301
orders of the people, especially fakirs, both Hindu
and Muhammadan. Both these are very de-
leterious, and injuriously affect the system.
Habitual smokers of ganja and charas lose their
energy and become useless drones. I have even
heard of cases in which the immoderate smoking
of ganja has led to insanity. I think more restric-
tions on the consumption of both these things will
lead to very salutary results.
Bhang is in common use among the people of
Sind. All classes of people, both high and low,
indulge in it ; but most people drink a weak,
watery preparation of it called pango. This is
taken as a cooling drink, and persons subject to
piles take it either with or without some other
medicine. .Bhang is said. to have soothing and
digestive properties. In the case of habitual
thinkers the craving for it is so strong that until
it is satisfied nothing on earth would give them
any pleasure, and they become irritable and even
violent without it. The excessive use of it
weakens the system and emaciates the body.
Bhang is largely grown in Bubak in the
Karachi district and in the Mir's territory, and
in small patches in many parts of Sind.
The
cultivation of it should be confined to particular
localities which may be favourable to its growth,
and its growth elsewhere, even in very small quan-
tities, strictly prohibited.
The rate at which it is sold by licensed retail
vendors should be uniform, and should be fixed
by Government, and not left to the option of the
vendors as at present, as the practice of selling it
at different rates to different persons results in
discontent.
The privilege of possessing bhang up to half a
seer by any one person is very often abused; for
instance, a person going to a fair and finding that
bhang can be had there at a cheaper rate than in
his own village buys two seers of it, and as he
cannot carry more than half a seer, he induces his
three companions to carry half a seer each for
him as far as his village, and thus he successfully
evades the law. The rules as regards possessing
and carrying bhang should be so modified as to
preclude the possibility of abusing this privilege.
I agree in the opinions expressed in the above.
PRIBDHDAS SHEWAKRAM ADVANI,
Secretary, Band of Hope, Hyderabad; Sind,
30. Evidence of TIRITHDAS HASRAJMAL, Member of the firm of Denmal Sachanond,
Karachi.
19. So far as I know, ganja and charas are often
smoked by fakirs, nangas in Wallas and. by roam-
ing fakirs and. other low class Mussalmans and
Hindus,
20. Sudras, low class people, Suthrias or fakirs,
and wandering fakirs, and Mussalmans smoke ganja
and charas in otaras and three-fourths of Hindu
awaghars and jogis smoke them.
21. Round ganja is preferred.
22. Foreign charas in used.
It is imported
from Amritsar, Yarkand, Ladak and Bokhara,
23. In my experience bhang is smoked only
when charas or ganja cannot be had, and. then it is
smoked with tobacco.
24. Half Hindus and Mussalmans drink bhang.
If the habitual drinkers cannot get bhang pounded
and sifted, they eat it raw and drink water after
it. Often low class Mussalmans in otaras and illi-
terate Hindu fakirs in tikanas do this.
25. The use of bhang, charas and. ganja is in-
creasing.
26. (a) Bhang, 25 per cent.
Ganja 7 per cent.
Charas, 5 per cent.
(b) Bhang 5 per cent.
Charas, 2 or 3 per cent.
Ganja, 3 or 4 per cent.
(c) Bhang, 10 per cent.
Charas and ganja, 1 or 2 per cent.
(d) Bhang, 5 per cent.
Charas or ganja, 1 or 2 per cent.
27. Sowcars, merchants and retail shop-keepers
and pensioners use bhang in moderation.
Wandering fakirs and low class men use bhang,
charas and ganja in excess.
28. (a) Bhang drinkers—i of an anna, s of
tola.
Ganja-1/4 of a tola, 6 pies.
Charm—1/6 of a tola, 1 anna.
(b) Bhang-1/8 of a seer, cost 2 annas 6 pies.
Ganja-2 tolas, 4 annas.
Charas--1 tola, 6 annas.
29. Ganja and charas is smoked. along with
tobacco. Bhang is mixed with the following in-
gredients and. drunk as a cooling mixture :—(1)
poppy seeds, (2) cardamons (3) aniseed, (4)
coriander, (5) succory, (6) dried rose leaves, (7)
pepper, (8) melon seeds, (9) sugarcandy, (10) al-
monds, (11) nutmegs. (a) To make it cooling the
following are added :—(1) poppy seeds, (2)
aniseed, (3) coriander (4) pepper and (5) melon
seeds. (b) To make it strong the following are
mixed with it :—(1) cardamom, (2) coriander, (3)
succory, (4) dried rose leaves, (5) sugarcandy, (6)
milk (7) almonds, (8) nutmegs. Dhatura is mixed
with bhang with the object to bringing on stupe-
faction, so that the victim may be easily robbed.
30. Bhang is drunk by the male sex mixed with
other ingredients. But it is often drunk by women
and children in the hot weather in towns and vil-
lages as a cooling beverage, and it is customary
both in towns and villages to keep vessels full of
bhang to be distributed in charity. Bhang and
charas and ganja are used by people in larger
quantities when in company than when alone.
31. The habit of drinking bhang is easily form-
ed and is easily broken off. The moderate use of
it does not lead to a habit. Excessive consumers
will find it difficult to break off the habit quickly.
32. Low class men look upon the use of bhang as
a necessity and a custom. In Karachi Hindu Sirais
prepare the bhang drink on marriage occasions and
distribute it along with sweetmeats.
33. It is considered as a religious custom. On
Shivaratri (i.e., Shiva's night) bhang is made into
a drink and. first offered to the Linga, and then dis
tributed to all those who visit the god. The hemp
plant is called Shiva's plant, and it is not considered.
injurious to use bhang moderately. Of course,
habitual excessive consumers will fall into excess.