30
consort, Kali or Durga, a very large quantity of
ganja is consumed. These ceremonies are Siva-
chaturdasi, Chait-sankranti or Sivagajan. These
two religious ceremonies are well known and
require no description.
In this district Pous-sankranti day, i.e., the
last day of the month of Pous, is usually spent by
the people in hunting excursions, and a large
quantity of ganja is consumed on such occasions.
There are also some religious ceremonies in this
district called Ahoratra, which lasts for a day and
night; Chabhisprahar which lasts for 3 days and
3 nights; and Pancharatra which lasts for 5 days
and 5 nights. In these ceremonies large crowds
of Baisnabs assemble and recite vociferously the
names of "Radha Govinda" continuously with-
out any intermission whatever during the time
the ceremony is to continue. They divide them-
selves into parties, and when the energy of one
party is exhausted, its place is taken by another.
In the above ceremonies ganja is consumed rather
excessively.
In the above ceremonies, both social and religi-
ous, the consumption of ganja is not considered
essential.
It sometimes leads to the formation of the habit.
The consumption of bhang is very considerable
on the third or Nabami day of the Durga Puja,
when a cup of bhang is drunk by almost every
Hindu. On the last day of Durga Puja, after the
idols are thrown into the water, it is customary for
the Hindus to see their friends and relatives and
embrace them; and when visitors come, it is
usual for the owner of the house to offer them a
cup of bhang and sweetmeats for tiffin.
33. The consumption of these drugs, especially
that of ganja, is looked down on. A ganja smoker
is generally in bad repute, the reason being pro-
bably that the consumption of it excites low pro-
pensities and makes a man violent in temper.
The hemp plant is not worshipped in this district.
34. The prohibition of the consumption of any of
these drugs by people of all classes who use it will
lead to much privation. They would lose appetite
their food would not be easily digested, and they
would feel a sort of aching sensation all over
their body.
35. It would scarcely be feasible to prohibit the
use of any or all of these drugs. The prohibition
would certainly lead to smuggling and occasion
serious discontent among consumers; but such dis-
content would not amount to political danger in
this district. But the prohibition would be followed
probably by recourse to alcoholic stimulants or
other drugs.
36. No; alcohol is dearer than these drugs, and
is not being substituted for any of them. On the
contrary alcohol is at present, on account of its
dearness, finding a substitute in ganja.
37. Charas is not practised in this district,
except very rarely. It is said, however, that it
produces a very mild effect on the smokers and
induces sleep. On the other hand, ganja-smoking
affects the mind, and excessive indulgence in it
makes a man violent in temper and sometimes
insane.
38. Of three kinds of ganja, flat is not used in
this district. Round and chur produce the same
sort of effect on consumers, the only difference
being that the chur ganja is more powerful and
produces inebriation more rapidly, the reason
being that the fragments which constitute chur
ganja contain more resinous matter.
Questions 39 to 57 have been answered by Dr.
Mukerji as follows:—
39. The drinking of siddhi is the least injurious,
and next to that is smoking charas. The smoking
of siddhi leaves is probably less injurious than
smoking charas. But siddhi-smoking is not in
vogue in this district.
40. Yes, very largely. All parts of the plants,
the roots, the stem, the large leaves, the flowering
tops and resin are all either alone, or mixed with
other things, largely used for various diseases
—gonorrhœa, diarrhœa, asthma, chronic skin
diseases, fresh wounds and sores (to promote gran-
ulation), erysipelas, hydrocele and swelled tubes
tetanus, hydrophohia, cholera, rheumatism, neu-
ralgia, infantile convulsions, delirium tremens.
It is also used as a powerful aphrodisiac, whether
alone or in conjunction with other medicines in the
form of madana modaka, or in that of majum,
which is a much neater preparation.
"With regard to the diseases of cattle, the hemp
plant, particularly its leaves, are used externally
for rheumatism, fresh wounds and sores, and inter-
nally for tetanus and hydrophobia; and the effects
are more salutary in the case of Grassominivorous
animals without any unpleasant after-consequence,
as the intoxicating effect of the drug is less per-
ceivable in them than in the carnivorous group.
41. Yes.
(a) It gives ravenous appetite and enables con-
sumer to digest what he eats.
(b) It does, specially to those who have got to
do continued hard physical work.
It also allevi-
ates fatigue after a long journey, as it is evident
in the cases of palki-bearers, fakirs, who perform
not only long journeys, but also expose themselves
to the trying viscissitudes of weather.
(c) I have also seen it largely used in malarious
districts to counteract exposure to malarious influ-
ences and to evade attacks of fever or malarial
rheumatism and neuralgia. During epidemic or
endemic appearance of cholera it is not only used
as an effective medicine mixed with other things,
but also alone as a prophylactic by those who are
accustomed to it.
Siddhi and the resin are used generally by the
better class of people, and owing to the cheapness
and greater intoxicating power ganja is used by
the commoner people. I consider both of them to
be extremely useful. In long continued chronic
cases of illness its habitual use does more good
than harm.
42. Moderate use even for the sake of pleasure
is harmless. The effects are exhilarating. They
cause cheerfulness, colour to the complexion, excite
imagination into the rapturous ideas, cheer intel-
lect; the common saying goes: siddhi khélé buddhi
baré. The hemp plant is being used from time
immemorial, and in older times it is said even the
gods used it specially before going to war, as it is
called auspicious (bejoya).
43. Yes.
44. The effects are exhilarating and refreshing.
It may produce a slight intoxication, which, how-
ever, passes off quickly. If taken before meals, it,
like tobacco, allays hunger, but also increases
appetite in cases of weak digestion and chronic
diarrhœa; it not only increases appetite, but also
cures or keeps in abeyance diarrhœa. The good
effects may last for some time, but the repeated use
is necessary in many chronic cases. The moderate
use by the habitual leaves little or no unpleasant
after-effects. Some uneasiness or longing is felt