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55. Evidence of MAULAVI ABDUS SAMAD, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector,
Purulia, Manbhum.
1. I have been connected with excise adminis¬
tration since 1887 in my official capacity as
Deputy Collector in the district of Murshidabad,
Arraria subdivision of Purnea district, Satkhira
subdivision of Khulna district, and Khulna dis¬
trict head-quarters and Manbhum district. In
the district of Khulna I was Excise Deputy
Collector and hold the same office in Manbhum.
In the Murshidabad district I used to remain in
charge of the district excise office during the
special Excise Deputy Collector's absence on tours.
In the subdivisions excise was one of the various
departments falling within the ordinary jurisdic¬
tion of the subdivisional officer.
2. Charas.—The resin which exudes from the
flower and leaves of the hemp plant is charas.
Ganja consists of the dried flowers of the female
hemp plant. There are three recognised sorts of
ganja—flat, round and chur. Flat and round
ganja are each manufactured by distinct and
special process, in order to get rid of the leaves and
as much of the stick or twig on which the flower
grows as it may be practicable to dispense with.
The chief difference between flat and round ganja
is that the former contains much more useless
wood and twig than the latter. In flat ganja,
the twigs are almost as large as branches, while
in round they are cut as short as possible. In
the preparation of the round ganja greater mani¬
pulation is used to get rid of the leaf. Round
ganja also has entirely different appearance from
that of flat ganja, owing to the rolling of each
branch in the drying process, giving the flowers
a rounded form. Chur ganja consists of the
broken bits of the flowers which drop off in
making flat and round ganja.
In the Lower Provinces these definitions apply.
No special names for any locality.
3. Bhang plant grows spontaneously in Rajshahi
and Murshidabad, in which districts it is abund¬
ant. Ganja plant is spontaneous in Murshidabad,
though not abundant.
4. Generally called siddhi plant.
5. Wild hemp grows most in alluvial lands
saturated with moisture.
6. Ordinarily dense in a small patch of land
about homesteads.
7. (a) Yes, in Rajshahi.
(c) Yes, in Rajshahi, I am told.
(d) Yes.
8. Not known.
9. None that I have personal knowledge of.
10. Not a special class, but agricultural culti¬
vators.
11 and 12. Not known.
13. (a) Yes, only Rajshahi. (b) Alluvial tracts
with a certain extent of moisture would favour
the growth of hemp plant. (c) Impossible in
high hilly parts of the country.
14. (a), (b) and (c) Yes.
Ganja and bhang in Rajshahi.
15. Have no personal knowledge.
16. (a) No.
(b) Yes.
(c) No.
17. Not known.
18. These drugs deteriorate by keeping, and
quite lose their effect in time. They keep good
about two years. Damp and exposure are the
causes of deterioration. Dry air and heat can
prevent deterioration.
19. Ganja is used also for eating, but very
rarely. Not so charas, which is never eaten.
Ganja with mustard oil is used as medicine for
infants affected with cold and swelling of the
glands, also as a medicine for itches and other
skin diseases.
20. Ganja is smoked generally by the day-
labourers, cartmen, porters, masons, palki-bearers,
sanyasis and jogis, fakirs, up-country darwans or
porters, Rajputs acting as athletes, and Brahmins
who worship Kali. Bhang is taken by up-country
men living in this country generally during the
months of March, April, May and June in the
evening in the form of sherbet. Also by others
having bowel complaints, looseness, etc., etc.
Charas is smoked generally by well-to-do people
among Muhammadans and Hindus (rarely the
latter class) in the district of Murshidabad. I
have known numerous Shiahs of the Nizamat
family and their akrobas given to charas smok¬
ing. In this district members of certain Raj
families are known to be charas smokers.
21. Round ganja is generally perferred for
smoking.
22. In Murshidabad native charas; also Nepal
charas is suspected to be in the use of some mem¬
bers of certain Raj families.
23. Yes; occasionally by people who wish to
induce the habit of ganja smoking in future.
24. Bhang is drunk ordinarily, also eaten with
pan leaves.
25. Use of ganja, as also bhang, is on the in¬
crease. The necessary figures showing consump¬
tion of these two articles in this district during
the last three years are given:—
Ganja.
Siddhi.
Mds. S. Ch. Mds. S. Ch.
1890-91
38 14 6
0 38 12
1891-92
43 19 9
1 23 10
1892-93
43 18 6
1 35 8
There is no licensed shop for sale of charas in
this district, and the consumption of this article
cannot be ascertained. Reasons of increase in the
consumption of ganja seem to be the increase in
the number of the classes of the people who are
ordinarily required by the nature of their occupa¬
tion to use ganja. The names of such classes
have been mentioned above. Also a few given
to liquor-drinking have taken to ganja owing to
its cheapness.
26. As far as this district is concerned, only
very approximate figures can be given as
below:
Ganja.
Bhang.
(a) 60 per cent.
90 per cent.
(b) 20 "
2 "
(c) 15 "
6 "
(d) 5 "
2 "
U 2