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District a mela is held; it is known as Nangal-
band Astami Snan mela. People bathe in the
Brahmaputra river on that day. Bairagis and
Sanyasis meet and people offer them ganja to do
them honour and to have benedictions pronounced
upon them.
(3) Among the bairagis in Baul mela and
mahatsub, the bairagis are received with chillums
full of ganja.
(4) People visiting Akras (monasteries of Baish-
navas) are given ganja for smoking. For con¬
centration of thought sanyasis and bairagis smoke
ganja. It is said thoughts are directed strongly
to one direction.
Religious.—(1) In invoking Mahadeb, ganja is
offered to the god. Ganja is offered to god Siva
on the occasion of Sivaratri at Tarakeswar. It is
popularly believed that it pleases the god Siva
more than anything else. Ganja is considered to
represent the locks of hair of the god of gods—
Siva.
(2) People, especially females, sometimes offer
ganja to sanyasis to please them, and in order to
have benedictions pronounced by them regarding
fulfilment of desires. When a dear relative is suf¬
fering from a serious malady, it is sometimes
offered to sanyasis for his recovery.
(3) Trinath Puja.—The puja is observed at all
times and in all seasons by both Hindus and
Muhammadans (who call it "Tin lakh Pir").
When an object specially desired is fulfilled, or
when a person suffering from a serious illness
recovers, and on occasions of marriage and other
ceremonies, and at the birth of a son, Trinath is
worshipped. Ganja forms an essential part of the
puja. Originally one pice worth ganja, one
pice worth oil, and one pice worth betelnuts were
required for the puja. But now 3, 5, 7, 9, 101,
108 pice worth of ganja is offered to god Trinath,
and they are filled in 3 to 108 chillums and smok¬
ed. Generally three pice worth of ganja is offered.
Three new chillums are filled and offered to god
Trinath. Then a lamp is lighted, and a book
containing the praise and describing the exploits
of Trinath is read (I have got the book with me).
Fire is put on the chillums of ganja and kept for
some time. The first chillum is taken by the priest,
who pulls first and passes it on to the next man;
who after pulling passes it on to the next man,
and so on. The second and third chillums are
gradually taken and treated in the same manner.
Pan, betelnut, and sweets are also offered to the
god, and they are afterwards distributed among
the persons present. All the persons present must
each take the chillum, and bow to it. Those who
are accustomed to ganja smoking give a hard pull;
those that are unaccustomed to its use hold the
chillum and give a gentle pull, and pass it on to
the next man. The ganja smoking is confined
to the male sex; sometimes old Baishnavis attend
the ceremony, and they smoke the ganja. When
the reading of the book is finished, the sweets are
distributed. As long as the light burns, no one
leaves the place of worship. These are called
"Mauasik Puja," or puja for fulfilment of desires.
(b) Ganja offering and smoking forms an essen¬
tial part of the puja ceremony.
(c) It is temperate.
(d) Quite possible. But generally those that
smoke attend the puja ceremony. It is therefore
not likely to lead to injurious results.
Charas.—There is no social or religious cus¬
tom in regard to the consumption of charas.
33. Ganja.—The consumption of ganja is not
very favourably regarded by the people, and in
the case of excessive consumers it almost amounts
to contempt. They are generally called "ganja
khor" or "bhang khor" for the fact of their being
of a hot temper. No custom of worshipping the
hemp plant obtains in the Dacca and Mymen-
singh Districts.
Social feeling.—Ganja-smokers are looked down
upon by the educated people; but in the case of
sanyasis, bairagis, and on religious ceremonies it
not so regarded. The uneducated people have
little sentiment against ganja-smokers. On the
other hand, they have great respect for sanyasis,
bairagis, and ramaits. Those that can smoke a
larger quantity of ganja are more respected.
They are considered chosen men of god, possessing
supernatural powers of healing, soothsaying, etc.
Rich and influential people smoking ganja are not
looked down upon.
Religious feeling.—(1) Sanyasis, mahantas, and
religious preceptors (mantra-data gurus) are
respected. The feeling is strong in their favour.
Ganja is offered to sanyasis even by respectable
people. When the sanyasi accepts the offer and
smokes, people consider it as if they are per¬
forming a pious act.
(2) In Trinath Mela and Siva Chaturdashi at
Tarakeswar respectable Hindus offer ganja to the
god Siva. There is no public feeling against the
use of ganja in religious ceremonies.
Educated people and people of the higher and
middle classes in this country treat the ganja-
smokers with feelings of disrespect, and call them
"ganja khor," "bhangi," "ganjari," etc., because
it is popularly believed that ganja-smokers exag¬
gerate a thing (" ganja khuri katha"), and people
do not put much reliance on their statements.
The educated people consider them worthless, and
look down upon them because they smoke a cheap
intoxicant, and because generally poor people
smoke it. The well-to-do bhadralok consider it an
intoxicant for the poor and illiterate men.
Bhadralok smoking with poor, low class people are
considered degraded.
Ganja is the poor man's narcotic. He won't
work without ganja when he feels a craving for it.
He becomes idle and obstinate without ganja.
The bhadralok employers sometimes suffer on ac¬
count of their obstinacy, and they are therefore
disgusted with their employés.
Bhang.—(1) Bhang is not looked down upon.
No opinion against bhang-drinking. There is
public opinion in favour of bhang. It is used by
almost every Hindu on the Bijoya Dasami, Durga,
Lakshmi, and Saraswati Pujas. The public opinion
is not against the use of bhang on social and reli¬
gions occasions. All Hindu ganja-smokers and
bhang-drinkers dedicate the ganja or bhang to god
Siva—"Bom Siva"—before smoking or drinking.