Wednesday, February 4, 1987 Birnagar

Photographing MS of the Jivani

Success! We were able to see and photograph the manuscript pages of Svalikhita Jivani. In addition we got the 2nd volume of the Poriade. This alone makes our trip a success. The Jivani was in Bhaktivinoda’s own handwriting. I

compared it to the printed edition and both editions correspond. We took handwriting samples from other works of Bhaktivinoda and samples of Lalita Prasada. We could see no evidence of tampering when we compared the hand writing. It appears that theJivani is genuine and now we have proof. Back in the West I will make a more exact handwriting analysis. We are now waiting for a train to take us to Krishnagar. Tomorrow we go to Shantiniketan.

Svalikhita Jivani MS

From this end it seems feasible that we will be able to live on the amount of money that Shastri Institute will give us. A little tight, but within reason. Tomorrow we’ll confirm this. Well we’ve been waiting about 2 and a half hours now. The train came, but it was so packed that we could not get on. That’s Bengal. Tremendous crowds.

While waiting in Birnagar huge crowds surround us wherever we go. These people are not used to seeing white people. They call us lal-bandhar – red monkeys! They are especially fascinated by my tripod stand. They can’t figure out what it is. Well here I am back in Mayapur. Finally got a train, then a motor Rickshaw, then a boat, then a bicycle rickshaw. All that for 25 miles!