25
17. Evidence of MR. C. G. DODGSON, Assistant Magistrate and Collector, Khandesh.
1. I have had few opportunities, hemp drugs
being used to a slight extent only in Khandesh.
I have lately, however, i.e., since the receipt of
these questions, been making enquiries from
persons likely to be acquainted with the matter,
viz., consumers, sellers, and Abkari Inspectors.
I have also obtained information from the Civil
Surgeon of Dhulia. My answers are chiefly the
result of information derived from others rather
than the results of my own observation.
2. There is no charas in Khandesh. Flat
ganja and bhang are used here.
These definitions may be accepted for flat ganja
and bhang. Ganja and bhang are the names
given to these products in Khandesh.
3. A few, but very few, hemp plants grow spon
-
taneously in the Dangs, which are under the
Khandesh Political Agency. I know of no dis
-
tricts in which they are abundant.
5 . I a m u n a b l e t o s a y .
6. In the Dangs the growth is scattered, there
being hardly any plants at all.
7. Hemp plants are cultivated in the Jalgaon
taluka of Khandesh, for the production of ganja
and for use as bhang; they are not cultivated for
the production of charas or for the sake of the
fibre or seed. The cultivation is only carried on
to a small extent.
9. I have no knowledge on this subject, never
having seen the plant.
10. They do not form a special class. They are
of the same classes as other agricultural culti
-
vators.
12. No ; this is not the case here.
13.The cultivation of the hemp plant for
ganja is not restricted to any particular part of
Khandesh, although it so happens that cultiva
-
tion only takes place in one taluka, viz., Jalgaon.
14. Ganja and bhang are prepared in the
Jalgaon taluka, but to a small extent only.
18. Ganja and bhang both deteriorate by keep
-
ing. Both will keep fairly good for about two or
three years. There appears to be no means of
preventing rapid deterioration after about three
years. Deterioration, however, begins to set in
after one year.
19. Ganja is used only for smoking; it is
smoked out of a chillum together with tobacco,
the tobacco being put on the top.
20. Ganja smoking is not confined to any parti
-
cular class, although fakirs and gosains smoke
more than any other class. Bhils smoke a little,
but not much. There appears to be no difference
between Hindus and Musalmans as regards the
extent to which ganja is smoked. Ganja smok
-
i n g i s n o t c o n f i n e d t o a n y p a r t i c u l a r p a r t o f t h e
district.
21. Flat ganja is the only form of ganja used
in Khandesh.
22. To the best of my belief no charas is used
here.
23. Yes, occasionally, but very seldom. Per
-
sons addicted to the habit of smoking ganja will,
if ganja is not procurable, smoke bhang. Bhang,
when smoked, is smoked without tobacco being
mixed in it. It is smoked in the form of a cigar
-
ette, or native "bidi"
vol. vii.
24. Bhang is seldom eaten ; it is generally
drunk. Fakirs, bairagis, and gosains both eat and
drink it more than other classes do. Other Mussal
-
mans occasionally, but rarely, eat it, fried with
meat. The practice is not confined to any parti
-
cular locality.
25. As far as I have been able to ascertain, the
use is much the same as hitherto. There appears
to be no increase or decrease.
27. The broad distinction between the use of
ganja and bhang is that the former is chiefly con
-
fined to the poorer and lower classes of society.
Fakirs, bairagis, and gosains may be classed as
habitual consumers; the majority of them are
habitual excessive consumers. Want of regular
employment, want of settled homes, want of
regular food are the principal causes which lead
to the use of the drugs.
28. ( a ) From half to two tolas, i.e., six pies to
two annas per diem for ganja.
(b) About six tolas, i.e., six annas or more per
diem for ganja.
I do not refer to bhang, as bhang is used here
to a much less extent than ganja, and I have little
knowledge about it.
29. With ganja, tobacco is ordinarily mixed
with a view to softening the effect. With bhang,
pepper and sugar are ordinarily mixed. With
ganja, dhatura is exceptionally mixed with a view
to increasing the intoxicating effect. Persons
who have been accustomed to the use of charas or
opium are said to mix dhatura with their ganja.
From bhang, three other preparations are made,
viz., akhoti, majum, and gota. Akhoti is made by
mixing one part of butter with two parts of
bhang, adding a quantity of water and boiling the
whole for several days. The result is a pink flat
product, not unlike cocoanut rock to look at.
Majum is made by mixing bhang and white
sugar and boiling them in water. The result
looks like chocolate. Gota is made by mixing
bhang with almonds, black pepper, aniseed, milk,
sugar and other spices. I know of no special
preparation which is sold ready made for the pur
-
pose of being mixed with these drugs, but the
use of gota is not uncommon; gota is prepared
by the purchasers of the bhang.
30. Among the upper classes, such as Brahmins,
these drugs, when consumed at all, are generally
consumed in solitude. The largest class of con
-
sumers, however, i.e., fakirs, gosains, etc., gen
-
erally consume them in company. Ganja is
more likely to be consumed in solitude than
b h a n g . T h e u s e i s c h i e f l y c o n f i n e d t o t h e m a l e
sex and to men well on in years. Women, how
-
ever, at times take akhoti. Old men take akhoti
and majum. Children seldom, if ever, smoke
ganja; they frequently take bhang in the form
of gota.
31. The habit appears to he easily formed and
to be difficult to break off. There is a tendency
for the moderate habit to develop into the exces
-
sive. The habit of taking ganja is more easily
formed than that of taking bhang.
32. The practice of drinking bhang in the form
of gota is fairly common in the hot season. The
drink is said to be refreshing and to have a cooling
effect.
33. There is little opinion one way or another
among the public concerning the use of these