
official career, and personal experience.
3. Bhang or siddhi grows spontaneously in the
district of Monghyr.
5. I have seen bhang grow wildly in the South
Gangetic tract, north of the hilly range in low
fallow soil.
6. Ordinarily scattered.
15. Bhang procurable in the bazaar is cleansed
of dust and the seeds separated. The dry leaves
are soaked in hot water for about an hour or so,
and then dried in the sun. A quantity of this is
then pounded in a stone jar with the following
ingredients by means of a rod of neem or lemon-
wood into a clay-like consistency, and eaten either
in pills, or after being mixed with water or milk
with name of "Bom Mahadeo." The ingredients
are one or more of the following according to the
means and taste of the person who drinks:—
(1) Gol mirich (pepper); (2) sarip (seeds of
cucumber); (3) spices (ilachi); (4) sugar.
32. Bhang is consumed by the Hindu people
of Lower Bengal (Bengalis) on the last day of
the Durga puja to exhilarate the spirits, and to
act as a check against ennui. So far as I am
aware, the practice is not enjoined by the Hindu
religion; but it seems to have got the sanction of
social custom. At shrines of Siva, bhang pounded
into clay and mixed with milk and water is
poured over the lingam.
33. Upper and middle classes of the people
smoking ganja are held in disrepute by their equals.
Amongst the labouring classes of the population
the practice is not held in disrepute, although
their superiors in caste or rank generally would
prefer one who does not smoke ganja as a personal
or household servant. Bhang is rarely drunk to
excess, and, when so, it is not held in disrepute
by any class. Charas is held in disfavour by all
classes of society. Religious mendicants of the
Sivite class freely smoke ganja, and the practice
is not held in disrepute amongst them.
The reasons probably are that the labouring
classes find ganja to be a stimulant, which enables
them to engage in severe manual labour without
feeling fatigue, and to act as a protection against
damp and chill to which at times they are exposed
owing to insufficiency of clothing. Amongst the
upper and middle classes of people, who are
generally of more sedentary habits, ganja has an
injurious effect. The prevalence of the custom of
ganja smoking amongst these two classes is very
rare. Sanyasis or religious mendicants of the
class described above affect to consider ganja as
producing a concentration of mental energies for
purposes of religious meditation; but I think the
almost universal prevalence of the custom amongst
this class is due to the fact that it acts as a protec¬
tion against cold and damp, and softens the
rigours of hunger to which they are habitually
exposed.
Bhang, when moderately drunk, is considered to
aid the digestion.
Charas is looked upon with disfavour more from
a religious point of view, as it is believed that it
is collected on the skin of animals.
35. The labouring classes and religious mendi¬
cants would consider it a serious privation to
forego the consumption of ganja. The prohibi¬
tion of the use of ganja would give rise to consi¬
derable discontent; but I do not think it would
give rise to any political danger. The prohibition
of ganja smoking would certainly be followed
amongst the labouring classes by greater recourse
to alcoholic stimulants, tari or other intoxicating
drugs, e.g., opium. Siddhi is looked upon as a
sedative and a cooling beverage, and people would
be generally sorry to lose it. The use of charas
might be restricted without evoking any such
feeling.
36. Alcohol finds greater favour with the well-
to-do classes of artizans and labourers. Even
amongst some of the more advanced of the middle
classes of Lower Bengal, whose forefathers were
content with a chillum of ganja or a dose of opium,
there are many who, if they can afford the expense,
would take liquor, and imported liquor in special,
as more heroic.
37. Charas is more mild. This and ganja raise
up the energies, and expand the physical faculties.
40. Bhang is prescribed in cases of (1) diarrhœa,
(2) piles, (3) cattle-disease. After a day's hard
work given to a horse, it is not unusual to give it
some siddhi and molasses mixed up together as a
sedative.
42. Moderate use of ganja amongst the culti¬
vating and labouring classes and mendicants is
harmless if sufficient food is available. Bhang
in moderate quantities is supposed to be beneficial.
43. Not offensive.
46. Habitual excessive use of ganja is believed
to produce insanity, especially amongst the seden¬
tary classes of people. Amongst the working
classes it is believed not to produce much evil
effect. But even in cases of excessive use of
ganja amongst the sedentary and upper classes, it
is difficult to say how much the insanity is not due
to other causes, e.g., mental anxiety, brain disease,
etc., superadded to it.
47. Possibly not.
49. The use of these drugs is sometimes resorted
to as an aphrodisiac, but, when so used, it is gen¬
erally believed to bring on impotence.
51. Generally rioters and bad characters are
supposed to be ganja smokers. From the facts
recorded on the subject, it will appear that dacoits
generally smoke ganja before the commission of
the crime, in order to fortify themselves for the
act. Most probably such people were not ex¬
cessive consumers, as they had to act with con¬
siderable deliberation and skill.
53. It is very difficult to connect the premedi-
tation of the crime and the consumption of ganja
as cause and effect. I think the premeditation
is made without it, and the drug is subsequently
resorted to in order to fortify the mind and body.
54. Vide answer to question 51 above.