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REPORT OF THE INDIAN HEMP DRUGS COMMISSION, 1893-94.
[APP.
Central India except a little in the Bhopawar Agency for the personal use of the cultivators,
or for presents from them to religious mendicants. What charas is consumed in other parts
of Central India is mostly imported from the Punjab. In the State of Indore about 900
maunds of ganja and bhang together are yearly manufactured. In Dewas territory the yearly
output is 156 maunds of ganja and 64 maunds of bhang.
8. The Political Agent in Bhopawar thus describes the process of making ganja,
bhang, majum, and charas:—
"Ganja is prepared by washing the dried tops well in water and rubbing them between
the hands. It is here used only for smoking and is mixed with tobacco.
"Bhang is not here used for smoking. The green bhang is occasionally used as a vege-
table, but ordinarily the dry bhang is used for the preparation of a beverage. The leaves are
roasted in a copper vessel, spread out on moist ground, well washed till they have lost their
colour, strained and finally powdered. The powder is taken in water, sometimes sweetened
or with milk added; and it is common to add pepper, anise-seeds, rose flowers, lilac flowers,
cucumber-seeds, almonds, or cardamoms.
"A special preparation is sold in the bazaars under the name of majum, which is an
extract of bhang mixed with sugar and ghee and baked.
"Charas is prepared by rubbing ganja (sometimes mixed with bhang) violently for
several hours on rough woollen blankets, which afterwards are scraped with a knife. The
substance thus scraped off is first class charas. An inferior kind is then obtained by washing
the blanket with the least possible quantity of water and then evaporating the liquid."
The Minister of Indore writes:—
"The crop gathered from the field is brought to the threshing-floor, over which it
is evenly spread. Great care is taken to see that no earth or dust is allowed to mix with
it. Rows of men consisting of the ryot's family and hired labourers tread the produce
under foot so that the tops assume a flattened shape. This process is continued for three
whole days. On the fourth day the tops are turned upside down and again trodden under
foot for another period of three or four days. This process of turning and treading under
foot is repeated three or four times. After the completion of this the tops are made into
heaps, a foot and a quarter high. These heaps are then pressed by men under foot for
about three or four hours. Next day two or three of these heaps are made into one large heap
about breast high, and a regular series of such large heaps is then formed, and very
closely covered up with stalks, leaves, etc., and heavy logs of wood or stones on the top.
The article thus formed is ganja ready for sale.
"The round ganja is scarcely prepared in the State. This requires roiling under the
foot instead of treading.
"Nearly the whole of the plant is cut, and all the plants so cut are stacked in the
threshing floor. After allowing them to dry for a day or two, bunches of the plants are
rubbed by the hand on the ground. The seed is then separated from the crushed leaves. The
crushed leaves with tender twigs are called bhang, which is then ready for use."
The Dewas account is—
"When the ganja flowers are cut they are taken to the threshing floor. There they are
trodden under feet until they are dried. While being thus trodden, the flowers are stripped
of the leaves. The dried flowers form what is termed ganja.
"Ganja is prepared here simply for smoking purposes.
"When the bhang plant is cut and spread in the field, it is taken to the threshing floor.
There it is beaten with a piece of wood. The leaves with seed become separated from the
stalks, and they then form what is called bhang. This is the only preparation of bhang
which is used for eating and drinking here."
9. All over Central India the cultivators of the hemp plant, where they are found, are
also the manufacturers of bhang and ganja. The more luxurious preparations, such as majum,
etc., are made by Bhalbigaras and confectioners. At Rutlam and elsewhere majum is also
known as ankoli. Some witnesses think that none of the three products can be made from
the wild plant. Others think that inferior bhang and ganja (not charas) can be made from
the wild plant. In Jaora ganja made from the wild plant is said to be called gorakhi ganja.
10. There is a difference of opinion as to the time the three drugs will keep. Two
years is the maximum for ganja and bhang and five years for charas. In Bhopawar bhang
is supposed to lose its virtue after one monsoon and ganja and charas after one year; and
this is said to be so well understood that the dealers burn or throw away their old stock
when the new crop comes in.
11. Only two witnesses (both of Indore) report any other use of ganja than smoking
it. One of them says it is used as a medicine both for men and cattle; the other says it is
sometimes eaten with spices. Neither gives particulars. Charas is smoked only. The
Thakur of Piplanda (in West Malwa) says that in his territory charas-smoking is punished.