264
ganja and charas when they are not able to pro-
cure either of the latter drugs. The leaves are
washed thrice, then wrapped up in a wet cloth and
baked in hot ashes. The leaves so prepared are
mixed with tobacco and smoked. The residue of
the bhang used for drinking, the ground hemp
(bhang) called "jog" (locally) is smoked in
place of ganja or charas.
B.—Bhang is eaten also; and it is done in two
ways—
(a) the leaves are wetted, dried, and then
pounded. When, ready, the quantity
so prepared is mixed with a varying
quantity of sugar, and doses are swal-
lowed with water.
(b) In the shape of majum, prepared from the
bhang oil.
C.—Bhang leaves used for drinking are
thrashed after reaping, dried and washed thrice
before grounding and admixture of essence with
water.
16. The question is not very plain; but by
preparation I understand preparation immediately
before drinking, which is done by people at home.
But if preparation refer to the earlier stage of the
article's collection, then the process is gone
through in the field.
17. The cultivators themselves prepare the
bhang by thrashing, as detailed under question 9.
18. Yes. Time affects both its effect and
flavour. Bhang does not keep beyond two
years.
19. For smoking only, so far as my information
goes.
20. Ganja is smoked by nearly the whole or
the greater majority of the mendicants and clerical
classes and the labouring classes (particularly the
Muhammadan labourers in large towns), by the
Katchis, Bhils and Pardesis.
The Muhammadan labourers of large cities in
Sind are said to delight more in smoking charas
than ganja.
21. Round ganja.
22. Foreign. Please vide answer to question 2,
paragraphs 2 and 3.
23. Bhang is used for smoking sometimes along
with tobacco. Please see answer to question
No. 15.
24. Bhang is drunk almost all over the pro-
vince by Hindus and Muhammadans.
25. The use of all three drugs would appear to
be on the increase, as the Karachi Government
farmer informs me. Association with people
habituated to the use of the drugs is said to be
the cause of the increase in the use.
27. Hindu merchants and traders, including
shop-keepers and elderly retired Government
servants and Muhammadans of the artisan class,
are habitual moderate consumers of bhang.
People belonging to the mendicant and clerica
l o r d e r s ( H i n d u s a n d M u h a m m a d a n s ) a r e g e n e r a l l y
habitual excessive consumers.
29. Ganja and charas are mixed with tobacco
for the purpose of smoking. Bhang is ordinarily
drunk unmixed; but to serve as a cooling drink it
i s m i x e d w i t h t h e f o l l o w i n g i n g r e d i e n t s : — K a s k h a s ,
souf, dhana, black pepper, gidra seed, badrung
seed, and rose buds.
For the purpose of lust, the above plus the
following :—
Elachi, kasni, badamis, saffron, milk and sugar
-candy.
30. Bhang is in the main drunk by the male
sex; but women, too, in the hotter parts of the
district have taken to the drinking of bhang as a
cooling draught. It is not unusual now for
children in Karachi town to drink bhang during
the chalhio or autumn, when it is publicly placed
out in large earthen pitchers and offered for drink
to whosoever asks for it by people who think it
a charitable act to do so.
31. The habit of drinking bhang is easily
formed. It can be broken off as easily. The
moderate habit does not often fail to develop into
the excessive.
32. For one kind of social custom which
prompts people to encourage the drinking of
bhang, please see the concluding portion of reply
to question No 30.
In Karachi, among the serai Hindu mahajuns,
and the Hyderabad mahajuns, it is customary to
offer bhang with one kind of sweetmeat when the
panchayet is called to arrange for and permit the
distribution of what is called "bhaji," present to
each individual member, in connection with the
celebration of marriage. Religious.— On Shivaratri
day it is considered religious to pour over the
Shiva's image a little bhang water, and it is
considered desirable to drink a little bhang also,
the bhang being called Shiva's buti or plant.
On such occasions, religious or social, the use
is generally temperate and is not calculated to
the formation of habit or prove injurious. Of
course habitual excessive drunkards will indulge
more largely.
33. As regards the use of bhang, opinion varies.
Some consider the moderate use of bhang as
beneficial; others discourage it altogether. The
use of ganja and charas are generally regarded as
very injurious to health as inducing languor and
lassitude when intoxication ceases. Please see
further reply No. 45.
34. The users of bhang will consider it a great
hardship to be deprived of the facilities for its
use.
Many consider it a necessary cooling drink and as
conducive to digestion and encouraging appetite.
35. I think it will not be easy to stop the use of
bhang. Forcible prohibition will cause serious
discontent. Under a weak Government it might
be fraught with political danger. Bhang con-
sumers are not likely to take to alcoholic stimul-
ants. On the contrary, it might be said that the
use of alcohol has been displaced by the use of
bhang. But habitual excessive drinkers might
take to poppy shells instead.
The use of ganja or charas might be stopped
without much fear of political danger, though it
might cause discontent in the beginning. The
users of ganja and charas will take to bhang
smoking instead.
37. Charas is said to be more intoxicating than
ganja.
38. The round ganja is preferred by smokers
as being more intoxicating than the other kinds.
40. Yes; by the Vedanti as well as by the Unani
school of native doctors bhang is used in the case
of some kinds of cattle disease.
41. (a) Bhang is held to be a food accessory
or digestive.
(b ) All the three are said to possess staying-
power. Moderate use of ganja and charas is said
to create appetite.
(c) Antidotes against cold.