69
preparation of gram flower and slices of brinjal,
etc. (here instead of brinjal, ganja is put), soaked
in oil or butter and fried.
(C) Drinking. For drinking purposes a pre
- p a r a t i o n c a l l e d g h o t a i s m a d e . T h e m e t h o d o f t h i s
preparation is as given below :—
.
Ganja (female flowering tops made into flat cakes)
is mixed with water, and the mixture is grounded
either in a mortar with a pestle or pounded on a
hard stone with another stone. The quantity
thus pounded is mixed with cardamoms, cloves, nut
- m e g s , s u g a r a n d p o p p y s e e d s . T h e m i x t u r e i s
again grounded for several hours, then the mixture
is poured down by a person standing on an ele
-vated place into another pot. This process is con-
-tinued till the mixture comes to the satisfaction of
the consumer. This process of pouring down the
mixture is, it is believed, calculated to increase the
narcotic property of the drug in proportion to the
height of the place from which the mixture is
poured down again and again. The ghota is
sometimes prepared in sugarcane juice. This
drink is taken ad libitum.
16. As there is no bhang in this part of the
country information is not available.
17. Ganja is prepared for smoking purposes by
those who use it. There are not professional
classes for preparing it. Majum is prepared by
sweetmeat sellers. Ghota for drinking purposes
is prepared by persons in their houses. In large
towns and cities it is prepared by sweetmeat
makers for sale.
18. Ganja deteriorates by keeping. It loses its
effects in time. With ordinary care it can be
kept in good condition for a year or so. By long
keeping it gets a musty smell, and its narcotic
properties disappear by evaporation. Measures to
prevent deterioration are not known in this part
of the country.
19. Ganja is not used for smoking only ; but it
is eaten after mixing it with other things. It is
used in majum, fakki, ghota and bhaji. The
particulars of the preparations are given in my
reply to question No. 15. The use of these
preparations is prevalent in the Deccan and
Southern Mahratta country. It is also used for
medicinal purposes.
20. Gossains, bairagis, fakirs, kaikadis, ramo
-sis, bhamtias or uchalias (professional pick
- p o c k e t s ) ,
w e a v e r s ,
d y e r s , a n d m a n y o f t h e l o w e r
strata of the population use ganja. Even in
higher classes there are many Brahmins and many
others who are addicted to the smoking of ganja.
in my opinion not less than 8 per cent. of the
population (in this part of the country) is addicted
to ganja-smoking. In towns the proportion of
ganja-smokers is greater than in villages. Where
there are criminal classes, the consumption of
ganja is on a larger scale.
21. Round ganja is preferred for smoking ;
but here it is not easily available ; the flat ganja
is, therefore, generally used everywhere in this
part of the country ; chur is not used for smoking
here.
22. Charas is scarcely used here. It is import
- e d f o r s a l e f r o m S i n d , t h e C e n t r a l P r o v i n c e s a n d
the Punjab.
23 and 24. The bhang is not met with in this
part of the country, and particulars therefore can
- n o t b e g i v e n .
25. The consumption of ganja is on the in
- c r e a s e , w h i c h i s o b s e r v a b l e a m o n g t h e l o w e r
classes. The reason is the want of education
among them. Their material condition is im
- p r o v e d , a n d t h e y t h e r e f o r e c a n a f f o r d t o s p e n d
money in their vicious habits of using ganja.
26. I have stated above that 8 per cent. of the
population are consumers of ganja. This propor
- t i o n m a y b e c l a s s i f i e d a s f o l l o w s : —
(a) Habitual moderate consumers
5
1
( b) Do. excessive do.
1½
(c) Occasional moderate consumers
(d)
Do excessive do.
½
Total
8
27. (a) Habitual moderate consumers are from
the working classes who use ganja as a stimulant.
(b) Habitual excessive consumers are taken
from lower orders who lead idle life and are al
-most vagabonds.
(c) Occasional moderate consumers are from
better classes who use ganja on holidays and in
religious ceremonies.
(d) Occasional excessive consumers are from
occasional moderate consumers mentioned in (c).
28. The average allowance of ganja to (a)
habitual moderate consumers is about two tolas at
a cost of half an anna per diem, while for (b)
habitual excessive consumers about 7 or 8 tolas of
ganja at a cost of two annas per diem is required.
29. Tobacco is (a) ordinarily mixed with ganja
by the different classes of smokers. In (b) excep
- t i o n a l c a s e s t h e m i x t u r e o f p e t a l s o f r o s e f l o w e r s ,
cloves, cardamom seeds, nutmegs and cinnamon are
mixed together, and the mixture is well powdered.
The powder thus prepared is mixed with ganja
before it is used for smoking by well-to-do
persons.
Dhatura is sometimes so used by those who are
hard smokers. The object of mixing tobacco is
to give flavour to the ganja, which is naturally
insipid. In tobacco there is nicotine principle
while it is absent in ganja. Tobacco is therefore
generally mixed with this stuff. In order to give
aromatic smell to the smoke the massala (the
articles mentioned above) in exceptional cases is
mixed. Bhang massala is not sold in this part of
the country. I am informed that in Northern
India, where bhang is extensively used, bhang
massala is generally sold. Its ingredients are
said to be poppy seed, kasni, and cucumber seed.
Excessive smokers add sugar to this bhang
massala. The object of mixing dhatura is to in
-crease the narcotic property of ganja. Black
dhatura seed (Dhatura fastussa) is preferred.
It may be mentioned here that a pipe made of
sugarcane is used for smoking ganja. It is a
belief that the pipe of the above kind increases
narcotic property of ganja.
30. Of the total number of consumers three
-fourths smoke ganja in com
-pany which sing songs* ad
-dressed to ganja ; the rest use it in solitude. The
consumption of ganja is not confined to the male
sex alone. Women of low character are met with
who smoke ganja generally in solitude. The con
-sumption of ganja is not confined to any time of
life. It is not usual for children of tender years
(under 14 years) to smoke ganja.
31. The habit of consuming ganja is easily
formed. It is, no doubt, very difficult to break
off the habit : however, a moderate consumer
might do without the use of ganja for a week or so ;
but habit being a second nature, the consumer
* Please see appendix.