125
loses its effect in time. There are different opi
-
nions on this point. It, however, deteriorates to
such an extent that no consumer of the drug,
whether by eating, drinking or smoking, will buy
old ganja or bhang if he can possibly get fresh,
and the fresher the better he likes it, as its effect
is said to be stronger. The only cause of deterio--
ration that I know is dampness. If ganja or
bhang be kept in a damp place or get wet by rain,
it immediately deteriorates, and in a short time
becomes absolutely useless. The only measures
adopted by the vendors of the drug, who keep it in
large quantities, is to keep it in a dry place and
occasionally expose it to the sun.
19. Charas, I believe, is only used for smoking.
Ganja is eaten in various ways. It may be eaten
alone, or mixed with food. It is generally eaten
here and throughout Guzerat in two ways, viz.,
majum and fakki. The following are the ingredi--
ents used in the preparation of majum. For one seer
of majum, two seers ganja, one seer and a quarter
of ghee, and one seer of sugar. The following is
the process of preparation of majum. Two seers
of ganja or bhang are pounded to dust and tied up
in a cloth and soaked in water for three days,
after which it is well washed several times until
it does not discolour the water. It is then put
into about 3 gallons of water and boiled for about
three hours. One seer of ghee is then added to
the water whilst boiling. After the ghee is
added, the whole is boiled for about four hours.
The water and ghee are then strained through a
cloth and the ganja thrown away. The water
and ghee are allowed to stand for two days, and
when the ghee congeals and floats to the surface
of the water, it is skimmed off. About quarter
seer of fresh ghee is then added to the ghee im-
-pregnated with the essence of ganja or bhang,
and the whole is again boiled. Whilst boiling
one seer of fine sugar is added, and the whole is
boiled for about half an hour. It is then poured
into a shallow dish and allowed to congeal, and
when cold, is cut into slices of various shapes.
The average quantity of majum for an adult
is from one to two tolas. Some are of course
able to take more, but if taken to excess it pro--
duces intoxication. Majum made from bhang
is not so strong as that made from ganja. There
is a far greater demand for majum during the
rainy season than any other time. There is
only one man licensed to sell it. His sales for the
year amount to about 4 maunds or 160 lbs. It
is sold at ten annas per seer. It is used on fes-
-tive occasions, but rarely used habitually. It is
principally used by building contractors, who
give it to their labourers, men and women, when
making concrete roofs or floors to houses. This
accounts for the singing invariably heard
when men and women are engaged on such
works. The object of administering it to labourers
is said to be to stimulate them, and give them
energy for their work. It is often made much
stronger than described above. The licensed
vendor usually keeps in stock a quantity of ghee
impregnated with the essence of ganja, so if he
gets an order for majum, he can supply it at
short notice by simply adding fresh ghee and
sugar to it. This ghee, which is called ganja-
ka-ghee, will keep good for about a year if kept
in a cool place. The following is the recipé
for fakki and its mode of preparation. In
-
gredients—ganja 1 seer, ghee ¼ seer, 1¼ seer
fine sugar, khaskhas or poppy seed ½ seer,
carraway seeds ¼ seer. The ganja is first well
washed until it does not discolour the water
and then exposed to the sun to dry. It is then
fried in the ghee until the agglutinated sub-
stance dries, and the ganja crumbles into dust
when rubbed between the fingers. The sugar and
other ingredients are then mixed with the ganja,
but are not fried. Fakki can also be made with
bhang, but is usually made with ganja. Fakki is
sold at ten annas per seer. The habit of eating
majum and fakki, I believe, obtains throughout
Guzerat.
20. Charas is rarely smoked here, except by
occasional visitors. The people who usually
smoke charas are gosains, sadhus, fakirs and
mendicants. About one per cent. of ordinary
members of society smoke ganja. They rarely
smoke it in their houses, but usually resort to the
haunts of fakirs, sadhus and gosains. There are
some who smoke the drug surreptitiously. Hindu
and Muhammadan smokers are in about equal
proportion. The former seek the company of
sadhus and gosains, and the latter fakirs, when
they want to indulge in the drug, though it is not
unusual for a Hindu to have his smoke at a
fakir's tuckiya, and a Muhammadan with a sadhu
or gosain. No caste prejudices are observed in
the use of the ganja "chillum."
21. Flat ganja only is locally consumed. Peo-
- p l e w h o h a v e t r a v e l l e d t h r o u g h I n d i a , s a y t h a t
they prefer round to flat ganja, but the local resi--
dents have no idea of its properties.
22. Charas is not used here, nor is it imported
for general consumption.
23. Bhang is never used for smoking here.
24. Mostly all natives in the city of Cambay, of
all castes and creeds, with the exception of Parsis,
use bhang in moderate quantities during the hot
season ; but the habitual consumers of the drug,
whether by eating or drinking, would be about one
in a thousand.
25. The annual consumption of bhang and
ganja does not seem to fluctuate. The average
sale of the former for the past three years is ap--
proximately two maunds or eighty lbs., and the
latter twenty-five maunds or one thousand lbs.
The licensed vendors of these drugs keep no ac--
count of their sales.
26. No idea can be formed as to the proportion
of habitual moderate consumers, habitual excessive
consumers, occasional moderate consumers, and
occasional excessive consumers. There are three
licensed vendors of these drugs in this State,
which has a population of 89,722. The sales of
these vendors amount in the aggregate to about
35 maunds of ganja and about 5 maunds of bhang
annually. In the city of Cambay, which has a
population of 31,390, there is one vend or whose
aggregate sales amount to about 25 mounds of
ganja and about 3 maunds of bhang. He says
he has about 175 regular customers, who may be
either habitual, excessive or moderate consumers.
The sales of the other two vendors, who have shops
in villages, amount in the aggregate to about ten
maunds of ganja and two of bhang. These figures
include sales to travellers, visitors, and people of
the surrounding foreign territories, who are not
restricted from purchasing any of these drugs in
Cambay limits. I may add here that ganja and
bhang are much cheaper in Cambay territory than
in the surrounding British and Baroda territories.
27. Habitual excessive consumers are mostly
fakirs, sadhus, gosains, and mendicants of various
denominations, who wander from place to place,
and have no worldly cares. Smoking the drug
appears to be a great solace to them in their solitary