125
3rd, the Chiefs of the Tributary States are to be
induced to reorganise their Excise Estab¬
lishment (at present miserably kept), to
restrict the indiscriminate cultivation of
the plant, and to prohibit sales except under
certain conditions. I am generally unwill¬
ing to make any suggestions about inter¬
fering with the liberty of action allowed
to the Gurjat chiefs. But on moral
grounds, for the benefit of their own people
at least they might do so. Failing that,
they may be persuaded to make over the
Excise Administration in their territories
to British Government, in consideration
of annual grants. In Bombay Presidency
this has been done and with apparent
success.
5. I have no doubt that these arrangements,
modified according to circumstances, will, in the
long run, prove successful in Orissa. The
changes, however, should be gradual; and the ill-
success of a year or two's experiments should not
discourage.
Oral evidence.
Question 1.—I have been eight and a half years
in Government service. I have been Deputy
Collector since 1886. When I was at Puri in
charge of excise I made excursions into the
Tributary State of Ranpur to enquire into the
transport of outstill liquor and ganja. I went a
short distance over the border for two or three
days at a time and once to the head-quarters of
the State.
Question 3.—When I went into the Ranpur
State it was the end of November, and the ganja
plants, many of which I saw, were about to flower.
At that time the export of ganja into Orissa was
prohibited.
Question 8.—The prohibition of cultivation in
the Tributary States was by order of the Superin¬
tendent of Tributary Mahals. I know it was
prohibited in Ranpur, but cannot speak with
certainty of other States. Ranpur was not under
the Court of Wards then, i.e., in the year 1889.
Question 25.—I cannot say whether the actual
quantity of ganja consumed is increasing. My
answer only makes a comparison between the use
of bhang and ganja. It is difficult to say if the
total quantity of bhang and ganja consumed is
increasing or decreasing, but my impression is
that it is decreasing. This does not apply to the
Balasore district, of which I have no knowledge,
but to Puri and Cuttack only.
Question 45.—In Puri both Gurjat and Raj-
shahi ganja are consumed, but among the Panda
class the Gurjat ganja is much more largely used
in the shape of bhang, which is made of patti with
a few ganja heads put in and drunk with species.
The drug is only eaten occasionally, an
generally as medicine. The bairagies, vaishnavas,
ascetics, bearers, and many others smoke ganja.
I have constantly been coming across people
who drink bhang or smoke ganja. Palki-bearers
smoke ganja, and work the better for it. The
ascetics who visit Jagannath also smoke ganja,
and appear to be rendered insensible to heat and
cold thereby. I have never seen any consequences
of taking the drug in crime, though the moral
senses seemed to be impaired in some cases.
Question 70.—The Gurjat ganja was largely
smuggled both from the Tributary States and the
Madras frontier. I have recollection of a case in
which the drug was smuggled between the two
coverings of a native umbrella. The contrivances
for smuggling are various. Smuggled ganja is
not sold openly in the town, but distributed
secretly among the consumers. The license fees
for vend of gunja have nevertheless been increas¬
ing in the town of Puri.
53. Evidence of BABU NAVAKUMAR CHAKRAVARTI, Brahmin, Deputy Magis¬
trate and Deputy Collector, Jangipur, Murshidabad.
1. I was manager of a private estate in Goalpara,
and had to mix constantly with the people, speci¬
ally the aboriginal tribes. I was head clerk with
the Excise Commission of 1883, and as such visited
the following districts with the Commission:—
Gaya, Patna, Shahabad, Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur,
Monghyr, Malda, and Darjeeling. I was Excise
Deputy Collector in Bhagalpur from September
1885 to August 1891, and had to move constantly
in the interior of that district. I had also to visit
Monghyr on excise purposes, and had occasion to
move in that district while in charge of excise in
Bhagalpur. I am in charge of Jangipur sub-divi¬
sion in Murshidabad since September 1891. In
the above capacities I had opportunities to see and
learn the excise matters of the country. In an¬
swering the questions I shall confine myself chiefly
to my experience in Bhagalpur.
2. The definitions are correct, save that the class
of ganja called "round" consists of two sub-
classes:—
(a) when branches smaller than those in
"flat" kind are cut off and the flower
tops are flattened;
(b) when the mere flower-tops without any
portion of branch are rolled as described
by Dr. Prain.
In sub-class (a) the branches are from eight to
twelve inches long, and this class of " round " is in
use in Bhagalpur.
Sub-class (b) is not liked at all by the smokers
there, as they say that it turns their head and
makes them feel giddy.
3. Bhang grows spontaneously in Bhagalpur
and Monghyr. It is also abundant in these two
districts, which chiefly export to Calcutta. Bhang
grows spontaneously in almost all the districts I
have seen, but it is very limited in such places.
5. In Bhagalpur the most luxuriant growth or
bhang is in the North Gangetic tract, where the
climate is somewhat damp, like that in Lower
Bengal, and the soil is sandy. The places inun¬
dated by the Kosi and the Ganges grow abundant
and splendid plants. I have no knowledge on the
effect of rainfall for its growth.
6. As dense as an excellent mustard crop. In
places where the soil is less sandy, the density
diminishes.
7. Bhang plants are not cultivated. Ganja is
cultivated in Naogaon in Rajshahi.
10. Ordinary agricultural cultivators collect the
bhang leaves.
14. Bhang is prepared in Bhagalpur and Mon¬
ghyr.
In Bhagalpur it is annually collected from three
to five hundred maunds, in Thana Bihipur and
Kisanganj.
15. The wild grown bhang plants are cut and
spread in the sun. The leaves are separated and