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milk. The latter is then turned into curds, and
this when ready is churned like ordinary curds
to take out butter and make ghi (clarified butter)
out of it, Then chasni (syrup) of sugar or sugar-
candy is prepared, chasni being the Gujarati name
for sugar boiled in preparation for conserves or
sweetmeats. The ghi prepared as above is then
thrown into it, and along with it all the spices used
in preparing the yakuti of ganja as mentioned
above are added. This when allowed to cool down
and cut into square or irregular pieces is the
majum of bhang.
30. The use of all these three drugs is the
result of company, and it always takes place in
company, It is hardly practised in solitude,
except in the case of sadhus and other people who
are habitual excessive consumers ; but in their
case also now and then a company of smokers
gathers together. In Gujarat I know of no
females who use ganja or charas in any form.
Charas being hardly in use here, it is only ganja
which is also totally confined to the male sex. It
is above the age of fifteen that among common
people ganja smokers are to be found. Among
sadhus, young men below this age might be found
smoking ganja. Female sadhus and bairagis
sometimes smoke gauja. Bhang as a drink is
sometimes given to children above seven when in
company of their male relations or friends. But
that is rare and in very small quantity. Female
sometimes take bhang as a drink during the hot
season when offered by their male relations, but
seldom of their own accord. The majam of bhang
is sometimes used by uncared for or vagabond
children above the age of ten, and perhaps by
females; but that is very rare, Except the use of
bhang before dinner parties and in the hot
season, and by sanyasis, zaveris, shastris, and a few
habitual consumers, the use of the other two drugs
cannot be said to be prevalent in Gujarat to a
considerable extent, except among the sadhus, etc.,
at centres of pilgrimages, and in their places and
resorts wherever they be.
31. The habit of using bhang as a drink is not
difficult to be formed. The drink preparation
being delicious is liked, and may very soon grow
into a habit. But the use of it for a day or two
does not dispose a person to have it the next day.
A long use of it does form the habit. Intoxicants
when once formed into a habit are always
difficult to break off, because when once habituated
the person feels a sense of depression without the
particular intoxicant used by him. But the diffi-
culty does, indeed, differ in degree. Opium, for
instance, is very difficult to leave off. Charas
might come next, then ganja, and then bhang.
The latter, however, can be left off when the habit
is moderate without any great sense of depression.
With a little more effort ganja can also be left
off.
Yes ; all these drugs when once habitually
used in a moderate degree develop the habit ; and
when they are assimilated with the system, the
person habituated must increase the dose in order
to have the same amount of intoxication.
32. It is not customary in Gujarat to supply
any of these drugs at the two important occasions
of life, marriage and death, when friends and
relatives assemble together. As said above, some-
times in marriage feasts some friends meet to-
gether and prepare the bhang drink ; but that is
hardly supplied by the host, Being taken by a
select company, it is never excessive, but always
temperate, But these are not the occasions when
the use of Chang as a drink ever develops into a
habit.
On the great Hindu holiday of. Shivaratri,
the followers of Shiva consider it to be an act
of great merit to prepare the bhang drink and
pour it over the Shiv Ling (the idol of Shiva),
and then it is considered allowable and meritorious
to drink it. Bhang taken as a drink is never
injurious to the health if it is moderately used.
To habitual moderate or excessive consumers of it
it causes flatulency, but it is considered to be
strengthening the semen virile.
33. Among the three higher classes—Brahmins,
Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas of Gujarat—the use of
ganja (and much more so of charas) is always looked
down upon, and never favourably considered.
The person using it is looked upon as vagabond
and a scamp, and it is considered as a serious blot
on his reputation. The majority of all the three
classes heartily hate the use of ganja. Conse-
quently, when any one belonging to these three
classes smokes or otherwise uses ganja, he has to
do it in secret, and is ashamed of it in public.
Such is the public o p inion on this side against
the use of ganja ; but if one openly smokes it, he
does not thereby lose his caste, as in the case of
liquor or wine drinking.
Among the agricultural classes also ganja
smoking is to be found to a small degree only.
On this side, even among the Sudras, ganja
smoking is so unfavourably looked upon that one
from that class also would consider it low breeding
to use it in public. The use of ganja for smok-
ing and other purposes is in disrepute in Gujarat,
because it is, firstly, a stronger intoxicant than
bhang, and all sorts of intoxicants are disallowed
and looked down upon by the higher and healthy
public opinion of the province; and, secondly,
because smoking of anything in any form is
always in disrepute with the Hindus. Among
the sadhus, bairagis, etc., ganja smoking is
openly practised for the beneficial effects which
it produces, and which are congenial to the con-
ditions of their order of life.
So far as I am aware of, the hemp plant is
never worshipped by any class of people in
Gujarat.
The use of bhang as a drink is never unfavour-
ably regarded by the public, except where the
habit is excessive. Bhaug is generally in favour
with the general public.
34. The use of bhang as a drink would not at
all be difficult to leave off, it being a mild intoxi-
cant. Only to the habitual excessive consumer it
would require some exertion and strength of mind
to overcome the habit. Ganja and charas being
stronger intoxicants would require proportionately
still greater exertion to leave off their use. But
none of the three are, like opium, quite difficult
to leave off, and none would involve serious priva-
tion to forego their use so far as the consumer is
not a sadhu, bairagi, etc.
Almost all sadhus, bairagis, etc., use ganja
for smoking purposes, and with them it would be
a serious thing to forego its use; because beings
poor and always travelling, and living in open air
without any warm clothing or any clothing to
allay the effects of heat and cold, the conditions
of their habit of life necessitate its use.
Bhang drinkers during the hot season form a
considerable number, about 15 or 20 per cent.,
in Gujarat. In Northern India and at places
such as Mathura, Benares, etc., its use is of course
very great, Those who in Gujarat use it occa-