THE STUFF CALLED 'SNUFF' -II

               THE STUFF CALLED 'SNUFF' -II

Often snuffing occurs during conversation and rarely two snuffers keep talking. Generally a snuffer and a non–snuffer meet in a street corner and go about the topic of the day’s interest. The snuffer holds his hands behind and keeps the snuff box on the left and the right hand is constantly caressing the box of snuff. This act of his draws boys’ attention and a few of them gather in the vicinity as if talking about some subject. Too often the boys are watchful of his hands and they do not even bother to know of his face. Also a frontal positioning may disturb the snuffer and he may drive the boys away. So, they take positions not too ‘visible’ to the snuffer.    

The show begins

 The snuffer still retaining his hands at the back, gently taps the lid of the box as a safety measure to ‘settle’ snuff dust to a lower position ; otherwise the snuff dust may fly off in air when box is opened. The gentle tap on the box signals the intent of the snuffer to stuff his nostrils with the stuff. The boys are aware of it! So, they become highly alert now. Another tap or two on the box signifies the urge of the snuffer to his hobby. Unlike smokers, snuffers give more intervals between successive sessions of snuffing.  All eyes of boys are now set on the snuff container placed in the left palm of the snuffer though both his hands are still crisscrossed at his back.  The snuffer by birth appears to be an adept remote-sensor. YES, hands still crossed, by a flick of his left thumb he opens the ‘treasure’ of his daily dream- the snuff.

Still conversing, his right fingers turn brisk; the thumb and index finger plunge into the powder and pick a pinch and draw themselves out in moments. THE PINCH IS READY BUT NOT THE SNUFFER –as yet.  The boys are keen to watch his stuffing the nose and are slightly upset that their rear positioning was a poor option. A couple of them swiftly move slightly up and have a better view of ‘larger than normal dimension’ of his swollen nose.   As they are rejoicing over the vantage view point, a stranger on a bicycle with his left leg anchored on the road seeks to know the house of a person. At this distraction, the snuffer releases his right limb and rapidly feeds the snuff in to both nostrils – in an electric move [putting to shame even the best of wicket keepers who bring off quick silver stumping]. At least one boy missed the snuffing act and regretted to have spent 20 minutes for nothing. Electric act brings off electronic response in the snuffer who has already had a cerebral hit!

He now neighs like a horse in partial pressure of the cerebral irritation which he enjoys by recalling the pungent pulse. Sometimes, the surge of pungent effect in the nasal canal, initiates a violent series of sneezes which run for a while. The violence is shown in the loudness of ‘brrrishcha, brrishcha’ as if he is whipped by someone to utter so. The end of sneeze marks ‘peace’ for the snuffer who presents the looks of a weather-beaten owl with his popped up eyes watering through the corner and a pink nose tip with a few hanging drops threatening to fall on him.  Suddenly the man pulls a piece of cloth from somewhere [hand-kerchief?  Does not reveal being so, due to its typical burnt looks] The snuffer holding the diagonal corners of the cloth in two hands places it underneath the nose and drags it across much like the spindle in a weaver’s loom  that travels right to left and returns to repeat the left –right course. Seemingly the snuffer looks freshened up to resume conversation for the next two minutes before he runs to the road edge to blow off his liberally flowing nasal fluid. The onlookers feel more agonized than the snuffer himself. For him it is, pressure invited. All boys are by now elsewhere. When did they disappear is unknown.  

Snuffing in Mysuru region

Snuff in Mysuru and around is marketed as pellets –probably to signify its explosive potential. But, these are just the half of the ingredient; the other half being pellets of lime [calcium].   The process of using snuff in that region looks more strenuous than what we know in our areas. The snuffer, from his stock rolls out a couple of snuff pellets and 1 or rarely more calcium pellets. Now starts the exercise. On a hollow valley of the left palm, the snuffer inserts the right thumb and fiercely crushes the pellets as if taking revenge on a greedy money lender. Being elderly, he is not convinced of his own physical prowess; he exerts himself with his tongue peeping out through the vacant   spaces on the right or left jaw, suggesting cruel power being applied. In a few seconds, the pellets are rendered powders of grey and white; suddenly the thumb sits over the powder and makes circular motions making an intimate mix of the two components. With calcium in place, the irritant value should be more and not to miss the fresh ‘fire power’, the man feeds the blend by sucking snuff air through each nostril separately. Yes, the old man is worked up; fearing the loss of his cap [wearing a head-gear is a tradition in the region], the man removes it before he sneezes in utter disregard to people around.  The horrible part of the exercise is the grinding surface of the palm is relieved of the snuff residues by open clap which scatters the irritant all around. Inexplicably, snuffers always perform in isolation [not in groups –a sharp contrast to groups of smokers] and cause irritant-spread among the peaceful members in a gathering.

Another, snuff-stuff is the placing of snuff over broken teeth or gum which keeps causing some agony to the sufferer. This approach, an assumed remedy, is found among both genders. Thus, a range of addicts has submitted itself to the power of powder – the ‘snuff’.                    Prof. K. Raman