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ganja; those that do are invariably prostitutes.
Ganja smokers always prefer to smoke in company.
Bhang is not much used by females, though some
respectable women, specially Muhammadan, do
take it; children seldom. The same is the case
with charas. Charas and bhangare ordinarily used
in company, though bhang is not unoften taken in
solitude.
31. The habit is formed like drinking habit.
Generally bad company is at the bottom. The
habit can be easily given up and causes no illness
or inconvenience, as in the case of those using
opium.
Bhang and ganja are associated with the religi-
ous rites of the Hindus, as a visit to the temple
of Tarkeshwar would satisfy any one. On the
day the idol Durga is immersed, bhang is con-
sumed, though many people merely dip their
fingers in the bowl and put it on their tongues.
The god Siva must be bathed with milk mixed
with bhang or siddhi. Musalman fakirs consider
it absolutely necessary to use ganja and bhang.
As a matter of fact, most people use these in
moderation. Their use does not injure health,
nor lead to the commission of crimes as dreadful
alcohol does. A ganja smoker and bhang drinker
can more easily give up these than one accustomed
to drink spirits.
33. Charas smoking is called "bhadraloker
nesha" (luxury of the gentleman class). Ganja-
khor is a term of reproach or ridicule. Yet these
people are not socially degraded; on the contrary,
ganja smokers are regarded as simple men who
hate to speak falsehood, and are generally fair in
their dealings with the world. Great songsters
generally have a smoke before music. They con-
sider it necessary to concentrate their energy.
Society in one respect loves ganja and opium
smokers for their drollery. Like Irish bulls,
there are numberless stories regarding these men.
The father of Sir Raja Radhakant Deb and Babu
Durga Charan Mukerji of Bagh Bazar, Calcutta,
used frequently to entertain these people. Durga
Charan is reputed to have spent three lakhs upon
them. The great Hindu god Siva, our first
surgeon and physician, who was the first to
introduce inductive philosophy in the world, was
a ganja smoker; hence ganja is considered a
thing necessary for ascetics. The hemp plant
is not considered sacred.
34. Yes, it will be a serious privation to all
religions men to cultivators, small traders—
in short to all but a few educated men who
have taken to drinking liquor. Siva was a ganja
smoker. Abolish ganja, and I shall not be
responsible for the peace of a hamlet. Hindu
jogis, Muhammadan
fakirs
will
proclaim
throughout the land that the sirkar want to
introduce English beer and Scotch and Irish
whisky by abolishing ganja. The cry of "religion
in danger" will be raised. There will be
discontent and rebellion, in which all sects are
sure to join. Remember that ganja is the only
stimulant of the mass, and sanyasis and fakirs.
Except the higher classes, the rest are given to
use of ganja and siddhi. Of course the use of
opium is far more extensive. In the sepoy
army, ganja, siddhi and opium are extensively
used. After a march these are used.
The
peasant, after hard toil, smokes ganja and
drinks bhang. In Bengal bhang is less used.
But ganja is, par excellence, the only solace of
the poor. You may as well try to abolish the
use of tea in Great Britain.
35. There will be illicit growth as it is now;
High duty has already led to illicit manufacture
of country liquors. The dealers sell these, else
how can a Sonthal get drunk at the expense of
half anna? There will be an increase in the con-
sumption of liquor. Poor people will not be able
to buy "regulation liquor." The police already
shut their eyes to illicit manufacture of liquor.
The evil will be universal. Revenue will suffer;
and we will be a nation of drunkards, instead of
being the most sober people in the world. The
prohibition will be a political danger before which
the greased cartridge agitation was child's play.
Ganja is even now secretly cultivated. This evil
will increase. The Russian Government, with all
their police spies, etc., can't shut out objectionable
literature. It will be insanity to hope that ganja,
siddhi or opium can be abolished altogether. Stop
these, dhatura, kuchila (strychnine), etc., will stand
in their place.
36. No, they use these drugs, and will use them.
Liquor is used as a luxury by those who can afford
the expense. I have seen many people who, to
get rid of opium, began to take liquor; but the
result has been that they use both. Many topers
use opium to avoid the craving for wine. Some
succeed; but the majority get addicted to both,
though a man taking opium cannot drink to excess.
Do not imagine that because a ganja smoker or
opium eater or smoker takes wine he gives up
these drugs. On the contrary, those that can
afford the expense invariably smoke ganja after
finishing their cups. They call this smoking
chabuk (whip).
37. This song will be a good answer—
Ah! what a fine sensation wine creates!
The legs stagger, and methinks I fall.
Ganja smoking makes a man poor.
We get headache by smoking charas.
Red water in the belly makes the body unsteady.
Slip once, and you fall in the ditch.
Then the constables titter, and the Magistrate
sends you to jail.
This is a satire against liquor.
The intoxication in both is almost the same.
Charas sometimes produces headache. The intoxi-
cating sensation comes a little after smoking,
whereas in ganja it is instantaneous. Hence it
is called "turitananda" (the instant pleasure giver).
The great Akbar is said to have used this expres-
sion.
38. No, so far as my enquiries go. I never
used these. But I have marked the effect on
many and made inquiries of them.
39. There is difference in the sensation of drink-
ing bhang and smoking it. The sensation comes
gradually, specially in bhang drinking, whereas
in ganja it is turitananda. This is well-known
throughout the country.
40. Bhang is given to horses and horned cattle
when sick. A preparation of ganja is used by
kabirajes in asthma and some female diseases.
Hakims occasionally use bhang and ganja. Horses
of the best kind are given bhang even in European
houses. Madak is a ball of the size of a big plum.
It has bhang in it. It is a nerve tonic; has digestive
properties. For old people it is highly beneficial.
It is often used as aphrodisiac (kameshwar madak).
As such it is superior to arsenic, strychnine, and
even many preparations of iron. The habit of
eating opium can go by taking these balls. It is
one of the best medicines in our pharmacopœia.
Hakims also use bhang in this way.