February 28, 1987 Old Delhi train station

Delhi Train Station

I am sitting in a train compartment waiting to leave for Calcutta. The time is 7:30 AM. India has changed a lot since one year ago. The prices are higher, plastic bags are used when you buy things, computerization of train system, etc. We took a bus from Vrindavan yesterday to Delhi. Stayed with Dayananda and Nandarani. They are doing good work with Garuda, gave us a number of excellent contacts in Calcutta. We have a lot of work to do in Bengal. I expect we’ll spend a lot of time there. So far the trip has been very successful. London was good. Delhi and Vrindavan were good. We’ve made a number of new discoveries about TBV and Bhaktisiddhanta as well we have opened into new areas of the Gandiya Sampradaya, Babajis and caste Goswamis.

Being on this train is like being at home. This trip will take 24 hours. Calcutta to Madras will take 10 hours. You learn to live on these trains. This time we have bed rolls instead of bare bunks to lie on. Riding the trains is great. I like the clickety-clack and the roll. We are about 50 miles east of Delhi now. The land is flat and hazy – temp about 60 degrees. It will go up to 75 today. How is the weather in NV? – cold I bet.

Narrow Gauge Tracks in Bengal

We have uncovered so much new material. It’s amazing We have found a whole set of Sajjana Toshani in Calcutta. So how are you? I hope that you are not in difficulty. It seems that we spend a lot of time separated from each other. What can be done? I wish you were here. I can’t properly describe it to you. I feel very at home here. The climate is beautiful and the people are friendly. So far on this trip I am doing better than last time. Everything is familiar. I feel comfortable. Of course as long as health holds up everything is good. I wonder how the kids are doing? What school are they in? Are you even in NV? Please, keep these letters, they can be published one day. Hare Krsna.

Shukavak Das