22
Answer No. 32.
20. Strength of the corps
148
(a) Combatants—
Maratha
37
Pardesi
25
Mussalman
34
Gujrati Hindu
33
TOTAL
129
(b) Non-combatants—
Maratha
6
Mussalman
1
Gujrati Hindu
12
TOTAL
19
(c) Authorised camp followers—
None.
Smoking ganja and not charas—
Maratha
2
Mussalman
2
24. Drinking bhang but not eating—
Pardesi
2
These men drink bhang moderately, made
according to the way described in answer No. 32,
only in summer or in hot season to refresh them-
selves as a cooling beverage, and not the whole year
round as a regular consumer.
Nobody eats bhang in our corps.
25. It is on the decrease since most of the old
hands are pensioned, died, etc., who used to smoke
ganja and drink bhang moderately, but regularly.
28. Ganja costs at the average half a pice per
diem or about four annas per head per month to a
moderate regular consumer.
Bhang costs about one anna per diem for a man.
32. Mahadeo, the god of Hindus, used to drink
bhang and smoke ganja, therefore all the Hindus
are bound to keep fast and drink bhang, even a
small quantity, on the anniversary of his (the
Mahadeo's) birthday, called Shewratri; therefore
all the Hindus take it for sacred or religious
consumption to drink bhang on that day, as it
is called Mahadeo-ki-buti (Mahadeo's plant),
and it is made an admixture with the following
small quantities of each ingredient: grind them
well, strain and mix sugar before drinking: therefore
it is called thandai (a cooling admixture), since it
is made of ingredients of cooling effects:—
Bhang.
Somp (sweet fennel fruit).
Kasni (chicory).
Khuskhus (poppy seeds).
Pepper.
Almonds.
Cardamom.
And some people put some more ingredients
according to their own taste, to make the effect
more cool, refreshing and pleasing.
Some people mix milk with this liquid of
thandai as well, therefore it is taken for granted
that it is a fit beverage.
Sadus, bairagis, etc., should smoke ganja and
charas as a religious duty.
The charas has not been in vogue at the time
of Mahadeo.
Charas cannot be had in this part of the country,
therefore we know but little of it; but it is worse
than ganja in its effect.
33. In the army in general they do not regard
intoxication good, specially ganja and charas.
The use of these drugs is not reputable.
I believe no man of any religion or sect worships
the plant of hemp on any occasion of festivity.
39. Drinking bhang is not injurious, but the
smoking of ganja and charas is; because the bhang
is cool and refreshing with a mild intoxication,
while ganja or charas is injurious to health, and
procures cough and weakness.
41. The bhang is not injurious if not beneficial
in its effect, but the ganja and charas are not at
all beneficial in their effects.
42. The moderate use of bhang is harmless
because it is a cool and light drink with a slight
intoxication, but not the other two, viz., ganja and
charas, which are harmful to the constitution.
43. The moderate consumers of these drugs are
inoffensive to their neighbours.
44. The drinking of bhang is refreshing. It
produces slight and pleasing intoxication, it allays
no hunger, but creates appetite. The effect of the
bhang begins about an hour after drinking and
lasts for three hours.
There is no after-effect.
It produces longing and uneasiness if the usual
time of daily consumption has passed.
The ganja and charas are not refreshing, but
exciting, and allays no hunger and creates appetite.
Its effect immediately after smoking and lasts
about three hours, and the subsequent gratification
produces longing and uneasiness, but there are no
after-effects.
45 and 46 will be answered by the Medical
Officer.*
51. Large proportion of bad characters generally
smoke ganja and charas and drink bhang to excess.
53. The excess smoking of ganja or charas might
incite to some unpremeditated violent crime some-
times in their influence.
No, we have no case of homicide yet.
54. Those who are in the habit of smoking
ganja and charas as a matter of course would forti-
fy themselves by smoking to commit a premedi-
tated act of violence before executing their design,
but not those who are not in the habit of smoking
ganja and charas. They might get stupefied if
they do, and would not be able to put their design
into execution.
55. Yes, some persons if they get a chance induce
their victim to partake or smoke some of these
drugs to stupefy him before putting their diabolical
design into execution.
Yes, a man who has never taken any of these
drugs would be stupefied by drinking or smoking
them for the first time.
* Answers not received.