At some point during my first round searching for manuscripts and books all
over India, I realized that a diary would be very much appropriate to let people
know what it is like and what I have to face, which is quite enough to turn off
anyone less stubborn. I just regret not having started it before.
28-08-12
Attempting to go to Mathura, I took the city bus, the closest thing to a
means of public transportation available from Vrindavan. However, I had to
change buses three times, apparently due to “technical problems.” It took me
some fifteen minutes to be able to get inside the railway station, for there
were hundreds of people camping around, supposedly pilgrims who came because of
the Purusottama month.
29-08-12
I arrived in Udaipur and went on foot uphill to the temple of Jagdish
(about 3 km). Another 20 min. walking
around to get a room. In a guest house they refused to give me a room because I
was speaking in Hindi and they concluded that I was Indian (therefore not worth
ripping off). I tried to find out the address of the Oriental Research Institute,
but nobody ever heard of it. After calling their main office in Jodhpur, I got
at least a place of reference, although they themselves didn’t have the
address... The auto driver dropped me on
the way, for he also couldn’t figure the location. In another call to Jodhpur
they gave me the number of a worker whom I had to call twice for directions, as
even in the building opposite to the RORI they also never heard of it... If I had no mobile, I’d have given up. The officer
told me straightaway that if I were Indian he would let me shoot the
manuscripts at once, but since I am a foreigner, I will need to fill several
applications and “come tomorrow” (this is the favorite sentence used by the
folks here when they are not getting anything in the deal). I had to take a
very crowded local bus and then go uphill again on foot in the middle of the
rain and mud.
30-08-12
Bureaucracies being fulfilled, I shot the manuscripts and paid the
stipulated rate: 10 rupees per shot. They told me that their office used to be in
the King’s palace, but he kicked them out to make a hotel... They also said
that the collection kept there was part of the King’s library, previously named
“Sarasvati-bhandara” and then “Sajjana-vani-vilasa.” I also visited the
Sarasvati Bhavan, where they told me that their manuscripts were given to the
National Archives, but they don’t know exactly where they are now... At the royal palace there is also a library,
but I was flatly refused entry.
31-08-12
Public bus to Nathdwara. To my surprise the town was unbelievably
crowded due to the full moon of the Purusottama month and I had to stand 3
hours in a line to have darsana.
01-09-12 to 02-09-12
Raining heavily, tough to move around. According to what I was told by
several people, there are no Sanskrit libraries and no panditas here. I wished
to meet the Tilakayat (head of the Sri Vallabha sampradaya), but I had a hard
time in getting even close to the temple.
03-09-12
As I had already booked a bus ticket to Jodhpur, I had to pack. It
arrived one hour late and there was no seat available, although I had booked
and paid for one in advance. Somehow, after some 3 km away from the bus stand,
the tyre got punctured, and of course, they had no spare tyre. After uselessly
waiting for another one hour, I decided to go back: 3 km plus 1 km uphill on
foot with 10 kg of luggage. I arrived in the temple right on time to meet the
Tilakayat. While waiting in the middle of some 40 people, I was spotted by a
jerk so-called pujari who demanded that I explain exactly what I wanted there.
I mentioned that I had a few questions for Tilakayat Maharaj, and the guy
started saying things like “who are you to talk to him?”, “you’d rather mind
your own business in your Nimbarka sampradaya” (!?) As I said that I am not
from the Nimbarka sampradaya, he became even madder and started yelling that he
knows everything very well... What a day! At last, Maharaj was quite polite and
sent me to talk to his son, who seems to be scholarly inclined. He was also
very polite and promised that he will let me know if he finds any of
Vidyabhusana’s works in their personal library, where the original manuscripts
of Sri Vallabhacarya are kept. Amen.
04-09-12
Day off to decide where to go. The only option to reach Jodhpur is that
very same broken down bus, dirty like a dustbin (Jain Company, for the
record). I went to see the Tilakayat’s
son again to give him a DVD with some pusti-marga texts. This time that pujari
respectfully greeted me and before I left he called me on a corner and gave me
some prasada... I sincerely wish that
Durvasa muni may visit him some of these days.
05-09-12
Change of itinerary. Most of the day in a train to Jaipur. Soon after it
departed, I started having a violent crisis of what seemed to be kidney stone.
It was passed 10 PM when I got a room, and as the shops were closed, I couldn’t
get any medicine.
06-09-12
The whole day walking up and down, meeting people and visiting
libraries. As soon as I arrived at the Govindaji mandir, a gentleman offered me
a full plate of prasada. Apparently the Mahant of Galta didn’t really check his
library as he had promised, but he assured me that at least a Govinda-bhasya
must be there. King Jai Singh’s records are still locked and can’t be seen
until the court dispute for the royal property is settled, which may last many
decades... The librarian at the City Palace promised to see if we can get the
negatives. In the evening, I got another violent crisis and then remembered
that I was supposed to buy some medicine...
07-09-12
Sanjaya Sharma Museum is shifting its collection to a new building. The
catalogue is not ready and there is no prevision about it, so they can’t give
me a position about the list I gave to them. Visit to the Oriental Research
Institute. The library of the Sanskrit College was shifted to a school far
away. Remote chances of going in that way. I got several other references,
including the Nimbarkacharya Tirtha, some 100 km from Jaipur, where they have a
manuscript library too.
08-09-12
Only today I could meet the Mahant of the Govindaji mandir. He promised
to bring his library catalogue tomorrow, with a remark that they don’t show
their manuscripts so quickly... I talked on the phone with the successor of the
current Sriji Maharaj (Head of the Nimbarka Tirtha) and we marked an appointment
in Vrndavana.
09-09-12
I arrived in the Govindaji temple exactly at the time I was told to be
there just to hear that the Mahant was not present. When I said that he asked
me to come at that time, the guys in the office became angry and told me to
come after one week! I had another appointment in the evening, but the person
also didn’t show up. All these days I’ve been walking all the way from the
guest house in the Station area up to the Govindaji temple, some 4 km, and then
return on foot also. Today I had to do it twice and it was past 8 PM when I
decided to take a bus, since I was exhausted. I usually don’t take it because
it is unbearably crowded. It so happened
that as soon as I got on the bus, the collector started a quarrel with some
passengers and ended up stopping the bus to spank them. I got down and went on
foot.
10-09-12
Most of the day in a train to Jodhpur. I arrived in the evening and went
straight to office of the Oriental Research Institute, which was not easy to
find, as they are unable to give a proper reference for the location and no one
goes to these places. According to their website, they offer accommodations for
scholars, but upon arriving there I was received by a jerk who seemed
determined to drive me away. After bugging me for half an hour, the
sub-director decided to let me stay.
11-09-12
The whole day reading catalogues. From today onwards a peon was
appointed to stay in the room next to mine, obviously to keep an eye on me.
They probably took for granted that being a foreigner, I must be a terrorist,
or at least that I was planning to have parties at night and bring girls and
whisky.
12-09-12
At the end of the catalogues I had a list of 80 manuscripts to be seen.
More forms, more bureaucracy, more botheration. Despite God knows how many
years there, none of the staff seemed to have an idea of the correct procedure,
and I was being told to do this and that just to have to do it again after a
few minutes because someone else says that it is not in this way.
13-09-12
Although hardly ever anyone goes there and the guys do nothing most of
the day, they are all stressed and annoyed to show a single manuscript. I
barely had a few seconds to look each book, and this with someone sitting next
to me and pushing me to do it quickly. The jerk in charge of the accommodations
told me to vacate by tomorrow. The peon neighbor started to ask me when I am
going away. Of course it was a boring job for him.
14-09-12
Many manuscripts to see and I didn’t stop even to take water, so I could
check each one. I also visited the Mehrangarh library, but they had only a copy
of the Chandah-kaustubha, which I did not see because they charge a Rs 500 fee.
At least I got to see the catalogue of the Rajasthani Research Institute, in
which I found nothing, so I was spared of moving 10 km away to visit them. I
got a room next to the railway station. Very noisy, tiny, dirty, without
window, and expensive – 375 rupees.
15-09-12
I had planned to go to Bikaner, but this last week overloaded my eyes,
patience and pocket, so I spent most of the day in a train back to Jaipur. When
I arrived, Jaipur was almost under water. I took a bus from the station, but
after getting off in the bus stop just 200 meters from the guest house I
realized that I was surrounded by a river of sewage. To make it worse, it
started raining heavily, so I had to stand half an hour with my luggage till
the rain stopped, then I had to take a riksha just to be able to cross the
road. It literally watered down my hope of seeing Govindaji today. I didn’t
expect such a prolonged rainy season.
16-09-12
I went to see the Mahant at Govindaji’s but could not because “he was
not feeling well.” I then tried to see the Galta Mahant at their temple in the
city. As they told me that he was in Galta, I took a bus till the Galta Gate
(almost outside Jaipur), climbed the hill up and down, and finally when I
reached the temple, I was told that the Mahant was giving a lecture in their
temple in the city. Enough for me.
17-10-12
Most of the day in a local train and local bus to reach Karouli. It was
late in the afternoon when I got a room and something to drink. The temperature
was far higher than in other places, and I got a headache that lasted several
hours.
18-09-12
No manuscripts here, but Madana-mohana’s darsana and prasada compensate.
Yet I am visibly not in good health due to stress and excessive trips. It’s
time to have a break.
20th Sept. to 05th Nov.
Busy time in Vrindavan. Ten days on bed with dengue.
06-11-12
I arrived in Varanasi after 12 PM and went straight to Sampurnananda
Sanskrit University to apply for receiving copies of some manuscripts and was
told that I should submit the application to the librarian, who happened to be
on leave and will come only tomorrow.
07-11-12
What a news: the librarian didn’t show up, so I have to come back day
after tomorrow, since tomorrow is astami and they are closed.
08-11-12
Most of the day in the BHU library.
09-11-12
Back to Sampurnananda, some 7 km away from the Guest House I am staying
at, near Assi Ghat. Yes, the librarian was there, but he just told me that the
application should be submitted in the office, not to him. At last, as they
lacked the librarian’s absence as an excuse, they accepted my application in
the office, but insisted that I take back the copies of my ID card and
introduction letter, despite my protest.
10-11-12
Went all the way on foot to Lalita Ghat to visit the Goenka Library. I
had just started reading when I received a call from Sampurnananda saying that
my application will be sent forward only after I submit a copy of my ID card
and give an introduction letter. Ouch!
11-11-12 to 03-12-12
I had to wait for one week due to the Diwali holiday just to hear that
my application was rejected. For several days I was visiting the BHU library to
read manuscript catalogues. I spent a couple of weeks revising the
Chandah-kaustubha, and to get the page setting done was another novel. I had
planned to stay in Varanasi for one week, but after one month I still had many
pending issues, so on the 3rd I left for Barddhaman on a Sleeper Class ticket.
Freezing cold.
04-12-12
Local bus to Navadvip and boat to Mayapur.
05-12-12
Since long ago I have been trying to have a look at the collection of
books kept at Gopinath Gaudiya Math, where I was lodged, but nobody could
locate the keys of the almirahs. Finally I paid a professional to make a
duplicate key. There was nothing I was looking for.
06-12-12
I went to Navadvip to meet four people, but none of them was there.
08-12-12
Another fruitless visit to Navadvip.
09-12-12
Local train to Kolkata, a real nightmare. Got a shared room at Caitanya
Math.
10-12-12
Upon visiting the library at the Sanskrit College I was told that I
should have written a letter before coming (!?) The library of the Sanskrit
Department of Kolkata University was closed. They told me that the librarian
comes whenever he wishes (!?) Around 11 AM I arrived in the central library and
was told to wait a bit to get a visiting permit. Half an hour later someone
finally informed me that the person in charge usually does not come before 1
PM. After I complained to the library superintendent, they let me in. In the
manuscript section I had to first fill several forms to be able to see the
catalogue just to find out that it consists in more the sixty thousand A4 pages
kept in some 200 folders without any kind of order. I had a look at one and
gave it up. It would take a month to read the whole thing. I took a tram to the
Sanskrit Sahitya Parisad. The librarian was not there. I had to walk a long way
till I got the right direction to the Bangiya Sahitya Parisad. They have quite
a few manuscripts of Baladeva, but they charge 50 rupees per copied page! It
was passed 7 PM when I went back to the Math, empty handed.
11-12-12
Visit to the Caitanya Research Institute. I asked to take pictures of a
few pages of a book and the librarian declined saying that it would damage it
(!?)
12-12-12
Another visit to the Sanskrit College. The principal was there, but the
librarian was not. I tried the department library at Kolkata University, and
again, no librarian. Spent the rest of the day reading catalogues at the
Sanskrit Sahitya Parisad, mostly in a hardly intelligible Bengali handwriting.
13-12-12
I packed and crossed the whole Kolkata to reach Pathbari in the hope
that I would get a room there. Got nothing and wasted the day. Back to Gaudiya
Math.
14-12-12
Yet another visit to the Sanskrit College. Guess what? The librarian was
there, but the principal was not!!! Since I was visibly annoyed, the library
staff decided to discuss the matter. I could distinctly hear “the problem is
that how can we give permission to a foreigner...” After some time, to my surprise, they just
agreed and let me take pictures of the manuscripts. The rest of the day was
spent in more catalogues at Sanskrit Sahitya Parisad.
15-12-12 to 17-12-12
At last, I got a room at Pathbari and spent these days consulting their
manuscripts.
18-12-12 to 19-12-12
Visit to Remuna. There are rumors of the “discovery” of Baladeva
Vidyabhusana’s birth place, but no piece of evidence available. I enquired from
several of the locals, but no positive information. Apparently, there are no
manuscripts or documents in this place.
20-12-12
Train to Puri. Invitation to stay at Jhanjh Pita Math.
21-12-12
There was a deceased Babaji who left a collection in a math which was
now taken over by a trust. Since last year I have been trying to have a look at
it without any success. This time the officer said that I should go to
Bhubaneswar to get permission from his superior...
22-12-12
At Raghunandan Library they have an almirah full of books I needed to
see, but they claimed that the key is lost, and they wouldn’t let me bring
someone to open it. On the contrary of what I was told by their pujari last
year, they do have a manuscript collection at Gangamata Math, but we will have
to get some intermediate to deal with them.
23-12-12
Again, on the contrary of what they told me last year, they also have a
collection of manuscripts at Siddha Bakul Math, but the key is with the Mahant,
who is out of station...
24-12-12
Puri was not very productive, so I moved on. Stopped at Kurma-ksetra for
darsana.
25-12-12
Bus to Vizianagar.
26-12-12
Visited the Sanskrit College just to hear that the manuscript collection
was shifted to Hyderabad. Yet the principal
was very kind and proposed that I give a lecture to the students, but I can’t
wait till they arrange it.
28-12-12 to - 01-01-13
End of the year holidays, so I took the opportunity to have darsana in
Mangalagiri and Ahobalam.
02-01-13
Bus to Alagadda, bus to Kadapa and train to Tirupati. Arrived at night.
03-01-13
I went to have darsana at Govindaraja mandir and it took much longer
than I wished. By the time I arrived in the Oriental Research Institute, it was
closed for lunch. In the library I was told that they have no Sanskrit books. I
was shocked to hear this. Anyway, I went to see the manuscript library and the
director asked me if I had seen the collection of Sanskrit books. As I
expressed surprise, he told me that it was located upstairs. Too late, they had
already closed...
04-01-13
Arrived right in the opening time and spent a few hours in the
manuscript library. The staff were friendly and let me shoot whatever I wished.
In the Sanskrit books section, the assistant librarian confessed that he is not
very much acquainted with the classification of the books and how to locate
them in the stack. At last, this didn’t really matter much, as the books were
missing anyway. I also went to the library at the Rastriya Sanskrit Vidyapitha,
but the librarian asked me to come after three days to see the catalogue...
Late in the evening I went to Tirumala thinking of getting a special darsana
ticket for the next day, but there was no such facility and I spent a few hours
in the line. Arrived in my room around 1 AM.
05-01-13
Train to Arakkonam and bus to Kanchipuram. After spending time and money
trying to find the Sanskrit College in a particular location, I came to the
conclusion that I was misled by a wrong map.
06-01-13
Sunday off to visit the Divya-desas. The auto-drivers were asking Rs 800
for a tour around all the temples, so I thought it better to walk. Well done:
three hours in the morning and three hours in the evening.
07-01-13
I got the opportunity to see the manuscript collection of the Kanchipuram
Sankaracarya in the library of their new college. The staff were very helpful.
08-01-13
Public bus to Chennai. Visit to the Government Oriental Manuscript
Library. I was lodged in Perambur and it
took me one and a half hour to reach the library, almost by the lunch time. I
was told that I would need the permission of the librarian to copy anything. As
he was not there, I had to wait for a few hours till someone told me that the
assistant librarian could also give permission...
09-01-13
Visit to the Presidency College. The place is totally decadent and there
was no trace of anyone in the Sanskrit dept. or the library. It took me a
couple of hours walking around to locate to the Kuppuswami Sastri “Research
Institute,” as the address given by them in the website is totally misleading.
It was passed 10.30 AM and nobody was in the office to pick up the phone. When
I finally got a response, the person on the line, whom I surmised to be the
sweeper, couldn’t speak a work either in English or Hindi and harshly hung up.
I ended up in the police station to ask for help. After several more calls and
long walks, I reached the place. The name of the road was wrong and the numbers
in it would increase or decrease in any direction. Besides this, nobody in the
area knew such a name for the bare reason that it is actually a library in a
small Sanskrit School. The supposed sweeper was indeed the assistant librarian.
I had to wait for more than two hours to see the manuscript catalogue simply
because they had no idea of where it was kept, and yet I had to pay a Rs 100
fee for “consulting the library.” This
was one of the worse ones so far. To save the day, a visit to the Oriental
Research Institute paid off, as I met the coordinator of the Catalogus
Catalogorum Project and they helped a lot.
10-01-13
Visit to the Adyar “Library,” a real show of incompetence. I was asked a
Rs 250 fee just to get in the library. I asked to see some microfilms and they
flatly claimed they have none. Although I mentioned I had consulted a book called
“A Catalogue of Vaisnava Microfilms in the Adyar Library,” they were adamant.
Besides that, I was also told that I wouldn’t be able to see any manuscript
because the librarian was not there and only he has the key. As I had a quick
look at the rules, I found that Rs 200 of the said fees are actually
refundable. When I asked about it, the
guy said that it can’t be done before one month period, since they first have
to send the money to the treasury. As I kept asking about the rules, the fellow
became annoyed and suddenly crumbled my application and gave me back all the
money. In this way I got time to another visit to the Madras University to read
catalogues.
11-01-13
One of the basic difficulties is that I can’t book train tickets in
advance for the bare reason that I don’t know how long it will take me to see a
particular library and get the required copies, as only God knows when there
will be any staff in it. So I had to spend 8 hours in a bus to reach
Kumbakonam, a way more painful than by train.
12-01-13 to 15-01-13
I just came to know that I came in the middle of a major holiday in
Tamil Nadu for the occasion of the Makar Sankranti, so there was no chance to
find any library open.
16-01-13
Local train and bus to Srirangam. I had to walk around for a couple of
hours and couldn’t find any affordable accommodation. At last I was lodged in
the ISKCON center.
17-01-13
I visited the Devasthana Library, but the librarian was not there. I was
referred to the temple manager, but he was also not present.
18-01-13
The librarian could hardly follow a word in English and not even knew
what a manuscript is. Anyway, a brief look around was sufficient to realize
that they have none. I went to meet the manager, but it took him half an hour
to understand what I wanted and just kept referring me to the library, to the
museum, to the book stall, and at last,
to a book publisher (!?) Enough for me. I had to spend a long time walking
around to locate a pandita who could answer a simple question. It seems that the only large Sanskrit
Pathasala in the place was shut down. Somewhere nearby the temple I saw some
Sri brahmacaris on the road and I asked to see their teacher. They took me to a
young scholar who was speaking fluent Sanskrit and immediately gave me the
answer: the Srirangam manuscript collection was shifted to Tanjore after they
realized they were not taking good care of it...
21-01-13
Train to Rameswaram. Another hard time to get a room.
23-01-13
It took me hours in a line for a couple of days to get a tatkal ticket
to Mysore.
24-01-13
Local train to Madurai. Express train to Mysore.
25-01-13
Just came to know that everything is closed due a Muslim holiday.
26-01-13
Again closed due to the republic day.
27-01-13
Leaving to Udupi with empty hands.
28-01-13
Another nightmare to get a room: everywhere either full or booked. I met
the Principal of the Sanskrit College and he referred me to Govindacharya,
whose house is about 3 km from the central area. I walked all the way just to
hear that he is in Bangalore. I met the head of the Krsnapura Matha and he
became indignant upon hearing that their catalogue was published in Madras. Yet
he told me to come day after tomorrow to see if they have the manuscripts I
want.
29-01-13
I had to shift to another place because the room I got was booked. Visit
to a Research Centre at Gita Mandir. I wanted to talk to the head of the Sodde
Matha, but the doorkeeper didn’t let me in. After talking to a pujari who was
passing by, I was allowed in. He promised to check their collection and told me
to come tomorrow at the same time.
30-01-13
The guest house was too expensive, so I packed and went to look for
another place. After one hour walking here and there I got a place for the same
price. At Krsnapura Matha the catalogue numbers changed, so I was asked to come
tomorrow again. I had phoned the Palimaru Samshodhana Samsat and marked an
appointment at 2 PM. After waiting for some time at the gate, I phoned again
and was told to come at 4 PM. I later went to meet the Sodde Matha Svami at the
right time, but again the doorkeeper didn’t let me in, although he knew very
well that I was expected there. Fruitless. I wished I had had the chance to
suggest that they appoint the doorkeeper as head of the Matha, since he seems
to be a much bigger authority.
31-01-13
Shifted rooms once again, this time in a cheaper place. I was told that
I could meet the said Svami in the office at 9.30 AM. I was standing there for
one hour till someone told me that he had to attend a program and wouldn’t talk
to anyone.
01-02-13
I was told to meet the Svami at 12.30, but the doorkeeper demanded that
I bring a receipt to let me in. I went to the counter to ask which receipt I
need and the fellow told me that I had to give a donation and he would give me
a receipt with which I could go to see the Svami. I picked a 20 rupee note and
he became indignant asking me if I know how much a receipt sheet costs. Then I
asked how much I should pay to be able to see the Svami and the guy flipped out
shouting at me to get out because he wouldn’t give me anything. I went back to
the meeting place and the doorkeeper told me to wait. I waited and waited and
at last, the Svami just stood up, looked at me and went away. Enough. Night
train to Mysore, so freezing that I couldn’t get any sleep.
02-02-13
Arrived in Mysore 5.30 AM and nowhere they wanted to give me room simply
out of laziness to get up, although I saw that many rooms were locked. After
some thirty minutes walking around, someone agreed to give a place, but I lack
words to describe how filthy it was. Later in the morning, I went to the
Sanskrit College, but apparently the library there was the only place in Mysore
which was closed. I then visited the Oriental Research Institute, where they
claimed to be in the middle of a renovation work and that I would not be able
to see any manuscript in less than six months. Back to my “room,” I realized
that it was behind a non-veg “restaurant.” Unable to tolerate the smell, I went
all the way to Srirangapatnam to chant my rounds. I came back at night but
couldn’t get any sleep due to the disgusting smell and loud talking all night
long.
03-02-13
Thus ended another useless visit to Mysore. Train to Bangalore.
04-02-13
Visit to the Dvaita Research Foundation. The librarian was not there and
wouldn’t come in this week. The staff didn’t know anything about books or
manuscripts, although they have both. At the Purnaprajna Vidyapitha, the
library was closed. In the office they told me that the librarian would come in
a couple of hours. I asked for his phone number to confirm it, but they assured
me that there was no need. As I had to spend time, I went walking up to the
Samskrita Bharati (3 km away) to buy
some books. Back in the Vidyapitha at the supposed opening time, I found the
library still closed. The nonsense in the office told me to look for the guy
upstairs, where they finally told me that the librarian was out of station and
that this is not a public library. When I asked for the librarian’s phone
number they declined to give me saying that he is also not a public man.
Madhvacarya would be so proud of them!
06-02-13
Train to Hyderabad.
07-02-13
One hour walking around to find a room, as no guest house allowed
foreigners. Visit to the Sanskrit Academy, where the staff were helpful and let
me copy some books. At the Oriental Research Institute neither the director nor
the librarian was present. In the Osmania University library the staff didn’t
know where the manuscript section is, although there are only two floors. After 10 min being sent up and down, I met
the person in charge. After writing down the reference of the manuscripts I
wanted to see, I was referred to the computer section to see the scans.
Although I gave them the correct accession numbers, they were searching for the
manuscripts one-by-one and after half an hour of fruitless effort, they told me
to come tomorrow.
08-02-13
Bus to Yadagiri-gutta.
09-02-13
Bus back to Hyderabad and train to Vishakhapatnam.
10-02-13
Sunday. Darsana at Simhachalam.
11-02-13
Visit to the Andhra Pradesh University. The staff had no idea where the
manuscripts were kept and I was sent up and down several times. At last, after
figuring where the manuscripts were, I was told to come after one hour, for
there was no electricity. After one hour the electricity was back, but they
couldn’t find the key of the almirah. This gives an idea of how many people
have been consulting them... In the
office they told me to come tomorrow, but I made it clear that I wouldn’t. It took another hour to open it and another
hour to find the manuscript I wished, as they were all thrown inside the
almirah without any specific order. I also wished to see a few catalogues, but
the staff also didn’t have the slightest idea of where to find them. Night
train to Bhubaneswar.
12-02-13
Visit to the State Museum. Unfortunately, the bookworms arrived before
me and there was not much left. I also visited the Kedarnath Gavesana
Pratisthan, but the library was closed.
13-02-13
Train to Puri. Spent the day meeting people and making contacts.
14-02-13
Visited the office in the Jagannatha temple and met a few people to
investigate about Baladeva’s family background.
15-02-13
Sarasvati-puja holiday. I spent 15 hours in a bus to have the darsana of
Nila-madhava in Kantilo.
16-02-13
I had booked an early train to be able to reach Mayapur by the evening,
but it delayed many hours and I had to spend the night in Kolkata. There was no
accommodation available near the station, so I had to cross the city to stay in
a Matha.
17-02-13
Crowded local train to Krishnanagar, crowded tempo to Svarup Ganj and
crowded boat to Mayapur. Heavy rain and freezing cold. Couldn’t go anywhere
else.
18-02-13
I had to meet a few people in Navadvip, but no one was available.
19-02-13
I had booked a train from Krishnanagar to Sealdah and decided to catch a
bus instead of a tempo. It took two hours to arrive in the station and the
train was gone. I was forced to squeeze in another insanely crowded local train
to Kolkata. Most of the day was wasted, yet I made it to the Bangiya Sahitya
Parisat by 3 PM. I asked to see their descriptive catalogue of manuscripts and
the librarian was a bit perplexed. After consulting with the staff, they
declared that they don’t have a copy !!! I had to go through the hand list and
waited for a long time to see the manuscripts I requested, but they couldn’t
find them and told me to come after 3 days...
20-02-13
Train to Varanasi, freezing cold.
21-02-13
Visit to BHU.
22-02-13
Visit to Chaukhamba to pick up the just published Chandah-kaustubha.
They put my name on the cover instead of the author’s name, besides several
other shortcomings. I was disgusted and demanded that they correct it.
23-02-13
Nityananda-trayodasi. After several years of quarrel, I received the
original hardcopy of my PhD thesis. Thanks to the Catalogus Catalogorum team I
came to know that they have a manuscript of the Siddhanta-darpana at the Bharat
Kala Bhavan, BHU, which I couldn’t detect before simply because it is not
classified as being written by Vidyabhusana, but by Nanda Misra, a name I never
looked for. The director told me to
write an application and come back after the holiday, on Monday.
24-02-13 and 25-02-13
Sunday and Ravidas Jayanti, everything closed.
26-02-13
I submitted the application at the Kala Bhavan, but they told me to come
tomorrow because the man who has the key is out-of-station.
27-02-13
The man with the key came back, but the number I gave didn’t match the
manuscript they showed me. I asked to check the number again against the
catalogue, but they had none in the manuscript section, so I had to go to the
library. The librarian was not there and I had to wait for one hour. By the
time I got to see the catalogue and write down further details, it was about 3
PM and the manuscript in charge told me to come tomorrow. As I said that there
is time enough before they close, he got upset and made it clear that he
wouldn’t move a from his chair. I also got upset and told him that I was going
to complain to the director. He shouted that I could complain to whomever I wish,
but he wouldn’t look for any manuscript today. I went downstairs and met the
security officer, a very polite Muslin gentleman. He was indignant when I told
him what happened and insisted that I wait for the director, who was in a
meeting at the moment. Another hour waiting and by the time the director arrive
it was passed 4 PM. He was also indignant that the staff were not cooperating,
since he had already approved my application.
He was shouting to the staff to bring the manuscript section guy to talk
to him immediately, but he just left swiftly.
28-02-13
Well, after the entire novel, I arrived there in the morning and the
right manuscript was already waiting for me and the staff were “surprisingly”
cooperating. Case done.
01-03-13
Chaukhamba called me to say that they had corrected the cover and I
could go there to take my copies. I didn’t want my name on the cover at all,
but they refused to remove it to avoid more work.
02-03-13
Train to Mathura.
03-03-13
Back to Vrindavan. I was missing home so much. A friend told me that he
met one of the BBT directors and asked why they don’t invite me to work for
them. He replied that they are neither interested in hiring some non-initiated
Bhakta Tom nor in publishing all these Vidyabhusana’s “stuffs.” Wow!
04-03-13
I met Satya Narayana Babaji in the morning and he told me that a Gosvami who would help us to get the cooperation of the Gosvamis at Govindajis’ is in Jaipur and would wait for me if I want to go there right now. I barely had time to pack and jump on the train. It shattered my expectations to do bhajan in Vrindavan for a while after so long outside...
05-03-13
I arrived at Govindaji’s right on time and the said Gosvami told me to wait. Instead of taking me to the Mahant, he brought him to meet me, and the man seemed to be annoyed by that. Speaking in Hindi, I briefly reminded him about our Project and he just had started replying in Hindi when the Gosvami stopped him saying that he should speak in English because I don’t know Hindi. The Mahant got even more annoyed and I was outraged by such a show of stupidity. To make it short, he just told me to come again after some two months, the same thing I have been hearing for years. I then visited the King’s Library and they told me to come tomorrow to see the manuscripts I wish. I had to visit the Oriental Research Institute again because last year they showed me only one part of their catalogue, while later I came to know that they have several more parts. It took them a long time to locate the correct manuscripts, but at last I got to see and copy them. I went to have darsana in the nearby Rama temple and a fellow who introduced himself as a “pandita” called me to talk. Soon he started speaking all kind of Mayavada rubbish and I became so indignant that I started blasting him with slokas. One hour wasted with those rascals till they shut up.
06-03-13
I arrived at the Palace Library at 11 AM as I was told, but the staff
left me waiting for one hour till they finished reading the newspapers and then
told me to come tomorrow. I tried to locate the Sanskrit Academy according to
the map, but they had shifted to another place long ago. I then visited the
Sanjaya Sharma Museum, where I had a look at their provisional catalogue. Back
to the Palace Library, I met the Librarian, who told me that their trust might
be interested in getting Maharaj Sawai Jai Singh’s Sanskrit works translated.
At the Ramanandi temple in the city they told me that the Mahant never comes
there.
07-03-13
I went to Galta via the hill and they also said the same thing: the
Mahant never comes there. I had to ask for his phone number. He told me to call
tomorrow to fix a time. At Govindaji’s I asked for a coupon for prasada, but
they were over. As I crossed the exit gate, a gentleman asked me how is it that
I was going away without taking prasada and took me with him. Afterwards, I
went to the Palace Library and finally could have a look at some manuscripts
and records. I met the Museum Curator, who expressed interest in assisting the
Vidyabhusana Project and publishing his books by their Trust.
08-03-13
The Galta Mahant asked me to come to his house, quite out of the way.
For the first time in this year, I had to hire an auto to get there and later I
realized that the rascal took a much longer way and charged me double. Once
there, we had a long talk and Maharaj promised to show me his library soon
after Siva-ratri. Another visit to the Palace Library. They will discuss the
matter with the Princess to see the possibility of supporting the Vidyabhusana
Project and commissioning the translation of King Jai Singh’s works. I went to
Govindaji’s planning to have darsana and buy some prasada for tomorrow (today
is ekadasi), but they didn’t let me in simply because I had a laptop in my bag.
Back to the guest house, I went to buy something in a nearby shop and they gave
me 2 laddus from Govindaji !
09-03-13
As the guest house is about 2 km from the station, I decided to check
out one hour before the train to Kishangarh. They had no change at the
reception and 15 min. were wasted in this. Another 15 min. wasted because no
rikshawala would take me for the right fare. Another 15 min. wasted to catch a
bus and reach the station and another 15 min. wasted in the line to buy a
ticket. There was one min. left for the train to depart and there was no notice
about the platform. By the time I could figure it, the train was departing and
I had to run, not an easy task with luggage. Somehow I managed to jump in the
last coach, general class. After squeezing through a couple of coaches I came
to know that there was no passage to the upper class, so I was confined in the
general class for 2 hours. Upon reaching Kishangarh, I had to wait one hour for
the bus to Salemabad and then spend another hour to arrive in the
Nimbarkacharya Pitha. In the office the clerk just phoned saying that “a sadhu
has arrived from Vrindavan” and soon they arranged a room and sumptuous prasada
for me. No questions, no forms and no charges. By contrast, if I want to spend
one night in an ISKCON temple I have to reply to 100 questions and bring a
letter from the GBC.
10-03-13 and 11-03-13
Sriji Maharaj is not in good health, so I couldn’t talk to him. For
three days I waited to talk to the Yuvaraj, but he didn’t bother to give me
even a couple of minutes. I had to rely on some intermediates to find out about
their manuscript collection. Since I was not allowed to see it myself, I take
their word: no Vidyabhusana’s work there.
12-03-13
Bus to Kishangarh and local train back to Jaipur.
13-03-13
Visit to the Palace Library. The Princess is out of station, so the
matter did not progress. Talked to several scholars here and there.
14-03-13
The Galta Mahant called me at his home to see the manuscripts. I had to
wait for several hours because he was busy.
15-03-13
Finally I found the address of the Sanskrit Academy, but had to walk
some 6 km as there was no straight transportation. They told me to come after a
couple of months to see their catalogue, for they don’t know where it is kept
!!!
16-03-13
I had several things to do in the city and by the time I arrived in the
University library, on foot as usually, they were already closing. I had an
appointment in the evening with a professor who owns 150 thousand manuscripts.
Again another 8 km walk. Lots of things to see and discuss there, but no time.
17-03 to 20-03-13
Train to Jodhpur. Another round of headaches in the Research Institute.
Readers may refer to the entries in my previous visit in September and imagine
a replay.
21-03-13
Seven hours in a bus to Nathdwara. At the temple guest house, they made
a case to give me a room and sent me up and down several times.
22-03 to 26-03
It took me several days to be able to meet the Tilakayat just to hear
that he forgot about my request, so we had to start from zero once again. One
day before Holi I came to know that my room was booked and I had to vacate.
Another trouble to find a place.
27-03-13
Bus to Udaipur and train to Mathura.
28-03-13 to 31-03-13
Vrindavan. Chasing the same folks who have been making promises for
years, such as the Oriya Baba library, etc.
01-04-13
Passenger train to Alwar. Hours and hours of argument till I got the
chance to see some manuscripts at the Research Institute. I had planned to
return to Vrindavan in the evening, but I couldn’t finish the job, so I had to
spend the night in a dump infested with mosquitoes.
02-04-13
Case done. Back to Vrindavan.
03-04 to 30-04
Half of the month revising the Siddhanta-darpana against all the
manuscripts acquired and the other half visiting people and making contacts. In
Govardhan I tried again a few places previously visited. At the samadhi of
Advaita das Babaji I was told that they didn’t find any of the books I am
looking for. I never gave them any list, though. I got a similar response in
the Siddha Manohar das Babaji Ashram. There were lots of other incidents, but I
didn’t have time to write down everything. Some time ago someone wrote saying
that my diary is too negative, so why should anyone help such a project? If
anyone thinks that there is any exaggeration in my words, feel free to try and
see how it is. By the way, I am intentionally avoid giving any positive
information about my findings in this diary, as there are several thieves after
me to steal anything I discover.
01-05-13
Passenger train to Kasganj at 6 AM. Two-and-a-half hours standing and
being squeezed. The former director of the Vrindavan Research Institute had
requested that I send him a letter specifying what I would like to see and on
his own accord told me to come on the 1st. Yet he had not kept a single
manuscript at hand and I left without seeing a single page after hearing lots
of promises. More 3 hours in a passenger train. Arrived in Vrindavan at 10 PM,
absolutely exhausted.
02-05-13 and 03-05-13
Chalking out a plan for the summer.
04-05-13
The whole day in the Janma-bhumi library. In the evening I tried to
locate two collections in the city. In the first one the man insisted that he
had none of Vidyabhusana’s works and I then asked him to explain how I could
have gotten his name and address correctly and a wrong list of manuscripts. He
shut up and told me to come another day. Sounded more like a “get out.” The
address of the other one was insufficient and I couldn’t find the place.
Arrived in Vrindavan almost 9 PM.
05-05-13
I went to the Oriya Baba Ashram for the 15th time in the last weeks. The
person in charge was not there, as usually.
06-05-13
Tempo to Mathura and train to Delhi. I was lodged in a dump in Pahar
Ganj and the bed was full of bugs. In a few minutes I was swollen all over after
so many bites. Despite shifting me, the manager was adamant that he couldn’t
see a single bug. The second “room” had as many bugs. When I complained again,
the staff said: “So what!? There are bugs everywhere, why are you making a
case?” I didn’t get any sleep.
07-05-13
In the morning I moved to another “guest house.” In this one the “rooms”
don’t have any window. In the morning I went to meet the director of the
National Mission for Manuscripts, who made a few promises to help our project.
I spent the rest of the day in the Delhi University. I wished to consult a book
in the rare book section, but the staff couldn’t locate it. It was supposed to
be available in digital format, but I was told that the system has not been
working for already three months...
08-05-13
I had a waiting list ticket to Haridwar, but in the Railway website
there was nothing about its status. I checked out and rushed to the station
early morning. Just before a couple of minutes before the train left I found
that it was not confirmed. I decided to forget about it and return to
Vrindavan, something I am always eager to do.
09-05-13
No one at Oriya Baba’s, so I visited the Akhandananda Saraswati Library.
While I was complaining to the librarian about the difficulty in finding a book
which was published in Vrindavan, a devotee came in and said that he has the
book! At Gadadhar Bhatta Pith, the Gosvami told me that he has been putting me
on hold for all these months to test my patience.
10-05-13
The whole day in the Janmabhumi library reading catalogues and reference
books.
11-05-13
Since early morning meeting scholars around. Visited the Rama-Krishna
Mission Library, but they could not locate the only book I wanted to see. At
Surma-kunj, I gave a copy of a manuscript which the Mahant was looking for and
he promised to help us with a non-cooperative neighbor. Arrived back after 9
PM.
12-05-13
A couple of weeks ago, the principal of the Nimbarka College had asked
to call him on the eleventh, when the examinations ended. I didn’t bother to
ask what the examinations have to do with the library, but for sure the
librarian is not appearing for any exam. Upon calling him, he told me to come
today at 10 AM. Finally, when I arrived, he said that the librarian was leaving
on vacation and that I should come in July. That means they don’t have the
slightest embarrassment to make me waste 2 weeks (and I really had other places
to go) and still make me come in the office just to say this. Not to speak that
the librarian was comfortably sitting there and when I asked why we couldn’t
see the library today, they replied that it is a very difficult and time
consuming job to take a book out of the shelf!!! In this way I waste 90% of my
time because of people who do nothing the whole day and think that others also
have nothing to do. At Oriya Baba’s I finally met the person in charge and he
promised to show me the library in this week...
13-05 to 25-05-13
Several visits to Mathura and some libraries in the Vrindavan area.
Finally, I got a copy of the last printed book which completes the whole
collection in devanagari. At Oriya Baba’s, the man keeps on making me play the
fool. The temperature is daily around 48 C and I am hardly getting any sleep.
26-05-13
At last, the date stipulated by the Gosvami at Bhattaji Pitha to see his
library, the only reason that held me here till the middle of the summer. I
walked for 30 min. under the sun to arrive there at 12 and he merely said that
today he is busy and that I should come tomorrow. Note that I met him a couple
of days ago to confirm the date and time, and he assured me that I didn’t need
to call before coming. Another 30 min. under the sun on the way back.
27-05-13
The same as usually: another fruitless visit to Oriya Baba’s. We fixed
for tomorrow at Bhattaji Pitha.
28-05-13
No appointed honored.
29-05-13
I waited much more than I should. Train to Varanasi.
30-05-13
I wished to see to the Visvanatha Library, but it was closed.
31-05-13
I met the Vice-chancellor at Sampurnananda Sanskrit University to see if
he would help with the manuscripts issue. He just referred me to the librarian,
who is not the least interested in cooperating. Visit to the Nagari Pracarini
Sabha, but the librarian was not there.
01-06-13
Visit to the BHU library.
02-06-13
Train to Barddhaman, hot and crowded like hell. I barely survived.
03-06-13
Bus to Navadvip, riksha to the ghat and boat to Mayapur.
04-06-13
As usually, most of the people I have to meet are out of station. The
Gosvami at Shashi Bhushan Pathagar told me to come tomorrow to see his
catalogue.
05-06-13
Finally, when I got to see the catalogue at Shashi Bhushan Pathagar, I
noticed that it was incomplete. I will have to consult the NMM list online and
come back tomorrow.
06-06-13
After two years trying, today I got the chance to see a couple of
manuscripts at SBP, but despite a previous promise that I would be allowed to
copy whatever I wished, now the Gosvami decided that he has to consult his
father first. He told me to come tomorrow...
07-06-13
The Gosvami claimed that his father "was in a bad mood" and
declined. He told me to come tomorrow to see if he changes his mind. Enough for
me. At the old Sanskrit College, I was gifted some books. I met the director of
the Puratattva Parisad, that has a library but is not working. All I got from
him was some good references and more names of people to meet. I went to the
Mahaprabhu mandir to meet Visnu Prasada Gosvami. I asked the pujari if his name
was Visnu Prasada and he reply “yes,” but that I should come after 2 PM to meet
him. Of course, I have nothing else to do in life besides crossing the river
up-and-down several times a day... Yet it was 11 AM, so I went back to Mayapur.
When I returned to Navadvip around 2 PM, the pujari now decided that he is not
called Visnu Prasada and then showed me the house of the person I am looking
for, just opposite the temple. The old gentleman was at home the whole day, so
I just realized the folly. He was polite and sent me to another Gosvami who
could possibly help me to locate an old publication. Another half an hour
trying to locate his house. Finally, he indeed promised to help in the matter,
and of course, I will have to go there several times again. My life is passing
in this way. And today a Gaudiya Math sannyasi wrote to me insinuating that I am
exploiting Vidyabhusana’s works for my selfish ends. What a world, eh?
08-06-13
The rainy season has already started here and there is water all over,
so not much chance to go anywhere.
09-06-13
Boat to Navadvip, riksha to the station and train to Kolkata.
10-06-13
One and a half hour in two crowded local buses to reach the Belur Math.
It was the hottest day so far. They refused to let me see the library under the
excuse that it is meant only for their members. Another bus to Uttarpara to
visit the Jaikrishna Library. I had to wait half an hour because it opens at
12. I was asked which kind of books I am looking for and I said that I need to
see some old Sanskrit and Bengali books. The guy left and came back 30 min.
later bringing a heap of old books chosen at random (!?) When I asked about the
catalogue, I was told to go to the next building. At that point, it had started
raining heavily and I had to wait for another 30 min. Afterwards I met the
librarian, who was quite efficient and gave me a few good reference books and
let me shoot whatever I needed. Another bus to the Bangiya Sahitya Parisad. I
intended to register as a member, but they said that they are not accepting new
members at present. The librarian was kind enough to let me consult the books
as a visitor. I arrived back almost 9 PM.
11-06-13
Second round in the Bangiya Sahitya Parisad. It took me a long time to
convince the staff to bring me a manuscript of the Govinda-bhasya simply
because it was written “Brahma-sutra-bhasya” on it, and they assumed that it
was not the same book. At last, it was painful to see that the world lost
another manuscript to the bookworms. I wished the Gaudiyas had more interest in
these books than the insects have.
12-06-13
Visit to the Kolkata University library. The fellow at the reception was
very much hesitant to let me in and he thought that my research is not a
sufficient reason to see the library! It didn’t take me much to realize that
there was nothing for me there. Visit to the Sanskrit College library. I was about
2.30 PM and the librarian told me that I should rather come tomorrow, since it
is so late and they close at 4 PM... After bargaining, I got to see at least
one book. From there I went on foot to the Chaitanya Library, several km away.
To my surprise, the library works from 7 to 9, both morning and evening. I
wouldn’t wait that long.
13-06-13
I was in the Chaitanya Library around 7.30 AM, but the guy really
started working around 8 AM. When I asked to see the catalogue, I was shown
only part of it. Upon asking for the rest, I was told that it was locked in the
office and that the person in charge comes only on Sundays... I found a list of
public libraries in Kolkata somewhere in the web and wasted time trying to
locate one of them just to know that it was shut down long ago. It is raining
heavily everyday, so there is not much I can do, since it is hard to go
anywhere and I simply can’t get good shots if there is no sunlight.
14-06-13
Train to Balasore. I was taking rest on the upper berth and a fellow put
his luggage on my head.
15-06-13 to 16-06-13
Remuna, in a room full of frogs. No news around, only Khirchor and khir.
17-06-13
I had to take a bus to the station, but they refused to let me take my
bag inside, although the bus was empty. I was too indignant to wait for the
next one, so I walked 2.5 km on foot with my 10 kg bag expecting to get some
transportation in the main road. Nothing. I ended up having to catch the next
bus on the same route, this time insanely crowded. For half an hour I was
pushed and shouted at. The train to Puri was one hour delayed and there was no
place to sit in the station. When I finally got in the train, I found that my
booked seat was occupied...
18-06-13
Although I got a room, they made it clear that I will have to vacate before
the Rathayatra. I tried to find another place, but everywhere it is the same
story.
19-06-13 to 22-06-13
I visited the office of the King of Puri and they told me that he would
come on the 23rd. Raining heavily every day, not much can be done outside.
23-06-13
Snana-yatra.
24-06-13
I took the opportunity that the rain stopped and tried to go to the
office of the King. In the middle of the way I was caught by a storm and became
surrounded by streams of sewage. One hour to get there just to hear that the
King is in Bhubaneswar.
25-06-13 to 17-06-13
Ratha-yatra and almost daily rain made it difficult to do anything
outside, so I spent my time classifying lots of reference materials,
downloading catalogues and reading them.
18-06-13
Train to Gaya in the evening of the Bahuda-yatra, the only day when
seats were available... but it was tough to reach the station.
19-06-13
Quite a few thousand manuscripts at Magadha University, but not much of
our stuff. Visit to the Visnupada mandir.
20-06-13
I got up in the morning, took a shower, put clean clothes and went to
catch a bus to Bodh Gaya. While I was waiting on the road, a fellow filled his
mouth with water and spat on the floor, splashing my feet and clothes. I went
back to my room, took another shower, put my clothes to wash and decided that I
wouldn’t go anywhere else but to the station to get away from this place.
21-06-13
Train to Allahabad. The very same old nightmare to get a room: nowhere
foreigners are allowed. I ended up in a Muslim slum. I lack words to describe
it, but it suffices to say that there is a common bathroom from whose ceiling
drops water when someone is taking bath upstairs. In the afternoon I went to
visit the Nimbarka Pitha. Even 200 meters away nobody knew the place and the
rascals were deliberately sending me up and down. At last, when I got there I
came to know that the pandita I wanted to meet had passed away years ago.
22-06-13
It rained intensely the whole night. When I looked outside in the
morning, I could see only a river of sewage in all directions. Very morose, as
I already got a skin infection on my feet, guess why... I really have lots of
things to do here, but the situation is turning me down, so I was looking at
the railway timetable. No train available so soon; fleeing is not an option...
By 10 AM the sewage subsided enough to let me search for something that may
resemble an accommodation. I had to bargain for a room without window, all I
could find around. The roads were blocked due to a protest, so I had to walk 4
km to reach the Ganganath Jha Research Institute. Although there was sun when I
came out and the prevision was of good weather, in the middle of the way a
devastating storm started. In a few seconds I was in an island surrounded by
sewage. I swore to myself that from now on I will follow Lord Caitanya’s
example and not move around during the monsoon. By 1 PM the rain had stopped
and I was searching for the Institute. The only thing mentioned in their
website about the location is “nearby the Allahabad Museum.” What a news... in
front of the Museum nobody had ever heard of the place. A policeman standing
right below the huge board written “ALLAHABAD MUSEUM” even told me that the
museum is very far from there... Some years ago I would have become
flabbergasted. After the usual waste of time, I found the place, which is
indeed somewhere behind the Museum. At last, some good collections to see.
23-06-13
The whole day in the Ganganath Jha Library, quite entertained by shelves
of manuscript catalogues and research journals.
24-06-13
Early in the morning I went to visit the Bindu Madhava temple. I arrived
at the Hindi Sahitya Sammelan around 10 AM and had to wait half an hour till
they open and another half an hour till the staff show up. It took me another
hour to fill applications and see their catalogue. Finally, when I requested to
see the manuscripts I wish, they told me to come tomorrow, since the fellow who
has the keys didn’t come today... I then went to see the Museum library and the
person in charge said that since I didn’t mark any appointment, he had no
obligation to show me anything today and that next time I should contact him in
advance... Quite enough of Allahabad and its heaps of garbage all over. Night
train to Mathura.
25-07-13
So relieved to be back in Vrindavan!
26-07-13 to 21-08-13
It is still raining, so I’ve not visited many places. Yet I am catching
up with several pending issues in the area. I had to oversee the details to
print the Siddhanta-darpana. A few visits to Mathura to meet panditas, to
search for manuscripts and to consult the Janmabhumi library. I got a good
amount of soft books in this period.
22-08-13
Tempo to Mathura and train to New Delhi. I had to go personally to the
Embassy of Brazil just to get a letter to apply for a scholarship for the
Vidyabhusana Project and in this way wasted time and money due to their
“efficiency.” It then took me almost 2 hours and a few km on foot to reach the
University Grants Commission office address given in the form, in the South
Campus of Delhi University. Upon arriving there, the receptionist was adamant
that I was in the wrong address and referred me to their main office, some 15
km away. I freaked out and at last someone decided that they could dispatch the
application to the other office. It was already late and I was too exhausted to
go back to Vrindavan, so I had to spend the night in Delhi.
23-08-13
Train to Mathura and tempo to Vrindavan.
24-08-13
Several hours looking the Akhandananda library up and down.
25-08-13
This time the fellow at the Oriya Baba ashram asked me to come right
after janmastami.
26-08-13 to 27-08-13
Planning my next tour around Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharastra and Madhya
Pradesh. Got the train tickets.
28-08-13
Sri Krsna janmastami. Started a new translation.
29-08-13
In the morning I went to meet the Mahant of the Maluk Pith, who
supposedly has a manuscript library. I fruitlessly waited for hours for an
opportunity to talk to him. The time for Srila Prabhupada’s puspanjali was up,
so I walked off. In the afternoon I met an old book seller and got some stuff
from him. At Oriya Baba’s, guess what? The dude told me to come another day, as
he was too tired due to the janmastami celebration...
30-08-13
A long time spent in classifying the recently acquired digital
collections.
31-08-13
Another day visiting the same places and meeting the same people.
01-09-13
Tempo to Mathura and train to Udaipur.
02-09-13
Left my luggage in the station and went to the RORI office, some 7 km
away. Although I had phoned a couple of days before to ask if I could come
today, now the librarian announced that I could read as much as I want, but
that I wouldn’t be able to make any copy, as his boss is on leave till next
week... After a few hours checking some
manuscripts, I took a bus to Nathdwara.
03-09-13
Maharaj is out of station, so no chance to see anything in the temple
library. I visited the Sahitya Mandal, where they have some manuscripts, but
they didn’t let me see anything under the excuse that everything is packed and
they have no catalogue.
04-09-13
Apart from Nathji’s darsana and prasada, nothing was accomplished here,
so I took a bus to Udaipur and a train to Mathura.
05-09-13
Spent the morning in the Akhandananda Library and the evening meeting
people around.
06-09-13
Due to the other night on the train with a fan at full speed on my face
the whole trip, I woke up with a very severe case of tonsillitis.
07-09-13
I waited for one hour in the office of the Nimbarka College till the
principal decided to tell me to come tomorrow because the librarian wouldn’t
come today.
08-09-13
Although the librarian was there, I had to wait more than one hour till
the principal decided to tell me that the man was “too busy” and wouldn’t show
me anything today. Given the number of months I’ve been waiting and the trouble
I had to be moving around with a lot of pain in my throat, I went straight to
complain to the Mahant who is in charge of the College, a couple of km away. He
did hear me very politely and assured me that he will get them to work.
09-09-13
It worked like a charm! At last, I got to see some manuscripts, never
mind if showed in a bitter mood... Oh, too early to feel relieved: after
showing me three texts, the librarian declared that it was enough of hard work
for a single day and that I should come tomorrow. As I was feeling like taking
some medicine, I gave in.
10-09-13
When I arrived in the College, it was closed. They will “open” only
after Radhastami, four days later.
11-09-13 to 13-09-13
Radhastami holidays.
14-09-13
I waited for a couple of hours in the office of the College, but the
librarian didn’t show up. We see how much effective complaints can be here...
15-09-13
I went again to the College; again it was closed. Spent the rest of the
morning in the Akhandananda Library. After so many days looking the books
one-by-one, I found something I was searching for.
16-09-13
Two and a half hours sitting in the office of the Nimbarka College till
someone told me that the librarian is on leave for one week.
17-09-13
Akhandananda Library.
18-09-13
Last year I was told that there was nothing at the Bon Maharaj College.
Today I decided to try to have a look. After going through the “parampara,” I
was allowed inside the library to see as much as I wish. I was surprised to
find a goldmine there. What a pity that I came so late...
19-09-13
Tempo to Mathura. Train to Baroda. Another expedition has begun.
20-09-13
Visit to the Baroda Oriental Research Institute. Cooperative staff, but
high fees, so I will have to wait for sponsorship to afford it.
21-09-13 and 22-10-13
Bus to Dakor. For years I’ve been missing Ranchorji, so I couldn’t miss
this opportunity.
23-09-13
I waited most of the morning to see if the rain would stop. It didn’t.
Even so, I had to catch a bus to Ahmedabad. Arrived late in the afternoon and
after dropping my luggage at the ISKCON temple, I went straight to visit the
Bhagavata Vidyapitha. Somehow I was dreaming that they might have a huge
library with hundreds of Bhagavatam manuscripts and perhaps all editions ever
published. Nothing of the sort. As soon as I left, a heavy storm caught me on
the way. I didn’t know that even by the end of September it rains this much in
Gujarat...
24-09-13
Visit to the L.D. Institute of Indology, which hosts about 75,000
manuscripts. In the reference library I requested to see the manuscript
catalogue and the fellow told me to go to the manuscript section. In the
manuscript section they told me that the catalogue is in the reference section.
When I went back, the guy picked the phone and started an argument. At last, they
settled the matter and I was shown the catalogue in the reference section... I
had a list of reference books I wished to consult, but he could find only one
and told me to look for the other ones in another library. By 2 PM they closed
for lunch, so I went to the J.B. Institute. When I asked to see the manuscript
catalogue, the librarian sent me to the office upstairs. The clerk in the
office was puzzled and couldn’t figure why he sent me there, which is actually
a sales cell. I went downstairs and the librarian said that if there is any
copy of the catalogue, it is upstairs, for the ones in the library got lost
(!!) Back to the office. The clerk was not very pleased with the issue but
tried to locate a copy for me. There was none. He told me to try in another
library, many km away. I couldn’t avoid commenting how smart the idea that I
have to travel several km to see the catalogue of their library... I then asked
to see a manuscript whose reference I had previously taken note of. I was told
to come tomorrow, for the person in charge was on leave... By 3:30 they were
already getting ready to close, although the timing is supposed to be up to 5
PM. The Gujarati credibility has gone quite down on my scale today... One hour
waiting at the bus stop. As soon as I got on the bus, another heavy storm
started. The bus was crowded and people started to freak out because there was
hardly any window and they were being washed down...
25-09-13
It rained the whole night and the whole morning. By 11:30 AM the rain
stopped and I took an auto to reach the B.J.Institute by 12. It was closed and
the gatekeeper said that the “working” day was cancelled due to the rain.
Curiously, it seemed that everyone else was working. I had a train in the
evening, but it was also cancelled.
26-09-13
Still raining. I was very morose and thinking of cancelling everything
and go back to Vrindavan. By 11 AM it stopped raining and I went to book a
ticket to Bombay for the evening. What a surprise: the director of the B.J.
Institute was present today and became strangely excited when he saw me. He
quickly invited me to see the museum and eloquently started to speak about the
items on display. Funnily, a photographer was following us and shooting lots of
pics. I took up the play. Since I was very “cooperative,” he did his role: the
catalogues were presented before me in no time and I was allowed to see and
copy whatever I wished! Job done. One hour at the bus stop... Later I took an
auto to the railway station and the guy wanted to charge me almost double.
Enraged, I gave him as much as I thought fine and said that if it is not
enough, then he could call the police. He took the cash and let me go.
27-09-13
Despite the rumors that the rail track was flooded, the train arrived
with a delay of two hours only. In the morning I went to the Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan. I went to the counter in the library and said that I wanted to see a
thesis. The guy insisted that they have no thesis at all. As I protested, he
sent me to the librarian, who was even more emphatic in claiming that they
definitely have no thesis. I had to keep on insisting till they told me to see
the catalogue. In fact, in a few seconds I wrote down the reference. No one had
idea of where it was kept, so I had to wait for a long time. Finally, they
brought the thesis to me and after having a look, I requested to copy it. The
librarian flatly refused saying that they have a rule that theses can’t be
copied, except for one or two pages. How curious that some minutes ago they had
no thesis in the library and now they have even rules about it! I went to meet
the director. The fellow said that he can’t break the rules of the institute
(although he obviously has no idea of them) and can’t give orders to the
librarian! I started arguing and he picked the phone to talk to the librarian.
This time the librarian told him that they can allow 10 % of the thesis to be
copied. I had to remark how from two pages the rule changed into 10 % in just a
few minutes once again! I asked if I could take pictures of this 10 %. He
declined. Pictures are not allowed, only xerox. Everything very coherent and
very sensible! I left utterly disgusted. Another place just meant for giving
jobs to incompetent rascals, and if people come to research, let them go to the
dogs. I took a train to the Bombay University. The library was closed for
lunch. It started raining while I walked to the Asiatic Society. At the
entrance there is a public library and I requested to see a book. The guy told
me to sit down. After sitting for half an hour I was indignant and asked what
the matter is. He replied that the staff went for lunch. I was almost yelling,
“Why the hell you didn’t tell me this before?” There is a common trend
everywhere in this country that they don’t have the slightest hesitation to
make us waste time, as they themselves don’t have anything to do and think that
this is probably the case of everyone else. I went to the Asiatic Society
library, took note of a few reference books and went to the counter. They said
that I would have to pay Rs 100 daily for consultation! When I asked if they
would allow me to take pics of the books, they declared: “Rs 100 per shot!” As
far as xerox is concerned, because it demands the maintenance of a machine and
the salary of an employ, it costs only Rs 2 per page. Again, a show of
coherence! Walking in the rain, I then went to the University library. Lots of
bureaucracy and nobody will show me anything till I fill all the forms and get
all the signatures. Too much for a single day.
28-09-13
Still raining and my health is not good, so I will do my homework today.
29-09-13
Train to Pune. Raining the whole day.
30-09-13
Visit to the Bhandarkar Institute. In comparison to most libraries I’ve
been visiting, it is quite well run and has a cooperative staff. In a few
minutes I had all the manuscripts I wished before me. By the time they closed,
it was already rush hour and all buses were totally packed. More than one hour
at the stop and then a couple of buses. Almost three hours spent in this way.
At least the rain stopped.
01-09-13
Attempting to go to the Deccan College, by a double misinformation I
ended up 12 km away from there. It took me four hours to reach the place, then
I had to wait for another hour because it was lunch time... Not much time left, but I got to see the
catalogues and some reference books.
02-09-13
Gandhi Jayanti, public holiday. Home work.
03-09-13
Visit to the Anand Ashram, which has nearly 20,000 manuscripts and
published more than 100 Sanskrit books. Next, the Bharata Itihasa Samsodhana
Mandapa, which holds 34,000 manuscripts.
04-09-13
Train to Ujjain.
05-09-13
I arrived at the Scindia Oriental Research Institute at 10 AM; the staff
started to arrive at 10:30; the librarian arrived after 11:30; and the director
arrived after 1 PM... I hardly could see anything before everyone was present.
I was taken to the sub-director, who assured me that I could shoot whatever I
wished. I wrote down the number of a manuscript and handed the slip to the
librarian. After waiting for 15 minutes and noticing that the guy didn’t move a
finger, I asked how long it would take. He asked me back how long for what,
since he had no idea of what I was waiting for. I gasped. I reminded him in a
clear tone that the sub-director had referred me to him to see the manuscripts.
The magic words being said, he rang the bell and handed the slip to the staff.
Then started another drama: they had no idea of how to find the given number
and kept on bringing me the wrong manuscript. More half an hour to locate it.
Soon after I started to shoot the pages, someone came in and objected. I was
then sent to the director, who demanded that I “write an application, fill the
forms and pay the fees.” Thanks God I had just the right amount at hand. Later
on I had a list of reference books I wished to consult. After seeing seven
books and asking for another one, the librarian declined claiming that they
have a rule that no more than four books can be consulted in a day! It occurred
to me that I myself should have some set of rules to preserve whatever is left
of my mental sanity after visiting such “libraries” day after day...
06-10-13
Train to Mathura. The sleeper class was literally hijacked by a crowd
without reservation, and there was no trace of any ticket collector during the
whole journey. Somehow I was lucky to have an upper berth and to succeed in
kicking out the guys who were lying on it. Whoever was on the lower berths had
to sit the whole night.
07-10-13
Back to Godhead.
08-10-13 to 13-10-13
Again on the track, getting on the case of the same folks who have been
promising to show me their libraries for aeons...
14-10-13
Visit to several libraries in Govardhan town. Refused entry in all of
them. One of them read “Abhiram Granthagar” at the gate, but when I mentioned
that I was looking for some old books, they replied that they have none. As I
referred to the name written at the entrance and asked how possibly can they
have no old books, they evaded the question by saying that it would be very
difficult to find the key. At last, they came to the point and made it clear
that it would take too long to let me see the books and that they prefer to
remain sitting down idly as they were doing before I came to disturb. In the
nearby Caitanya Mahaprabhu mandir they also have a library and gave me a
similar reception claiming that the books are meant for them only and by no
means they would let me see anything. Somehow I couldn’t detect the slightest
trace of literacy in their auras... For the first time I am considering
seriously the idea of using the local media to let everyone know that this
Project is welcome at the libraries of the Rama-Krishna Mission, Akhandananda
Sarasvati Ashram, Nimbarkas’, Sri Vaisnavas’, Madhvas’, Sankaras’, government
and private institutes all over the country, while in Gaudiya temples and
libraries they don’t want to hear a word.
15-10-13
I went to the Nimbarka College, but it was closed. I was told to come to
the Bhataji mandir today. Again turned
down and told to come day after tomorrow. Visit to the Braj Culture Research
Centre.
16-10-13
I tried the Nimbarka College once again. Still closed. Someone told me
they will open again after one week... I guess they have to rest due to such a
hard work they do opening for a couple of hours a week a few months a year...
17-10-13
National holiday.
18-10-13
Visit to the Bon Maharaj College. It was closed and will open only on
the 21st...
19-10-13
Visit to the Radha-Syamasundar mandir. We made some arrangements to
visit the Syamananda Pitha in Gopivallabhpur.
20-10-13
I had an appointment at the Bhattaji mandir at 3 o’clock, and once
again, upon arriving there, the Goswami told me that he is too busy. He has
done this about ten times so far.
21-10-13
Finally the Nimbarka College opened again and I was fortunate to meet
the Mahant there, so I got to see some granthas.
19-11-13
On the plea of the “Diwali”, no library opened for one month. Finally
they showed up again in the office of the Nimbaka College but refused to let me
see anything today “because we didn’t bring the key.” I’ve been hearing this
kind of rubbish since the beginning of the year and this time I really lost my
patience. We started an argument and soon they were yelling at me. I had to
call the Mahant to report them. They shut up but were stubborn: if I want to see
the manuscripts I should “come tomorrow.” I wouldn’t cancel my ticket on the
word of such characterless rascals. Tempo to Mathura and train to Allahabad.
20-11-13
I went to see the librarian in the Allahabad Museum, but although I sent
him a message beforehand to “mark an appointment to see the manuscripts” as he
had commanded in my last visit, he claimed that he received nothing and that he
is too busy to show me anything. I then went to the Hindi Sahitya Sammelan,
where I was previously told that they wouldn’t show me any manuscript because
the staff were on leave, and therefore I should come another day. This time they
told me that they have no staff at all to hand the manuscripts to any possible
reader, so there is no point in going there again and again. Fabulous! Another
useless trip to Allahabad dump city.
21-11-13
Train to Kolkata.
22-11-13
Local train to Navadvip, boat to Mayapur.
23-11-13
Visited some libraries in Navadvip.
24-11-13
Visited some libraries in Mayapur.
25-11-13 to 29-11-13
Daily visits to Navadvip to meet some Goswamis and see some libraries.
30-11-13
Boat to Svarup Ganj, auto to Krishna Nagar and train to Kolkata. Visit
to the Sanskrit College. I submitted an application to copy some manuscripts
and they told me to come on the 4th. I then went to the Bangla Sahitya Parisad
but couldn’t see all the manuscripts I wished because it was too difficult for
the staff to locate them…
01-12-13
Visit to Pathbari. I had called the librarian several days before to ask
if the library would be open and he confirmed it. Now he decided that he won’t
open it for ten days…
02-12-13
Visit to the Caitanya Doba Vaisnava Research Institute in Hali Sahar, 50
km from central Kolkata. Visit to Sanskrit Sahitya Parisad. The staff are good
for nothing and won’t let you copy anything. There was a book I had to consult,
but they declined under the plea that it was in too bad condition. Visit to the
Bag Bazar Gaudiya Math. No one was there to open the library, even
hypothetically.
03-12-13
I went to search for the family of a pandita who owned an important
manuscript collection hundred years ago. All I had was the name of the lane. No
clue. Visit to the Rama Krishna Mission library in Gol Park. Polite people and
well organized. Visit to the Bag Bazar Reading Library. I said one word and
they started yelling at me that they have nothing and sending me away! I would
love to have a hidden camera recording these wonderful moments to share them
with the world through Youtube, especially those who read this diary in disbelief…
I eagerly canvass for a donation.
04-12-13
Visit to the Asiatic Society. I was expected to visit the Sanskrit
College today. Upon arriving there, the librarian told me that my application
is on hold and that I should meet the principal. The fellow is a jerk and was
talking to me as if I were uske baap ka naukar. I started speaking in Hindi and
he yelled that I should speak in English. He demanded my original passport so
that they can prosecute me if anything becomes damaged! I really had no time to
go up and down several km to bring my passport, nor the patience to deal with
this psycho twice on the same day.
05-12-13
Train to Bhubaneswar. Visit to the Kedarnath Gavesan Prathisthan. The
librarian was very kind and let me see the manuscripts although I don’t have
membership.
06-12-13
Visit to the Bhubaneswar Museum. Quite cooperative staff. Lots of
catalogues to read, mostly in handwritten Oriyan. Not an easy task…
07-12-13
Visit to the State Archives and State Library. The librarians couldn’t
give any help to find the reference materials I was looking for, and I had no
time to see all the shelves.
08-12-13
Local train to Khurda Road. Train to Vijayawada.
09-12-13
Darshan of Lord Narasimha in Mangalagiri. Train to Chennai.
10-12-13
A nightmare to find a room. More than one hour roaming in the street
with my luggage. Visit to the Oriental Manuscript Library. A couple of
manuscripts I wished to see were allegedly damaged and they refused to let me
see them. I asked if they would be repaired. They declined. Visit to the New
Catalogus Catalogorum office, a real oasis for researchers.
11-12-13
The whole day in the Madras University.
12-12-13
What a surprise: the “librarian” of the Adyar “library” is out of
station and won’t be back so soon. To the present day, he never bothered to
reply to any of my messages. With the help of some contacts, I requested the
curator to get the manuscripts repaired in the OML. All I got was a promise.
The rest of the day reading manuscript hand lists.
13-12-13
Train to Tirupati. Visit to the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan.
14-12-13
Visit to the Venkateswar Oriental Research Institute.
15-12-13
Darshan of Balaji.
16-12-13
Train to Chennai. Train to Kumbakonam.
17-12-13
Local train to Tanjore. Visit to the Sarasvati Mahal.
18-12-13
Darshan in some Divya Desas.
19-12-13
Local train to Srirangam.
20-12-13 to 22-12-13
Met some Sri panditas. They were glad that I gave them a copy of the
hand list of the ancient manuscript collection that belonged to the temple. The
collection was given to the government and is now in the Tamil University,
Tanjore.
23-12-13
Train to Mysore.
24-12-13
I wanted to stay in the dormitory of the railway station, but the clerk
was on leave, so they won’t bother to give place to anyone for many days. All
rooms in the area were full. At last I found a dump. As soon as I sat on the
bed, bugs started to eat me up. Although the holiday is tomorrow, they decided
to close everything today, so once again I couldn’t see anything. Train to
Udupi.
25-12-13
No rooms anywhere. After walking for one hour or so, I ended up paying
for an overpriced accommodation.
26-12-13
Another hour spent trying to find another room. I was refused a room
because I am a Hare Krsna. Visit to the eight Mutts. It seems that most of the
Swamis are out of station again. Visit to the Tattva Samshodhan Samsat.
27-12-13
Visit to the Vadiraja Research Institute.
28-12-13 to 30-12-13
Met a few Swamis and visited a few libraries.
31-12-13
Bus to Sringeri. They were very kind and helpful, but unfortunately it
seems that the specific manuscript I was looking for was thrown in the river
long ago. Bus back to Udupi.
01-01-14
Train to Mysore.
02-01-14
Bus to Melkote. Visit to the Sanskrit Academy. There was a book in the
almirah which I wanted to see, but the librarian insisted that they don’t have
it, although it was a few inches from his nose. I was standing in the
manuscript section and the fellow in charge pretended I don’t exist. I went
back to the reference section to ask what the matter is and they told me to
complain in the administration. As the fellow heard this, he decided to
‘notice’ my existence and asked what I wanted. Although I explained very
clearly that I am doing a research work and wish to see the catalogue, he
ignored the point and started showing me some displayed items as if I were a
tourist. As I insisted on my point, he declared that he wouldn’t show me
anything without the permission of the director. There I go to meet him.
Without much ceremony, the director told me I could see whatever I wish. Back
to the manuscript section, the librarian was gone. He managed to show up by the
time of lunch, and of course, told me to come later… A couple of hours later,
as I repeated to him the director’s words, he demanded a written statement. In
this case, I invited him to the director’s office. After a long discussion in
Kannada, he convinced the director that he shouldn’t show anything to me, and
that if I wanted to see their manuscript list, I should wait several years
until they publish it! I then went to the Sanskrit College, but it was closed.
Upon inquiring around, I found the house of the principal. His wife opened the
door and told me to wait. I heard some murmurs and she came back with some
excuses and told me to meet him in the office tomorrow morning.
03-01-14
I was in the Sanskrit College early in the morning as I was told. The
principal arrived, greeted everyone but me, then went to the temple. Half an
hour late, he comes back, sits in front of me, writes a few notes, stands up
and walks off to start the class without saying a word to me. I got the
message. Bus to Mysore. No news: no library is going to open for many more
days. Bus to Bangalore.
04-01-14
After a long time, I finally met Prof. Pandurangi, one of the greatest
Madhva scholars of our days. We had a nice talk and he gave me some references
and advices. Visit to the Uttaradi Mutt. The librarian was not there.
05-01-14
Bus to a village some 50 km north to meet a Swamiji in the hope that he
could have something to say.
06-01-14
Train to Nellore.
07-01-14
Visit to the Sanskrit College.
08-01-14 to 24-01-14
Visit to several places in Andhra Pradesh.
25-01-14 to 01-02-14
Puri and Bhubaneswar. I met Gajapati Maharaja at his house.
Unfortunately, it was too late, as the royal collection was no more. Yet he
gave some good contacts.
02-02-14
Local train to Cuttack and bus to Kendrapara, about 70 km away. Visit to
Dr. Fakir Mohan Das. His library is kept at another town, so I will have to
come on another occasion.
03-02-14
Bus to Cuttack, train to Balasore and bus to Remuna .
04-02-14 and 05-02-14
At last some findings in the area. Met some local scholars and got a few
books.
06-02-14
Bus to Remuna, bus to Baripada and bus to Gopivallabhpur, one worse than
the other, not to speak of the road. I had previously contacted the Mahant of
the Syamananda-gaddi, who told me to come on the 6th and 7th to see his
library. I arrived late in the morning and he told me to come in the evening to
talk. After the evening talk, he told me to come in the morning to see the library.
07-02-14
After attending the morning program in the temple, at 8 o’clock I sat in
the courtyard to wait for the Mahant. Someone went upstairs to inform him and I
was told to wait, and I did so until 2 pm. After being informed that the last
bus was at 4 pm and that I was simply playing the fool, I stood up and was
walking off when all of a sudden the Mahant shows up with a surprised/annoyed
expression on his face due to my impertinency in not waiting for him… I had
barely started seeing a few of his books when he interrupted and commanded that
it was time for lunch. Half an hour later, instead of his one, he decided that
it would be better to see the neighbor’s library. It was indeed a quite good
collection, but by the time I finished it was already night. This was the end
of our two days appointment and next day he wouldn’t be “available.”
08-02-14
Bus to Kharagpur and train to Kolkata. Visit to Pathbari.
09-02-14
The whole day at Pathbari. In the evening I went to the Caitanya
Research Institute to consult some old GM magazines. I was indeed shown one
magazine, but when I asked for a previous volume, the librarian promptly said
that they don’t have it. I asked if he was sure about it, and he was adamant.
Quite before the proper time, he told me it was time to close.
10-02-14
Local train to Navadvip and boat to Mayapur. Visited a few libraries and
met a few people.
11-02-14
Nityananda trayodasi.
12-02-14 to 15-02-14
Several visits to Navadvip and nearby places.
16-02-14
Auto to Krishnanagar and train to Kolkata.
17-02-14
Train to Varanasi.
18-02-14 to 22-02-14
Visits to the Nagari Pracarini Sabha, BHU and Sampurnand. Lots of
headaches to get a few copies from BHU.
23-04-14
Train to Mathura.
24-02-14 to 18-03-14
Busy time in Vrindavan meeting the very same folks.
19-03-14 to 21-03-14
National seminar on unknown and little known Vaisnava manuscripts.
Meeting with the director of the National Mission for Manuscripts.
22-03-14 to 21-04-14
More time wasted in the so-called Nimbarka College just to hear a lot of
rubbish. One of the prominent acharyas, Sri Gopal Sharan Devacharya Maharaj,
went there personally and requested them to cooperate with me, but they
couldn’t care less. Meanwhile, I spent some time intermediating to have one
ancient library of the Radha-ramana parivara donated to the Jiva Institute.
Short time to do so many things, but I made a few good discoveries in this
period.
22-04-14
Tempo to Mathura, train to Hindaun, bus to Karauli. Darsana of Sri Sri
Radha-Madana-mohana ji to get their blessings for this Rajasthan expedition.
23-04-14
Bus to Jaipur. Visit to the City Palace library. Due to the lack of
staff, they told me to come next week if I wish to see some manuscripts.
Meeting with several people. Looked several manuscripts at the Oriental Research
Institute.
24-04-14
Long talk with the Mahant of the Balanand Math, who did a lot of
research on his sampradaya. He told me lots of anecdotes of the kings and
sadhus of Jaipur. I was introduced to the Mahant of the Madana-Gopala ji
mandir, who promised to intermediate in the Govindaji mandir. I tried to meet
the Queen, but she is out of station.
25-04-14
Another meeting with the Balanand Mahant and others. Talked to the Galta
Mahant, who is out of station but is coming back in the evening. Got more several
contacts.
26-04-14
Visit to the Centre for Jain Studies.
27-04-14
In the morning I went to meet the Goswami in the Govindaji mandir, but despite all the previous promises and intermediation, this time he said some ten times that he is not gonna show me anything. I hope Rupa Gosvami is watching everything.
28-04-14
Visit to the Jain Vidya Sansthan, where I was received very politely and
in a couple of minutes got the manuscripts I wished to see in my hands. Visit
to the SRC Pracya Vidyapitha, where I was told that it would take them four
days to show me any manuscript. Visit to the City Palace library.
29-04-14
The whole morning in the Sanjaya Museum and lots of discussions about
manuscripts. The rest of the day in the City Palace library. I tried to meet
the Queen once again. After waiting for 45 min. in the office, I was told that
she is still out of station.
30-04-14
The Galta Mahant asked me to meet him in Galta at 11 AM. I went all the
way up hill on foot and upon arriving there the pujari told me that he wouldn’t
come but would wait for me in his house in the city at 4 PM. All the way up
hill in the scorching heat of the Rajasthani summer. Spent a couple of hours
reading in the City Palace library. Visit to the SRC Pracya Vidyapitha. Visit
to the Sanjaya Museum.
01-05-14
It took me a couple of hours and several km walking under the noon sun
to be able to locate the Prakrita Bharati library after being sent up and down
several times. Once again, I was cordially shown the library by the Jain staff.
Visit to the Jaipur Record Centre. The director, a Muslim gentleman, was not
much aware of the collections available there, but was very polite and tried to
be helpful. What an age: we receive help from Jains and Muslims, but so-called
Gaudiyas won’t even talk to us... Visit
to the Rajasthan Sanskrit Academy, where I was finally shown the catalogue, but
it was too late to go through it. Visit to the Sanjaya Sharma Museum till 9 PM.
Exhaustive day.
02-05-14
I had to catch a train at 6 AM, so at around 5 o’clock I asked the gate
keeper to open the gate. He asked for the “checkout slip” and I showed him the
receipt, as I had already paid. He was not convinced and demanded the “checkout
slip,” and in case I don’t have one, then I should wait until 6 o’clock when
the manager comes. I kept on saying that I have to catch a train at 6 and the
dude kept on saying that I have to wait for the manager. When I started
yelling, the manager just popped up, gave me the slip and opened the gate. He
was silent when I asked why the heck he didn’t say anything about a checkout
slip. The whole morning in a train to
Jodhpur. Visit to the Oriental Research Institute, where I heard lots of shouts
as usual and spent the rest of the day reading manuscripts. I couldn’t see all
because the staff were too busy playing games and surfing the internet for
Bollywood. I spent the night in a dump in front of the station and hardly got
any sleep.
03-05-14
Most of the day in a train to Bikaner.
04-05-14
Sunday, first day off since I left Vrindavan. Spent a long time trying
to find a room, as the one I got is too expensive. At last, I found a dharmashala
which I can afford, but the room is absolutely nasty. I hadn’t taken anything
during the day, so in the evening I went around to find something to drink.
After walking a long way, I spotted a tetra pack juice. I walked in the shop
and asked for the juice, but the guy stubbornly said he had none. I just walked
off to spare whatever was left of my good mood.
05-05-14
In the morning I went to the State Archives, where they asked me to fill
lots of forms and give copies of all possible things, even a photo. Despite of
a board that says that the office opens at 10 AM, it was more than 12 o’clock
and the director had not arrived yet. After all this waste of time, someone was
kind enough to say that he wouldn’t come before 2 PM. I decided to visit the Oriental
Research Institute meanwhile. The director and the officer were sitting down as
I walked in and said “namaskar,” but none of them replied. The director asked
me which country I am from. I said it thrice, still she couldn’t get it. “For
the fourth time: Brazil.” She then became indignant and started saying that I
have no patience and know nothing about research. She made me fill all the
forms and applications and demanded originals from all my documents. When at
last I gave the list of the manuscripts I wished to consult, she said:
“Isopanishad? Which kind of book is this?” Meanwhile, the officer also gave me
a register to sign. He insisted that my home address abroad should be written
in Hindi. God knows wherefrom I got patience for this, but I still tried to
explain that there are no Hindi addresses abroad. The guy started calling me
arrogant. I was silently watching how far this would go. He then started
narrating some incident from the Mahabharata which describes how arrogant a
disciple of the sage Gautama was. The director liked it and asked the name of
Gautama Buddha's disciple (!!!). How I wish to record these wonderful moments
to share them in Youtube! Note that this is the intellectual elite of India
managing the prestigious Oriental Research Institute of Rajasthan, which holds
some of the most important collections of manuscripts in the world. Back to the
Archives, I had to get my wish list typed and printed because the staff were
not able to read anything hand written in either Roman or devanagari. By 3
o’clock I was sent to meet the director. As he put his eyes on me, he had
already decided that he wouldn’t show me anything. He started by saying that
this is not a public library. As I mentioned that I am doing a research work,
he said that they don’t allow independent scholars. As I showed him my
documents and letters of affiliation, he started to demand imaginary documents.
We had already been talking in Hindi for several minutes when I mentioned that
I am from Brazil. He then asked me if I am able to speak Hindi. Oh Bhagavan,
what a day! At last, he decided that I need a letter from the Brazilian Embassy
allowing me to consult his library. I still tried to explain that embassies are
not meant to give letters for visiting libraries. Crying in the wilderness. Far
beyond the limit. Straight to the station to get a ticket for the first train.
Garbage all over and zombie population. They call it Bikaner.
06-05-14
Having no other option, I arrived in Delhi in the morning. It took me
almost two hours to reach Nizamuddin. No trains so soon, so I had to catch a
crowded bus to Mathura. Arrived in Vrindavan in the afternoon. Felt like waking
up from a nightmare.
26-05-14
Next expedition. Tempo to Mathura, train to Allahabad.
27-05-14
Visit to the Allahabad Museum. Visit to the Ganganath Jha Research
Institute. This time I got good cooperation from the staff in both places, and
despite of taking several hours, I could consult the manuscripts I wished.
28-05-14
Another visit to the Ganganath Jha RI. Train to Barddhaman.
29-05-14
Bus to Kalna. The whole day visiting temples and meeting Goswamis. Lucky
to see some manuscripts and get some contacts.
30-05-14
Had to catch a train to Kolkata before 5 AM but decided to visit the
Caitanya Doba Research Institute on the way. It was a trouble to reach there –
local train to Naihati, bus to Halisahar - and the day schedule had to be
changed. Bus to Naihati, local train to Howrah, local train to Mecheda, bus to
Tamluk. Arrived there in the evening. Visit to the Vasudeva Ghosh Para. The
head pujari kindly let me see his library and presented me some books. Tempo to
Mecheda.
31-05-14
Local train to Kharagpur at 4:38 AM, two hours in a bus to
Gopivallabhpur. Arrived there by 10 AM. Upon meeting the Mahant, he said that I
should have marked an appointment and that he has no time to show me anything.
Yet he introduced me to some of his relatives who were very kind to let me see
their collections.
01-06-14
I was supposed to catch a bus at 4:30 AM, but the guest house gate was
locked and there were no staff around, although I had informed them the night
before. Missed the bus. The next one was at 5:30 and because of this I arrived
too late at Kharagpur, missing all the trains that would reach Kolkata in the
morning. Arrived there at noon, which spoiled the plan I had for today. Decided
to stay at the ISKCON temple, catch on my japa and rest. In this last week I
was barely getting 4 hours sleep at night.
02-06-14
Visit to Pathbari. Visit to the National Library. The staff didn’t know
where the manuscript section is and sent me up and down several times. After
figuring the location, I had to again go up and down several times because
there was no straight lift or staircase, and no one was able to explain the
way. One hour wasted to reach the place. Upon asking to see some manuscripts,
they insisted that I should have a membership card. Somehow I got my case done
and they gave me a “concession.”
03-06-14
I had to catch a train to Puri at 6 AM from Howrah. When I was coming
out from the temple around 5 o’clock, some dudes on a motorbike spat on my
face. I wouldn’t be even slightest surprised if they are “Hindus,” as I never
had issues with Muslims or Christians. After spending some 15 minutes on the
bus stop without seeing any trace of a bus, I had to catch a taxi.
04-06-14
Met some panditas.
05-06-14
Visit to Gambhira to read the library catalogue. At Siddha-bakul, the
Mahant claims that the whole library was destroyed.
06-06-14
Visit to Gangamata Math. Although there was a big bundle of manuscripts
visible in the temple compound, the Mahant and the pujari insisted they have
nothing. Crying in the wilderness.
07-06-14
Visit to the Raghunandan Library, where I couldn’t see the books I
wished last year because they didn’t find the key of the almirah. Water is
dropping from the ceiling and spoiled all the books. The staff had not even
noticed it, and when I pointed it out, they said, “So what?”
08-06-14
Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana’s disappearance mahotsava. The whole day
fasting and translating.
09-06-14
Dry fasting for Pandava Ekadasi. Too hot here, so no outside activities.
10-06-14 to 22-06-14
Visits to a few libraries such as the Jagannath Research Centre and
meeting with a few scholars.
23-06-14
Finished a rough translation of the Tattva-dipika. It still needs a deep
revision and lots of explanatory notes.
24-06-14
Visit to Alarnatha. Train to Howrah.
25-06-14
Local train to Navadvip, boat to Mayapur.
26-06-14
Visit to Navadvip to meet some Gosvamis.
27-06-14 to 03-07-14
Raining a lot everyday. Home work.
04-07-14
Most of the day in Navadvip meeting panditas.
05-07-14
Boat to Navadvip, local train to Katwa, bus to Srikhanda. I told the
conductor to tell me where to get off, but the rascal didn’t. I asked the
locals how to get to the Chittranjan Library, but no one had idea. At last a
shopkeeper claimed to know the place and arranged a sort of ‘riksha.’ Three km
later, he dropped me in a Gaudiya temple. The pujari said that I was in the
wrong place and he didn’t know of any library. I decided to call the library,
the same number through which I had asked directions the day before. A lady on
the phone said that I dialed the wrong number. The pujari gave direction to the
rikshawala to take me back claiming that the address I am looking for is in the
opposite direction. Another three km to the same place I was before. After
several minutes of argument, the locals finally ‘remembered’ exactly where the
library is and put me on another ‘riksha.’ I shouldn’t be surprised anymore,
but the library is just a few meters from that same temple... The first thing I
inquired is why they speak nonsense on the phone. The librarian claimed that he
was outside and the sweeper picked the phone... After a few minutes looking at
the library I felt like running away. The government published a catalogue of
their manuscripts, but they don’t have a copy of it in the library. I was shown
an incomplete hand list. There was no book catalogue either, only a hand list
horribly written and without any specific order. It started raining heavily and
I was forced to wait. As soon as the rain stopped, I went out, but there were
no rikshawalas around and the road was flooded. After inquiring here and there,
I was told to go to a rikshawala’s house to call him. I took a bus to Katwa station and arrived
right on time to catch a local train, but unfortunately it took it one and a
half hour to start. Arrived in Mayapur at night.
08-07-14
Boat to Svarupa Ganj, train to Kolkata. Visit to the National Library.
As per their directions, we had sent a letter a month ago but received no
response. I had to wait for one hour to talk to the director. He didn’t
remember any letter but approved my application to copy the manuscripts I need.
The letter I sent was lying down on someone’s table in the manuscript section.
Despite the director’s approval, they made it clear that they won’t let me copy
anything. I went back to the director’s office. He had left for lunch and I had
to wait for another hour. At last, after some phone exchanges, they told me that
the problem is that the section in charge was not there and would be coming
later. Back to the ms section, when the librarian came I asked why he hadn’t
replied to my letter. He said that they needed time to think about it and that
in any case, I applied for a Sanskrit ms, while they have only Bengali mss.
This he assumed because most mss there are written in Bengali characters. It
took me half an hour to make him understand the difference between a language
and an alphabet. Yet he was adamant that copies were not allowed. I went back
to the director’s office, who then called the ms librarian to come. I deeply
regret I didn’t bring anything to record this memorable meeting and show of
rubbish. To make it short, the director became convinced that it is the law of
the Indian govt. that mss should be neither copied nor published at all. By the
time I had to leave, it was raining heavily.
09-07-14
Visit to Pathbari, but they didn’t open the library under the excuse
that today is ekadasi. They also said that they won’t open tomorrow either,
probably because it is dvadasi... Another visit to the National Library, at
least to have a look at the mss, all I got from them. I needed to consult a
printed book in the main library, but the catalogue number was wrong. I had to
spend more than one hour trying to find out what the correct number could be.
After getting the said number, I waited more a couple of hour while the staff
tried to locate it, but they failed. I had to write a request and hope that one
day they will be able to find it...
10-07-14
I had just come out to go to the Jadavpur University when it started
raining like hell, although a few minutes before the sun was shining. What
seemed to make sense from the map turned to be a nightmare as I had to cross
lanes full of butcher shops to catch a local train in a nearby station. I
jumped in the first train assuming there was only one line and I had only a
couple of stations to cross, a mistake which cost me more than one hour wasted.
Meanwhile the rain became even heavier. It took me more than two hours to
arrive at the library. The librarian promptly tried to convince me that they
have nothing of what I am looking for, without even suggesting that I check the
catalogue... Night train to Varanasi.
11-07-14
The whole day at the BHU library.
12-07-14 to 13-07-14
Met some panditas.
14-07-14
I had an appointment with a professor at the Sampurnananda Sanskrit
University at 11 o’clock. After making me wait for a couple of hours, he told
me that he is too busy and that I should come day after tomorrow. I went to the
library and they prohibited me from going inside because I had a laptop, which
is of course very dangerous for them and harmful to the books. Several hours
walking up and down under scorching heat to visit a few places, then more 5 km
on foot back to my guest house in Assi because the roads were closed and there
was no transportation available. I got a flu because of drinking too cold
lassi.
15-07-14
Visit to the Ramnagar Fort. I was told that the manuscript library has
been closed for more than 15 years and that I would need the permission of the
King to see anything there. He is out of station, so I gave an application.
16-07-14
I had another appointment at 11 AM with the said professor. When I
arrived at Sampurnananda, he told me that he had to attend a meeting and hardly
gave me a few minutes... The rest of the day in BHU meeting several professors.
17-07-14
Train to Mathura.
18-07-14
Back home. Lot of work waiting for me here.
17-09-14
Train to Udaipur.
18-09-14
Most of the day in the Oriental Research Institute.
19-09-14
Bus to Nathdwara. Visit to the Sahitya Mandal.
20-09-14
Bus to Udaipur, train to Baroda.
21-09-14
Visit to a local pandita. Train to Mumbai.
22-09-14
Visit to the Mumbai University. The guard flatly refused to let me cross
the gate claiming that only their students are allowed inside the campus. I
wonder how someone could even possibly be admitted if entrance is not
allowed.... I had to go the way around and enter through another gate. Once in
the library, I asked to copy a manuscript and they told me that I would have to
meet the chief librarian in the other campus, some 25 km away, submit an
application and then wait for several days until they hold a meeting and have a
reply...Visit to the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, despite the reception they gave me
last year...
23-09-14
The Asiatic Society will be closed for a few days, so I had to tweak my
plans. Train to Pune. Visit to the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute. It
is supposed to open at 11 AM, but the staff of the manuscript section showed up
at around 1 PM. Around 3 PM I was told that the section in charge wouldn’t come
today. In the reference section, I had to wait for one hour until they could
find the book I wished to see. Since they were not being able to locate it,
they tried to ‘entertain’ me with other books because the title was similar...
24-09-14
Bhandarkar again. At last, I got the copies I had requested and paid for
exactly one year ago. The director was very surprised to know that the staff
didn’t send the copies to me as they were supposed to and seemed to be inclined
to escalate the case. They could not find one of the manuscripts I asked to
see. After checking the catalogue, they concluded that the number must be wrong
and that the only way to find it is to look all the collection one by one.
Sounds like it will take another year... In the reference section, after
another hour waiting for another book, I gave it up and ran away. I couldn’t
escape the rain, though.
25-09-14
Train to Mumbai at 4 AM. Visit to the Asiatic Society. The staff were helpful but couldn’t find the manuscript I was looking for.
26-09-14
The whole day around some local libraries.
27-09-14
Train to Baroda. Because I had to cancel the ticket I had due to the change
in the schedule, I didn’t get a confirmed berth in the train and had to sit
down the whole night.
28-09-14
Sunday off.
29-09-14
Visit to the Sanskrit College. Visit to the Baroda Oriental Research
Institute. Helpful staff, but I will have to come again tomorrow because they
could not open some of the almirahs.
30-09-14
I had requested to have the manuscripts ready before I arrive, and I
intentionally delayed one hour to give them time. As I could guess, when I
arrived at the Oriental Institute by 12 o’clock, they not even remembered
anything of the sort. I had to wait for one hour while they were tracing the
manuscripts in the almirahs... Night train to Jaipur.
01-10-14
Visit to the City Palace library. They told me that they can’t show me
any manuscript at present because the library caught fire some days ago and it
is under repair. Still they don’t believe that there is need to have the
collection scanned... Visit to the Sanjay Sharma Museum. Met several of my
local contacts.
02-10-14
Visit to the Sanskrit Academy. I called before going and they told me it
was open, but when I arrived there they told me that I wouldn’t be able to see
anything because they were all busy...
03-10-14
I had to catch a train to Bharatpur at 4 AM. In the evening I had paid the
guest house bill and informed the manager and staff that I needed to leave
before 4 AM and didn’t want any drama, to which they promptly agreed. At around
3:30 AM I called the very same staff to open the gate, but instead of doing it,
they started questioning if I had paid the bill. A few shouts made them
suddenly ‘remember’ that I had already paid. Once in Bharatpur, there was no
one in charge of the resting rooms in the station, and the only place in the
area seemed to be a filthy dharmashala. Having no option on sight, I got a room
there. On the wall there was a board in Hindi saying “do not spit on the
walls,” a request which was visibly not followed by most of their “guests.”
After 11 AM, I walked 2,5 km up to the local branch of the Oriental Research
Institute. Although I had called the officer a day before to ask if he would
open today, to which he acceded, when I arrived there, the door was closed. I
called the guy to ask what is going on, and he said that today is holiday. When
I asked why the hell he didn’t say that when I called yesterday, he replied
asking who I think I am to question him and that he doesn’t need to give
explanations to anyone. Once again the “learned” staff of the Oriental
“Research” Institute displaying how much they “care” for the researchers who
visit them. I rushed back to my room, packed, and jumped on the first bus to
Mathura. End of this expedition.
04-10-14 to 18-11-14
Kartika in Vrindavan, studying, translating, doing parikrama and running
after the same old folks to get the chance to see their manuscripts.
19-11-14
I had booked a train ticket from Mathura to Allahabad, but at the last
moment I came to know that the railway decided to cancel the Mathura halt and I
had to jump on the first bus to Agra. Arrived together with the train. So
started another expedition...
20-11-14
Met the principal of the Ganganath Jha Research Institute and after a
brief talk in Sanskrit, she approved my application to copy a few manuscripts.
Despite of it, the staff told me to sit and wait, and that is what I did the
whole day there without being shown a single page. Meanwhile I visited the
Prayag Hindi Sammelan, where I had previously been first told that the
manuscript section staff were on leave, then that they have no staff at all and
the ms section was permanently closed, and then that the ms section was under
renovation and wouldn’t open for many months. This time an intermediate put me
in touch with someone of the administration, who went with me to meet the
“librarian.” It became evident that the ms section is not closed, nor under
renovation, nor lacks staff. Yet the “‘librarian” had to call the staff to know
why he was not present. The guy was “too busy” somewhere else and would come
only tomorrow. I said that tomorrow I have to go Varanasi, so I can’t guarantee
that I would be able to come. The “librarian” seemed very satisfied with the
idea that I am leaving and assured me that they would look for my
manuscripts...
21-11-14
Since I couldn’t accomplish anything yesterday, I was forced to stay on
today. I arrived at the Ganganath Jha around 10 o’clock, but the staff started
to arrive after 11 AM. After another hour wasted, someone informed me that they
decided to send my application to the vice-chancellor and that only after they
hold a meeting they will come to a decision and then will send a letter to
Vrindavan to notify me... Since I am
still here, I decided to go again to the Hindi Sammelan to see what would
happen. The “librarian” very shamelessly said that the staff had actually come
yesterday and looked for my mss but unfortunately could not find them. I asked
how possibly could he fail to locate two different mss. After being puzzled for
a moment, the “librarian” said that the mss are both kept together in a single
bundle. This is one of the grossest and most stupid lies I heard recently.
Enough of these idiots. I rushed to the station and jumped on the first train
to Varanasi. Too bad that the track was under repair and the train arrived at
night.
22-11-14
Visit to the Visvanatha Library, Gopala Mandir and Sampurnananda
Sanskrit University. My application to see the library of the Kashiraj was
rejected by him under the pretext that the building is under renovation.
23-11-14
Met some panditas.
24-11-14
Visit to BHU and a private library. Train to Howrah.
25-11-14
The train was several hours late and thus I lost the whole morning. In
the afternoon I visited the Sanskrit College. This time the Principal
immediately approved my application without any drama. However, the staff
failed to locate the mss I wish. Visit to the Bangiya Sahitya Parishad. I
requested copies of a few pages of a ms and they told me that it will take one
week to “process” it.
26-11-14
I had a plan to visit Pathbari and got someone to call the Baba in
charge. He has no intention to open the library in less than one week. Given
the circumstances, I took a local train to Navadip.
27-11-14
Local train to Katwa and bus to Srikhanda. Visit to Narahari Thakur
Bari, but the Mahant was not there. I arrived too early at the Chittaranjan
Pathmandir and had to wait one hour until the librarian came. On the phone he
had agreed to let me take pictures, but on the way he changed his mind and
decided to send my application to the general secretary... Although we had to
purchase a copy of the printed catalogue of that library, which they don’t have
there, the numbers in it became useless after the National Mission for
Manuscripts staff went there, messed up everything, and left without finishing
the job. As he failed to locate the mss I want, the librarian’s bold tone faded
when I told him that I will have to report the case to the government. Back to
Narahari’s mandir, I met the Mahant, who told me that the collection they used
to have was given to that same library and that I do well in reporting them.
Bus to Katwa. I had checked the time table of trains to Navadvip and there was
none so soon, therefore I was planning to catch a bus. Somehow a dude convinced
me that there was a train to Navadvip now, so instead of going to the bus stand,
I got off at the railway station. There was indeed a train on the platform, but
it remained there for more than one hour and delayed more than one hour one the
way, thus I wasted the rest of the day in a 40 km journey.
28-11-14
Visit to the Sadharan Granthagar. I asked for the manuscript catalogue
and they almost sent me to the dogs. Met some local Gosvamis. After two days
staying in an ashram infested with mosquitoes and with a “bathroom” under the
open sky, I got flu and stress enough to run away as far as possible.
29-11-14
Met some local panditas.
30-11-14
Local train to Kolkata.
01-12-14
Visit to the Sanskrit College. They could locate most of the manuscripts
I had to see, but not all. Visit to the Kolkata University. In the manuscript
section they said that they have no staff available and therefore cannot show
anything. They also couldn’t say anything about anything and therefore gave me
the phone number of the lady in charge in case I want to talk directly to her.
Visit to the National Library. I didn’t bring my membership card, yet they were
kind enough to let me see some manuscripts.
02-12-14
Visit to the Caitanya “Research” Institute. The librarian was on leave
and the library won’t open until he comes back after some two weeks. Visit to
the Bangiya Sahitya Parisad. As one week passed, I thought they would have my
copies ready. Not at all. They just told me to copy the manuscript with my own
camera. I then asked for a copy of a couple of pages of an encyclopedia. They
told me to fill an application form and wait for another week so that they can
“process” it. For those who have read some of my previous entries, at this
point this should not be much surprising, isn’t it? And this is one of the main
libraries in Kolkata, one of the largest cities in the world. I had a friend to
call the lady in charge of the ms section in the Kolkata University and NMM in
West Bengal to find out what time she is available in the office. She just
wanted to know who the hell had given us her phone number and made it clear
that they have none of the manuscripts that we are looking for. Curiously, they
have about 60,000 and no catalogue. Well, I was just going to ask her if they
will finish their job in Srikhanda or I will have to report them to the
director of the NMM in Delhi. astu.
03-12-14
Visit to Pathbari. After being previously turned down in several visits,
finally the baba in charge was in a mood to open the library and I got to see
some nice scriptures. It paid off. Visit to the Bag Bazar Reading Library. I
arrived just a few minutes before their opening time. I had barely said a
couple of words and the staff told me to get the hell out of there because it
is closed. So sweet! Check out my previous entry on 03-12-13. This much of West
Bengal for now. Night train to Puri.
04-12-14
Visit to several temples. I’ve found the remnants of a ms library but
was not allowed to have a look. Spent the night at Siddha Bakul.
05-12-14
Morning bus to Bhubaneswar. I got off at the ISKCON temple thinking of
getting a room in the guest house, but it was full. I asked for a place in the
ashram, but they declined under the plea of lack of space. I had to catch the
local transportation to go to the station area and was forced to get a noisy,
sticky, albeit overrated room. Visit to the State Museum. The manuscript
section was closed. I asked the staff about it, but they couldn’t say anything
substantial. I walked around for a while and was about to give it up when
someone suddenly took me to the peon of the library, who was sitting idly somewhere
else. He told me that the librarian had gotten another job somewhere else and
therefore he doesn’t bother to open the library... I could read some mss, but
when I requested some copies, he told me that they have no one working on the
computer to give me a CD. I had to write an application and meet the curator,
who told me to call the librarian to find out when she plans to be present in
the library and possibly arrange my copies. I called her, explained my case,
and she hung up the phone at my face.
06-12-14
Train to Vijayawada.
07-12-14
Sunday. Darsana at Mangalagiri. Train to Chennai.
08-12-14
I arrived at the Govt. Oriental Manuscript Library at 11 AM and was told
that the staff had gone to drink tea. After one hour waiting, they had not come
back yet and someone in the office told me to go to complain to the librarian.
I went to the librarian room, but there was no one there. At last, the staff
showed up and I had to wait for another hour while they search for the mss I
want to see. Despite several applications since last year, they still did not
locate them, and obviously did not even attempt to previously. Visit to the
Sanskrit department.
09-12-14
Visit to the Gaudiya Math to see their library. Devotees were helpful
and I could find something interesting. Visit to the Adyar Library. This time,
surprisingly, I could meet both the librarian and the director. Check out the
entries on 10-01-13 and 12-12-13. I showed them a xerox copy of the front page
of the “Catalogue of the Microfilms in the Adyar Library...” and they coughed
asking who said they have no microfilms. After one hour talking among
themselves, opening drawers and almirahs, looking for keys here and there, etc.
they very proudly brought a few rolls to me. I had to inform them that microfilms
cannot be read without a projector. They were clueless about it. Someone had a
good idea and told me that the projector is broken.
10-12-14
Visit to the Madras University library. Visit to the K.V.Sarma Research
Foundation.
11-12-14
Train to Tirupati. Visit to the Vedic University. Someone had told me
they have 1 lakh mss, but actually they have around 3,000 only... Visit to the
Rastriya Sanskrit Vidyapitha library.
12-12-14
Visit to the Venkateswara Oriental Research Institute. I asked for the
catalogue of Sanskrit books and they told me they don’t have one and then
invited me to look the books one by one. Not much productive, and soon I had to
leave to have darsana of Balaji.
13-12-14
Visit to the Tirupati Tirumala Devasthana Library, but it was closed.
14-12-14
The whole day in a train to Tiruchchirapali.
15-12-14 to 07-01-15
I had decided to spend these days in Srirangam studying and translating
to avoid all the turmoil of the end/beginning of the year vacations, but things
didn’t turn well. The Vaikuntha-ekadasi festival happened to be right in this
period, which made it tough to get an accommodation. For almost a week I had to
sleep on the floor with several people. As it was quite cold and I hardly got
any sleep, I ended up sick for the next one week. I was lucky to rent a room at
someone’s house, but by the time I felt well, I just had a few days left and
had too many rounds to chant, so I rather went to visit some divya desas in the
area. Yet I visited several local libraries, met some panditas and copied some
good reference books.
08-01-15
Arrived in Mysore in the morning, where this time I had made some
arrangements to stay at some devotee’s house, given my extreme back luck with
accommodations here (check the entries on 02-02-13 and 24-12-13). As I didn’t
get any cooperation from the staff in the Oriental Institute in my previous
visits, this time I chalked out a plan. I came to know that they have an
adviser for foreign students, so I marked an appointment with him. Once in the
campus, nobody was able to explain where his office is. I was fortunate that my
host was taking me around on a two-wheeler, as it took us some 40 minutes going
up and down until we could find the place, otherwise I would have spent the
whole day walking, as usual. At last,
the man was quite polite, heard my case and called the ORI library to ask them
to cooperate. When we stood up and were about to leave, I just asked if he
could tell us some directions to go to the library, as we had been moving
around for a long time and had no idea of where we were. The guy just flipped
out and started screaming a lot of nonsense: “If you have been there before,
why the hell are you asking directions?” Note that his office was even in a
different campus. Too bad I didn’t have my pencam running... Anyway, once in
the ORI, the staff were surprisingly cooperative. Somehow the director arrived
right on time and was pleased to approve my application after exchanging some
Sanskrit words with me. While they were scanning a ms for me, I went to visit
the Maharaj Sanskrit College. What a surprise! The librarian was not there,
just as in all the previous years. Back in the ORI, I got my stuff on a CD and
was about to leave when I found a book which I had been looking for since long
ago. The director had already left, so I had to write an application and wait
until tomorrow.
09-01-15
Darshan of Lord Ranganatha in the morning. Back in the university, my
application was approved, but I would have to pay almost Rs 800 to shoot the
whole book. I thought it better to agree, as I had already wasted time and
money looking for it before. After a couple of hours taking pictures, I was
requested to give a copy to the library. I copied and pasted the files in their
PC, unplugged my cam and was already at the door when I heard a little voice at
the bottom of my mind: “Why don’t you check your data before leaving?” Good
idea. When I opened the picture viewer, it was said: “No image available.” Back
to the computer, I noticed that actually my memory card was empty. The program
was set to delete everything after copying, and of course nobody would tell me
that... They had to burn a CD for me, as their system setting wouldn’t allow
copying the files back. Anyway, after several fiascos in Mysore, at last I got
the job done! All is well that ends well. Night train to Udupi.
10-01-15 to 19-01-15
Daily visits to local libraries, research centers and temples. Met some
of the Swamis and also Dr. Bannanje Govindacharya.
20-01-15
Arrived in Bangalore in the morning.
Visit to the Vyasa Madhva Samsodhana Pratisthana.
21-01-15
Visit to the Madhva Visva Parisad library.
22-01-15
Train to Vijayawada.
23-01-15
Darsana at Mangalagiri.
24-01-15
I had a few things to do in Vijayawada and a train ticket for tomorrow
morning, so I thought better to get a room nearby the station. Despite being
called ‘Srinivasa’, I soon realized that the so-called guest house was full of
drunkards, including the staff, who spent the whole night screaming and
laughing. As if it were not enough, my bed was full of bugs. God knows how I
spent this night.
25-01-15
Train to Rajahmundry. Given the last nightmare, I requested some
devotees to arrange accommodation in the ISKCON temple. I walked 1,5 km from
the station and when I arrived at the gate, I asked the guard about the guest
house and he told me that it is not here and that I should walk ahead, which
cost me another km walking under the sun with 15 kg of luggage almost up to the
bridge until I had the luck of meeting a temple devotee on the way. The guest house
is just behind the same gate where I asked information...
26-01-15
I had a few places to visit in the area but totally forgot that today is
the Republic Day and no library will be open.
27-01-15
Train to Visakhapatnam. I went all the way up on the hill with my
luggage expecting to get an accommodation in the Simhachalam temple guest house
and had to walk all over the complex until I found the office just to hear that
they don’t give rooms to single males and that this is a ‘government rule’.
Again all the way down the hill where I was given a room in the first guest
house I saw. Apparently they never heard of that ‘government rule’.
28-01-15
Train to Puri.
29-01-15
Visit to the Jagannath Chetana Gavesana Pratisthan.
30-01-15 to 31-01-15
Visit to several temples and mathas.
01-02-15
Visit to the Rama Krishna Mission library.
02-02-15
Visit to the Jagannath Research Institute
03-02-15
Visit to the Bharat Seva Ashram library.
04-02-15
Visit to the District Library. Despite its name, nobody in the town
seems to know its location, so I had to spend a long time going up and down to
figure it.
05-02-15
Visit to more a few local libraries. I need to consult a few old issued
of the magazine “Orissa Review” published by the state government. I couldn’t
find them in any of the local libraries but was again and again referred to
their publication office. I went to see the officer there, explained that I was
doing a research, showed him a list with the reference of the magazines and
asked where I could find them. When the fellow saw the dates of the magazines,
as early as 1988, he became enraged and asked me if I know that we are now in
2015, as if I were a retard asking a very stupid question. Again remarkable how
this kind of folks are in charge of the ‘culture’ and ‘publication’ sectors.
06-02-15
Train to Balasore. Darsana of Ksiracora Gopinatha.
07-02-15
As the locals are planning to build a temple for Baladeva Vidyabhusana,
I am looking forward to making his books available here, since this is the
reason why he is known to us, first of all. I checked out in Remuna in the
afternoon to depart to Gopivallabhpur (95 km away) but soon came to know that
there would be no bus to the city before evening. When the bus came, I decided
to ‘save time’ by getting down at the bypass stop to catch another bus to
Baripada instead of going another 4 km to the bus stand. Bad idea. I got inside
the first bus without being able to see the situation inside. By the time I
figure it, the bus had already started. It was packed in such a way that not
even a fly could move inside. I had to spend one and a half hour being squeezed
and having my luggage tossed around. At last, when I arrived they told me that
there won’t be any buses to Gopivallabhpur before tomorrow morning. I had to
spend the night in a dump by the bus stand.
08-02-15
Nobody could say exactly when there would be a bus to Gopivallabhpur, so
I had to wait. After waiting for almost a couple of hours, the bus departed and
took another two hours to reach, although it is just 35 km. Although we had
called the Mahant and he said that he would let me have a look at his library,
now he says that he is too busy with some celebrations... I briefly looked
someone’s library in the neighborhood and that was it.
09-02-15
I had to catch the first bus in the morning, so this time I notified 10
times the staff and the manager of the same lodge (vide the entry on 01-06-14),
and they assured me that this time they wouldn’t lock the gate. Around 4:15 AM,
I came downstairs and – what a surprise – the gate was locked from outside.
This time I had the phone number of the receptionist, so I had to call him
twice to make him open the gate. I arrived at the bus stop at the last moment
and there was no more seats available. Train from Kharagpur to Howrah. Spent
the rest of the day reading at Pathbari.
10-02-15
Visit to the Bangiya Sahitya Parisad. Visit to the Sanskrit Sahitya
Parisad. The librarian passed away and there is no one looking after the
manuscript section now. Visit to the Caitanya Research Centre.
11-02-15
Another visit to the Bangiya Sahitya Parisad. This time, for some reason
they felt suspicious that I was several times consulting the same manuscript
and decided to hold me while they check each page. This took almost a couple of
hours, but at the end there was actually an extra number of pages. Visit to the
Chaitanya Library (different than the one above), but it was closed.
12-02-15
I visited the Chaitanya Library early in the morning in the scheduled
time, but when I arrived the librarian told me that he was closing and I should
come in the evening. Visit to the Bag Bazar Gaudiya Math just to check the
position in the library. They told me that if I want to see any book, I will
have to wait for two years until they open their museum.
13-02-15
Visit to the Sanskrit College. I had purchased many books and went to
the post office to dispatch them, but they were not working because their
network was off. I was referred to another branch where they said that they
would ship my books only if I could produce a license! The result of this show
of incompetence was that I had to spend the whole day carrying a load of books
and was forced to travel with them. Night train to Varanasi. I woke up in
middle of the night totally frozen, which later caused ear and throat
infection.
14-02-15
Visit to the Chowkhamba Sanskrit Sansthan and Gopal Mandir. Met some
contacts supposed to help me to acquire copies of manuscripts.
15-02-15
Most of the day on the bed, ill.
16-02-15
Visit to BHU. Train to Mathura.
17-02-15
Not in very good condition, but back home at last.
18-02-15 to 09-04-15
Translating in Vrindavan.
10-04-15
Train to Jaipur.
11-04-15
The whole day visiting temples and meeting people.
12-04-15
I received an invitation to attend a function at Galta, so I took the
opportunity to meet the Mahant. He told me to come tomorrow to talk better.
13-04-15
The Mahant postponed our meeting for tomorrow. Visit to the Sanskrit
Academy.
14-04-15
Most of the day in Galta. Upon discussing about Vijaya Gopala, it became
apparent that the background history behind the deity is quite obscure and a
proper investigation is most desirable.
15-04-15
Visit to the Oriental Research Institute.
16-04-15
Visit to the City Palace Library.
17-04-15 and 18-04-15
Spent a lot of time searching for temples called Vijaya Gopala. I came
to know of four of them so far, a couple right at Badi Chaupad, but there is no
hint that any of them had any relation with Vidyabhusana. No clues of Vijaya
Syamasundara either.
19-04-15
Early in the morning, I left for Karauli. I booked a ticket by the
window, but soon after I sat down, a fellow got in demanding that I vacate the
seat, which he claimed to be his. I pointed out the seat number and made it
clear that I had booked this particular seat, but he started yelling that I was
not on the right place. I asked if there was anyone around able to read and
count to show it to this fellow, who was either illiterate or just a regular
jerk, but nobody came forward, so I had to start yelling twice as loudly to
make him understand. He shut up and only then someone decided to explain to him
how to count the seats. The window was not of much use, since I hardly could
open it because the fellow on the front seat was spitting all the way. Five
painful hours to reach Karauli and temple was already closed.
20-04-15
Chanting my rounds and putting my data in order.
21-04-15
Bus to Hindaun, train to Mathura, tempo to Vrindavan, right on time to
have Candana Yatra darsana in the main temples.
22-04-15 to 08-06-15
Intense research work to write the introduction of the
‘Gaura-gana-svarupa-tattva-candrika,’ which implied several visits to various
local libraries and a long time looking for references. After more than a year,
I’ve visited the Vrindavan “Research” Institute to see if there was any
“improvement.” I wanted to consult a book, but there is no catalogue; I needed
to see a microfilm, but there is no projector; I wished to check a few
manuscripts, but they were all sent for being repaired…
09-06-15
Bus to New Delhi, where I have several matters to deal with. I was told
the 5 am bus is always empty, so I didn’t book a ticket. However, when I got
in, there were about twenty people standing and I didn’t get a seat before
Faridabad…
10-06-15
Most of the day busy to renew my passport.
11-06-15
Visit to the National Mission for Manuscripts office. I had all my
requests declined under the excuse that the staff is on leave. There is no
director for more than one year and the coordinator at present is unable even
to coordinate answers to the questions he is asked. I kept on asking if I could
consult the updated catalogues and he kept on saying that they cannot give me
copies of the manuscripts. Ouch, my pencamera is not working anymore…
Visit to the Indira Gandhi Kala Kendra, where the staff were helpful and
polite as usually, but I couldn’t see everything I needed before they closed
for lunch…
12-06-15
Back to Vrindavan, this time by train.
13-06-15 to 05-08-15
Continuous research and translation work.
06-08-15
Despite a previous resolution that I wouldn’t go anywhere during the
rainy season, I had to catch a train to Varanasi to solve a few matters.
Ironically, just today it started raining after several weeks without rain…
07-08-15
The train arrived several hours late, as usual. I had received a promise
that the Vice-chancellor of the Sanskrit University would facilitate manuscript
copies, so in the evening, I called him to mark an appointment. He asked me to
come to his house at 11 o’clock tomorrow morning.
08-08-15
Meanwhile I came to know that the VC who had made the promise was
removed from his post due to several fraudulent activities and there was
someone else in his place. I arrived at the gate of the VC’s residence right on
time, but the gatekeeper informed me that he had left for his office. In the
office, I had to fill a request for meeting him and wait in the line. When at
last my turn came, there were several people talking to the VC, who then just
handed my application to someone else and referred me to the librarian, the
same jerk who had previously rejected my applications. So I was caught in the
same situation as in the previous attempts. This time the librarian said that
my application was not in the proper terms, and that if I get another letter
more to his taste, then they might consider my case. After that I went to meet
the head of the department of Buddhist philosophy to ask a few philosophical
questions. He could not answer them but instead asked me a couple of very
‘brilliant’ questions: first if I was Japanese (duh), and then, not being
satisfied with the answer, if Brazil was near Japan (duh, duh). Sometimes I
simply can’t understand how I could spend ten years in Varanasi…
09-08-15
Since the Sanskrit Faculty in BHU is open today, Sunday, I went there to
meet some professors, but it was not much productive because they were in
‘Sunday mood’…
10-08-15
Visit to the central library in BHU. I had written down the accession
number of a book and handed it to the staff. The guy argued that the number was
wrong. I said that it is exactly as displayed in the OPAC. He retorted that it
is not possible because in the OPAC there are no such numbers. I went back to
the computer terminal and this time I took a screen shot. When I showed him, he
just avoided the matter saying that the book is misplaced and he can’t do
anything now… I tried another book in another section, but there was no trace
of it in the proper shelf, although I am quite sure that nobody would borrow
it. Well, this is just routine in most libraries around, anyway.
I moved on to the Sanskrit Faculty, and this time I managed to have some
more intelligible interactions. In the evening, I went to put some copies of my
last publication, the Mula-ramayana, in some book stores. Chowkhamba took five
copies, Harmony took two copies, but at Indica the guy just looked at me and
said, “We don’t keep this kind of books,” even before I could say or show
anything. I couldn’t help but asking which kind of books he meant. He insisted,
“We don’t sell religious books.” I softly mentioned that what I have here is a
didactic publication meant for scholars. “We don’t sell these either.” At this
point, I just walked off as fast as I could. Remark that they boast to be a
leading seller of Indological books… And I spent ten years in this place!!!
11-08-15
Visit to the Gopala Mandir to try to meet the Maharaj there, but I
missed the time in which he receives visitors. Yet I didn’t miss a nice
darsana. Afterwards I had a pleasant meeting and discussion with a professor at
Sanskrit University, who, by the way, in not from Varanasi. Spent the evening
making contacts to get access to Kashiraja’s library.
12-08-15
Visit to the Vidya Math, but the library was not open. Another visit to
the central library in BHU. I went to see if I could find the supposedly
misplaced book. Neither was the number wrong nor the book misplaced; it just
took me a couple of minutes to find it. The staff guy was looking with dismay.
Visit to the Udupi Math to ask a few questions.
13-08-15
I met the Maharaj at Gopala Mandir to ask a few questions. He asked me
to come back after a couple of hours. Since this is the time it would take to
go anywhere and come back, I went to the Bindu Madhava Mandir to have darsana
and try to chant some rounds. Too crowded for the latter. Maharaj was very kind
to answer my questions and filled my hands with his publications. Enough of
Varanasi, and once again, no manuscripts. Extremely hot and no electricity most
of the night during this whole week. Night train to Lucknow.
14-08-15
That was the most stinking train I’ve ever taken. I barely could breath.
Arrived early morning but had to walk around for one and a half hour to find a
room vacant – and what a news – a real dump for an outrageous rate. I knocked
at every dharmashala far and wide, all packed up to the top. By the time I
could take a shower, it was already time to go to work. Visit to the Lucknow
Museum, where the director very politely told me I wouldn’t be able to see
anything today because the lady in charge of the manuscript section is on leave.
Does this sound familiar? The next stop would be the UP Sanskrit Sansthan. As
there was no straight public transportation, I asked an autowala how much he
would charge. The rascal asked more than double. I walked to the next crossing
and asked another wala, who incidentally was then talking to a couple of
policemen, and in front of them asked me even more than the previous guy. I
turned to the policemen and remarked, “Just see how they rip off people even in
front of you without the least hesitation.” Yet it didn’t occur to them that
there was anything wrong… A devotee was passing by on a scooter, saw the whole
thing and offered me a lift. In a few minutes I reached the place, but when I
asked to see some manuscripts, they told me that I would need the permission of
the director, who – what a wonder – was out of station and they had no idea for
how long. I was ripped off other three times before the end of the day. Really
a memorable first visit to the capital of the state!
15-08-15
Several hours on a public bus to reach Naimisaranya. Spent a painful
evening and night without electricity until 6 o’clock in the morning. Extremely
hot and full of mosquitoes.
16-08-15
Visited temples and mathas around. Met the Mahant of the main temple
here, but when I told him what I am looking for, he was not the least
interested and referred me to his assistant, who not even knew what a
manuscript is (‘pandulipi’ in Hindi). Met other ‘panditas’ around, but the
response was the same…
17-08-15
It seems that here there is electricity only a few hour early in the
morning and that is it... After enquiring from many people and walking up and
down many times, at last I found the only research institute in town, but –
surprise, surprise – the director was not on station. Bus to Lucknow. Spent the night at another dump by the
railway station.
18-08-15
The director of the Lucknow Museum had told me to come today, but he
himself did not. The lady in charge of the manuscripts, the hell of a psycho,
flatly refused to show me even their list without a written permission from the
director. Here we go… I called the UPSS, but no news about the director. On the
way back, I asked a shopkeeper how to go to the station, but he turned his face
away without replying. Enough of Lucknow, one of the most disgusting places
I’ve ever seen. Train to New Delhi.
19-08-15
Visit to the IGNCA. I could see only the reference section of the
library because the librarian was on leave…
20-08-15 and 21-08-15
The whole day reading catalogues and microfilms at IGNCA.
22-08-15 and 23-08-15
Libraries closed, so weekend off to do homework.
24-08-15 and 25-08-15
The whole day at IGNCA trying to locate materials which were not exactly
where they were supposed to be… Yet I have to give credit to the staff for
being very helpful.
26-08-15
Bus to Vrindavan, right on time for the Jhulan Yatra. Three weeks out
felt like many months.
27-08-15 to 26-09-15
Visit to several local libraries. Finishing the introduction to the
Gaura-gana-tattva-svarupa-candrika and getting it ready for printing.
27-09-15
The whole day on a train to Haridwar. When it was just 5 km away from
the final stop, the engine failed and we had to stop for a couple of hours…
28-09-15
Moving around making contacts and visiting temples.
29-09-15
The whole day on a bus to Joshimath. Felt badly nauseous and had a hard
time. Arrived in the evening and visited the local temples. Got a cheap room in
a lodge but couldn’t sleep because there were bugs on the bed.
30-09-15
Bus to Badrinath. Again no sleep at night, this time because I was
freezing. At least it was too cold for any bug…
01-10-15
Visit to the Badrinath temple library. I asked to see the catalogue, but
the guy in charge claimed they had none. I pointed out the numbers on each
book. After a moment of silence, he said that he would have to search for the
catalogue. By good fortune, the manuscripts were in the same almirah as the
catalogue, but when I said that this is what I am looking for, he retorted that
they have no manuscripts… Even this far up on the hills it is the same thing…
02-10-15
Bus to Deoprayag. I asked directions in the local temple to reach the
Naksatra Vedhashala, where they have a manuscript library, but the pujari said
that the people there were out of station. I pondered for some time and decided
to verify it, although I would have to climb a hill and it was already dark. It
paid off, as indeed the owner was at home and was very helpful.
03-10-15
I was told that the first bus to Haridwar would come at 6:30 AM and that
there would be plenty of vacant seats. It actually came at 7 o’clock and there
was no seat. I had to squeeze on the motor with my luggage.
04-10-15
I had a waiting list train ticket to Delhi, which unfortunately didn’t
get confirmed and I was forced to take a public bus to Delhi. The driver was
probably a drunkard and at some point the bus almost collapsed, which made my
head hit the window very badly.
05-10-15
The whole day at the IGNCA library.
06-10-15
Visit to the National Archives. The Oriental Records Section in charge
is a Muslim, and when I requested to see the catalogue of Sanskrit manuscripts
and records, he tried to evade the matter saying that if I am doing research, I
should ask my guide where I can find materials instead of coming here to see if
they have anything. I replied that my ‘guide’ did send me here to search. He
opened voluminous a hand list and started flipping the pages at random. “This,
this and this is about Sanskrit, but as I don’t know much on the matter, I
can’t let you read it. Come another day and talk to the director.” If I had not
seen this almost daily for quite a few years, I’d probably have become really
enraged. I just walked off and took the first train to Jaipur.
07-10-15
I was missing Govindaji. The whole day at the City Palace Library.
08-10-15
Visit to the Sanjaya Museum.
09-10-15
Visit to the Oriental Research Institute and the Sanskrit Academy.
10-10-15
Another visit to the City Palace Library.
11-10-15
Meeting with a local pandita who owns a manuscript library.
12-10-15
Visit to the Maharaj Sanskrit College.
13-10-15
I had planned to go to Bikaner but just realized that today navaratra
starts and it is unlikely that I will find anyone working in these days… Train
to Udaipur.
14-10-15
Visit to the Devasthan Vibhag.
15-10-15
Bus to Nathdwara.
16-10-15 and 17-10-15
I was looking for some pusti-marga scholar to put a few questions but
found no one…
18-10-15
Bus to Udaipur and train to Mathura.
19-10-15 to 18-11-15
Kartika in Vrindavan, studying, translating, doing parikrama and trying
to get the “Gaura-gana” printed. In a lapse of sense, I decided to give a
chance to a local printer. They cut the paper in the wrong size and set the
pages in the wrong order…
19-11-15
Starting a new expedition despite some health issues. Tempo to Mathura,
train to Chitrakoot. There was a joined family in the train that simply refused
to turn any light off or stop talking loudly for even a minute until they got
down late in the morning. I got zero sleep.
20-11-15
Parikrama.
21-11-15
Visit to the Sanskrit College. Of course, the principal was not there.
22-11-15
Train to Varanasi.
23-11-15
Visit to the Sampurnanand Sanskrit University. For years my applications
for copies of manuscripts have always been rejected. This time I sent an
application by mail in advance requesting to read a few manuscripts. The
librarian rejected it because I’m submitting too many applications… I was
advised to meet the State Governor to report the matter.
24-11-15
Visit to the BHU library.
25-11-15
Due to the Sampurnanand rascals, I couldn’t book a ticket in advance,
and at the last moment, all I could get was a lower berth in a train to
Barddhaman, which was many hours late. Of course, there were several people
without reservation sitting there. Besides being freezing cold, someone decided
to keep the window open. Needless to say, I got zero sleep.
26-11-15
Madly crowded bus to Navadvip, squeezing with my luggage. There were
Devi processions all over Navadvip and the roads were blocked. I had to walk
with luggage all the way to the ghat (3 Km) to catch a boat to Mayapur. Arrived
in pieces.
27-11-15
Meeting with a local scholar.
28-11-15
Visit to Navadvip to meet some Gosvamis. No one was available, though.
29-11-15
Boat to Navadvip, bus to Barddhaman, and train to Bolpur. In the
manuscript section at Visva-bharati, I came to know that the reference numbers
I had were useless because they made a new list. The so-called list has no head
and no legs, was hand written in such a way in Bengali characters that there is
hardly anyone able to understand it, and, as if it were not enough, the new
numbers also don’t help much, since the manuscripts are not kept in order
anyway… At least I met some local
devotees who may try to help in the matter.
30-11-15
Train to Kolkata, crowded like hell. In Kolkata there was a Jain
procession blocking the road in which I was supposed to catch a bus. It cost me
a few km walk with luggage. I have a feeling that this expedition started with
the left foot…
01-11-15
Visit to the Kolkata University. I requested to consult a few
manuscripts, and they replied that usually they take one week to locate them…
Despite the previous experiences, I tried once again the Bagbazar Reading
Library. For the first time they let me read the catalogue, and there was no
drama! On the contrary of what they claimed, and as I suspected, they indeed
have some good Gaudiya books.
02-12-15
Visit to the Chaitanya Library, which is supposed to open at 7 AM. I
arrived at 7:30 and had to stand at the gate until they opened at 8 AM and then
rush before they close at 8:30… Visit to the Chaitanya Research Institute, but
the librarian was not there…
03-12-15
I attempted to visit the Asiatic Society, but someone at the gate
stopped me saying that years ago I had taken some pictures without permission.
They made a drama and didn’t let me go inside. My request to speed up the
process at the Kolkata University was only partially successful, as they
located only some of the manuscripts. Moreover, they made it clear that they
won’t allow any copies whatsoever… All the
time while I was reading, I could hear a lady growling and roaring like hell in
the next door. It was the manuscript section in charge… Visit to the Sanskrit
College, but neither the librarian nor the staff were present.
04-12-15
Train to Balasore. Ksiracora Gopinatha’s darsana is a solace after a
couple of weeks of struggle.
05-12-15
Train to Puri.
06-12-15
Still trying to have a look at what is left in some of the local
temples. At Bhattacarya’s house there are a few bundles of manuscripts, but the
Mahanta is just letting them rot and is adamant in not letting anybody read
them…
07-12-15 and 08-12-15
Visiting temples and meeting people.
09-12-15
Meeting with a research officer of the Jagannatha Sanskrit University.
10-12-15
Train to Bhubaneswar. Visit to the State Museum library. Visit to the
State Archives.
11-12-15
Train to Vijayawada.
12-12-15
Darsana at Mangalagiri. Train to Chennai.
13-12-15
I didn’t know what to expect, but Chennai is dry, sunny and hot, despite
the devastating flood just a few days ago. I got a dump nearby the University
and couldn’t sleep because the bed was full of bugs.
14-12-15
Visit to the Government Oriental Manuscript Library. For three years they have been
failing to locate the mss I want to consult. This time they promised they will
make it.
15-12-15
GOML again. I was flabbergasted to see that they managed to find the
mss! Visit to the Sanskrit Dept. of the Madras University.
16-12-15
Local train to Kanchipuram.
17-12-15
Visiting temples and meeting people.
18-12-15
Bus to Villupuram. Another dump by the station and again no sleep at
night, as most of the other ‘guests’ preferred to spend the night talking
loudly, laughing hysterically and watching TV with maximum volume.
19-12-15
For the first time in almost twenty years in India, I caught the wrong
train thanks to consistently wrong information. It dropped me 40 Km in the
opposite direction and I lost a couple of hours in two buses to reach
Cuddalore. Too much travelling, too much stress and hardly any sleep for more
than a week made my health collapse. On bed with fever and several other
symptoms, possibly due to the flood after effects.
20-12-15
Local train to Chidambaram.
21-12-15
Bus to Sirkazhi.
22-12-15
Bus to Mayiladutturai.
23-12-15
Bus to Nagapattinam.
24-12-15
Bus to Kumbakonam.
25-12-15
A motorbike accident put me out of the scene. I will have to cancel the
next destinations until I am able to walk again.
14-02-16
After a whole night in a train without much sleep, after catching a
riksha to the ghat, after crossing the river, after catching a bus, and after
tottering all the way to the reception carrying a heavy bag, I was flatly
refused a room at the ISKCON Mayapur Guest House. "We can't give a room to
a single male." I hardly could believe what I heard. The staff called the
administration to say that I am a foreigner and a brahmacari and ask if they
could give me a room. Rejected: they won't give any accommodation to a foreign
brahmacari, and that is it. They not even attempted to offer any suggestion or
assistance so that I could get a place to stay somewhere else. How ironic that
I receive invitations to stay for free in several Gaudiya Mathas, in the houses
of friends, and even in Babaji's ashrams around Mayapur and Navadvip, yet I was
thinking that it would be better to stay nearby the temple to attend the
programs and thus also give some contribution to the complex. Little did I know
that I am not welcome even paying, and that only because I am a brahmacari.
Srila Prabhupada would be so proud that devotees are coming from the other side
of the planet and are shown the gate. As I have been to Mayapur so many times,
I had no difficulty to immediately get a good room outside, but I feel sorry
for other foreign visitors who might have been coming for the first time, and
not being acquainted with the place, after so much trouble might end up in some
of the low class lodges around, which are known to also work as brothels.
Apparently the administration in ISKCON Mayapur don't mind if brahmacaris might
have to stay in such places, but staying in the temple guest house is
unacceptable.
26-02-16
After such a turbulent expedition, I am more than glad to be back in
Vrindavan, where a lot of work was awaiting me. There were several destinations
in between and I did get some job done, but I didn't feet like keeping records.
27-02-16 to 23-04-16
Doing some translations for the Sri Sri Radha-Shyamsundar Temple and
working on the next publications.
24-04-16
Trip to Jaipur.
25-04-16
The whole day visiting temples and meeting people. Visit to Galta, but
the Mahanta was not there.
26-04-16
Visit to the City Palace Library. Things have been deteriorating there
and I couldn’t consult the books I wished because they have no functional
catalogue at present.
27-04-16
I met the Mahant of Govindadev Mandir, but as usual, there was sign that he will ever take any interest in this project. Someone had promised to help in the matter but actually did nothing and almost sent me to the dogs when I inquired.
28-04-16
Visit to the Sanjay Museum.
29-04-16
Visit to the Sanskrit Academy.
30-04-16
I called a professor of the Jaipur University on the phone to ask if I
could meet him to put a few questions related to my research project. He asked
me who the hell I think I am to speak to him in this way (!?)
01-05-16
Sunday. I had booked waiting listed tickets to Bikaner in two different
trains for today, but somehow I didn’t get a seat in either.
02-05-16
Visit to the Maharaj Public Library, where they supposedly have some
books I need, but although they have a catalogue, the books are not kept in any
order. I had to give up after wasting a lot of time roaming in the stack... And
of course, the staff are clueless about anything related to books...
Night train to Bikaner.
03-05-16
Visit to the Rajasthan State Archives. At last, the director gave me
permission to have access to the library. Thanks to some friends’ arrangements,
this time I received the hospitality of a local family, which spared me the
usual headaches with accommodation.
04-05-16
Struggling a lot to figure what is what in the middle of millions of
records, mostly in old Rajasthani. I was shown a ‘catalogue’ fallen apart and
highly unintelligible. When I asked some basic questions about the collections
and the classification, the staff told me that the only person who knows about
these things is on leave...
05-05-16
After wasting the last couple of days trying to figure their
‘catalogues’ – which are nearly useless for most purposes and not even have
accurate centuries mentioned – at around 11 AM I requested to see a bundle of
documents. Every half an hour or so I received a “it’s coming” notice. By 4 PM
the clerk was “kind enough” to tell me that he was going to phone the guy who
works in the stack to come to work. By the time I received the said bundle, it
was almost time to close... Before I left, I met the director and told him why
I couldn’t finish my job, and he chastised me for not complaining to him
several hours earlier, as if I knew what was going on... I had already booked a
ticket for tonight, so I had go.
06-05-16
In the afternoon, the research officer of the Archives calls me on the
phone indignant because the director reprimanded him... I had to stop in a few
places and ended up in a very delayed train. Reached Vrindavan around 11 PM.
June - July, 2016
Visits to several libraries in Mathura, Alwar (Rajasthan) and a few
other places. Working intensely on the next publications.
05-08-16
For years I’ve been visiting the Madana-mohana Mandir with the hope of
having a look at the library, and the Mahant has been always refusing under
several lame excuses, such as the old story of the lost key. Being a regular
visitor, I developed what I believed to be a friendly relation with the family
and was often bringing them prasada from different places of India and even
carrying prasada for their relatives in Jaipur. After years hearing their
complaints about health problems, I requested an acquainted chiropractor to
treat the Mahant and his wife, and for two months he gave them free treatment
several times a week at their home. Not that we expected anything in return,
except perhaps for a pinch of humanity, but taking the opportunity of the
Hariyali Teej, today I went to the temple and once again inquired about the
library. The Mahant told me straight away that he has absolutely no time to
show me anything, which obviously means that he will never let me see the
library, as we are speaking of a 70 year-old whom I’ve never seen doing
anything except for sitting idly at any time of the day. People like these make
me think that I’ve adopted the wrong religion. No surprise that hardly anyone
visits this temple. Note that this is the oldest Gaudiya temple in Vrindavan,
established by Sanatana Gosvami. The conversation can be heard here.
06-08-16 to 06-09-16
Getting the Tattva-dipika ready to print.
07-09-16
Tempo to Mathura, train to Bharatpur, train to Jodhpur.
08-09-16
Visit to the Oriental Research Institute. At this point, everything is
quite predictable. Vide the previous entries on Jodhpur…
09-09-16
Train to Jaipur.
10-09-16 to 12-09-16
There is viral epidemic around and I was unlucky. Three days on bed with
fever.
13-09-16
Most of the day in Galta. Several hours of talk with the Mahant.
14-09-16
Visit to the Rajasthan Sanskrit Academy. Visit to the City Palace
Library.
15-09-16
Train to Mathura.
19-09-16
Train to Dehradun.
20-09-16
Not much impressed by the local libraries, but the number of bed bugs in
the guest houses nearby the station is a record.
21-09-16
Bus to Janaki Chatti.
22-09-16
Visit to Yamunotri.
23-09-16
The whole day in a bus back to Dehradun.
24-09-16
The whole day in a train back to Mathura.
26-09-16
Train to Udaipur.
27-09-16
Visit to the Oriental Research Institute. On the contrary of their other
offices, the librarian here is always gentle. On the other hand, he has the
habit of keeping talking to me while I am reading the manuscripts, or at least
trying…
28-09-16 to 01-10-16
Nathdwara. Despite my efforts, there is no clue that I am anywhere
closer to have access to Vallabhacarya’s manuscript library.
02-10-16
Train to Ajmer.
03-10-16
Visit to Pushkar.
04-10-16
Train to Jaipur.
05-10-16
Visit to the Balanand Math. In my last visit, the Mahant had told me to
come after one week. Now he told me to come after one month because he is “too
busy.” In this case also, we are speaking of a 70 year old who sits idly the
whole day in a temple that is hardly ever visited by anyone and there is hardly
ever anything happening.
06-10-16
I had an appointment in the Oriental Research Institute in Bharatpur in
the morning, but due to a misinformation displayed at the station, I got in the
wrong train and ended up in another direction. As I couldn’t make it on time, I
decided better to head towards Kaurali to see Madana Mohana ji, since my train
was going to that district. I recollected that when I quickly passed by some
months earlier, I lamented for not being able to stop for a couple of days as I
usually do every year. Somehow my wish was fulfilled…
08-10-16
Back to Vrindavan, where the Tattva-dipika has just arrived from the
press.
09-10-16 to 20-11-16
Working in the next publication. For three years I’ve been applying to
see a ms at the VRI, but they persistently refuse. At last, here is what they
deserve: http://news.vrindavantoday.org/2016/11/no-research-vrindavan-research-institute/
21-11-16
Train to Lucknow. Beginning the winter expedition.
22-11-16
Arrived in the UP Sanskrit Sansthan at noon. The lady in charge of the
manuscript section was not there and nobody knew her whereabouts. After some
time I came to know that she was in the bank and would come back in a “few
hours.” I was told to wait and so did I until 4 PM when she showed up. She
agreed to show me the mss I wished, but there was a “small” inconvenience –
they were not kept in any specific order and I we would have to look one by
one. By 5:30 it was already time to close and we found nothing. She “invited”
me to come tomorrow.
23-11-16
As I really don’t have time to squander, I caught an early morning train
to Allahabad. At Ganganath Jha Research Institute, the fellow in charge of the
ms section was on leave, so I was told to write an application... Someone from
the Prayag Hindi Sahitya Sammelan promised to help with the staff in the ms
section, but he was also not in the office due to health issues. I was on the
way to visit the State Archives library when someone informed me that the ms
section in charge was also on leave... And note that there is an absurd number
of holidays in this country and in any case these folks hardly do any work...
24-11-16
As things didn’t go well, I had to catch a train to Varanasi at 4
o’clock in the morning. Visit to the Gopal Mandir, where last time the present
acharya had promised that he would show me his ms library list. Although I
refreshed his mind about the matter, this time he declared that the list is
“private” and “confidential” and therefore he won’t show me anything. At this
point I shouldn’t be so surprised anymore, but it is really shocking that even
such a so-called Vaisnava leader and guru doesn’t have the slightest hesitation
to break his word, let alone showing even a pinch of sympathy for the work I
do. Since I was there, I decided to stay for prasada. Soon after I was served,
the cooks started yelling hysterically because one of them had given a plate to
a sadhu and therefore there would not be prasada enough. The argument became
more and more heated and culminated with one of the “cooks” kicking the sadhu’s
plate full of prasada. I’d like to have filmed the whole incident to share in
Youtube some of the most barbaric scenes I’ve witnessed in life, particularly
from people I judged to be Vaisnavas. I used to have respect for the
Pusti-marga.
25-11-16
Visit to the Sanskrit University. Trying to get some assistance to get
something from the ms library.
26-11-16
The whole day in BHU. Visit to the ms section.
27-11-16
Visit to the Vidya Math
28-11-16
I had booked a ticket to Kolkata months ago, but the train was more than
eighteen hours late, which means it would depart in the mid of the night and
arrive in the mid of the next night. After checking the options and
recollecting the feeling of sitting or standing for hours in a railway station
at night in the winter, I cancelled it.
29-11-16
I had to book nothing less than five tickets until I was lucky to get a
confirmed one, that too for a train five hours late.
30-12-16 to 02-12-16
Moving around in Navadvipa meeting some Gaudiya scholars.
03-12-16
I’ve been unusually unlucky with trains in these days: I had a waiting
list ticket (number 1) in one of the few trains from Navadvipa that can be
booked, but I didn’t get a seat. When I came to know it, it was already too
late to catch an early morning local train, and this spoiled my whole plan for
today. Reached Kolkata late in the evening after a couple of local trains.
04-12-16
I had to meet a librarian today, but he didn’t show up.
05-12-16 to 06-12-16
The whole day seeing manuscripts at Pathbari.
07-12-16
Visit to the National Library. I patiently waited for one hour after
submitting a slip to see a book but got no response. I was referred to one of
the library supervisors, who had to go himself to the stack and came back with
the book after another ten minutes. They lost my slip and could not explain why
they let me waiting... Visit to the Sanskrit College. I went inside the
library, but there was no one. I looked around. No one. I stood for some
minutes and then thought better to sit down, as God knows how long this may
take... Since I was sitting in the library, I just picked a catalogue that was
at hand so that I could do something meaningful instead of sitting idly. After
some time, one of the workers showed up and started to make a case asking me
who let me in and who gave me permission to pick a book. I explained that I was
waiting for a long time, etc., but my reply didn’t appeal to her. She called
the section in charge, who came in yelling at me that he won’t even let me read
the catalogue.
08-12-16
Train to Balasore.
09-12-16
Meeting people in Remuna. Baladeva Vidyabhusana’s birth place memorial
is almost ready. Surprisingly, the trust also founded an “international
research centre.” So far no clues of anything implied by these words...
10-12-16
Train to Puri.
11-12-16 to 17-12-16
Meeting people and visiting libraries.
18-12-16
Train to Vijayawada.
19-12-16
Darsana at Mangalagiri. Train to Chennai.
20-12-16
Visit to the Oriental Manuscript Library. I wrote down the accession
number of a text and handed it to the staff. After some time, the guy came back
with a manuscript of a different text, although the number was the same. I
pointed out that there was a mismatch with the information in the catalogue,
and the guy told me that I wrote down the correct number but a wrong title
(!?), as if people looked for numbers instead of texts... The case went to the
librarian, who just advised me to search for another text, since they have so
many. Like that, as if it were an ice cream shop and there was no issue if they
don’t have this or that flavor...
21-12-16
Visit to the library of the Sanskrit department of the Madras
University.
22-12-16 to 25-12-16
Kumbakonam, Tanjore, Tiruvarur, Trichy.
26-12-16 to 01-01-17
Srirangam. Vising places and attending the Vaikuntha Ekadasi festival.
Investigated a rumor about the local samadhi of Laksmipati Tirtha.
02-01-17
Karaikkudi, Tirumayam, Tirukostyur.
03-01-17 to 04-01-17
Ramanathapuram, Rameswaram.
05-01-17 to 06-01-17
Madurai, Sivakasi, Srivilliputur.
07-01-17 to 09-01-17
Tirunelveli, Srivaikuntham, Nanguneri.
10-01-17 to 11-01-17
Nagercoil, Tiruvattar, Kanyakumari.
12-01-17
Trivandrum. Visit to the Oriental Research Institute to have a look at
the Travancore collection. The director – a Muslim lady – was very polite and
in few minutes I was shown all the mss I wanted to consult and was allowed to
get copies without any drama. I wished I could meet more people like these in
the libraries I visit...
13-01-17
Varkala.
14-01-17 to 15-01-17
Chenganur, Tiruvalla, Changanassery.
16-01-17
Ernakulam
17-01-17
Shoranur
18-01-17 to 31-01-17
In Udupi, visiting libraries and meeting scholars.
01-02-17
Visit to the Maharaja Sanskrit College in Mysore. When I arrived, one
side of the two-sided door of the library was closed and the other was open.
Behind the closed side there was a notice and the timing, so I stopped for a
second to read it. Exactly at that moment the librarian popped from inside and
when she saw me she jumped and screamed as if she had seen a ghost. I remained
standing in the same place and looked steadily at her, probably with an
expression of “what the heck” on my face. After a moment, she again jumped and
screamed in the same fashion - albeit in a much more artificial way – and at
last exclaimed, “Are baap!” (Oh, gosh!) I replied, “yah main bhi bolta hun.
itna natak kyon?” (I also say the same thing. Why all this drama?). She tried
to compose herself and said that I should have knocked at the door. I pointed
out that I was more than a step away from the door and had practically not even
arrived at the library yet. As she shut up, I said that I wanted to see the
catalogues. As the readers could have already predicted, she replied that she
will show them to me only after I get permission from the principal, who, of
course, is out of station. I left feeling relived that I won’t have to see this
psycho again so soon. I then went to the Oriental Research Institute, where the
staff were a way cooler.
02-02-17
Another visit to the Oriental Institute library.
03-02-17
Visit to Srirangapatnam.
04-02-17 to 06-02-17
Visit to several research centres and libraries in Bangalore.
07-02-17 to 09-02-17
Hyderabad
10-02-17
Visakhapatnam
11-02-17 to 16-02-17
Puri
17-02-17 to 18-02-17
Kolkata
19-02-17 to 21-02-17
Varanasi
22-02-17
Back to Vrindavan.
March, 2017
Working intensely to get the Viveka-satakam ready to be printed.
April to June
Working day and night in the translation of the
Brahma-sutra-karika-bhasya.
03-07-17
Bus to Faridabad and metro to New Delhi. Arrived in the Bangladesh High
Commission quite late and came to know that the information in their website is
far from being accurate. They were asking me things like a confirmed air
ticket, a hotel booking, and a letter from my embassy allowing me to go to
Bangladesh (!?) By the time I deposited the fees in the bank, the visa section
was already closed.
04-07-17
Another trip to the HC, some 30 km away from the place where I am
staying. Despite the “information” in their website that they return one’s
passport with the visa on the next working day, they told me to come day after
tomorrow.
05-07-17
Visit to the National Mission for Manuscripts. The staff declined to let
me consult a scanned manuscript in their database giving all kinds of lame
excuses. The director arrived a bit later, but then promptly arranged for me to
see that ms on his own computer. We also had a discussion about the present
situation regarding the policies for accessing their collection. I heard lots
of promises.
06-07-17
I was told to be at the HC at 5 pm to collect my passport. They opened
the gate only after 6:30 pm. After waiting in a long line, they told me to come
tomorrow because they couldn’t get my visa ready. I protested saying that my
ticket is for tomorrow and whatever the case I want my passport back.
Surprisingly, they considered my case and after another half an hour waiting,
they gave me the passport with a valid visa. I had the intention to go back by
an evening train, but it was too late. Metro to Faridabad and bus to Vrindavan.
Arrived after 11 pm.
07-07-17
Train to Varanasi, which arrived with eight hours of delay under the
excuse of the rain, although I didn’t see water anywhere on the way.
09-07-17
I could hardly get any rest before catching another train to Howrah.
10-07-17
Bus to Sealdah, local train to Bongaon, a crowded mess as usually. I
crossed the border in a few minutes and went to Haridas Thakur Pathbari in
Benapole.
11-07-17 to 13-07-17
There is indeed a library in the temple premises, and a claim that they
also have some manuscripts. Yet it remains closed around the year except during
some festive occasions when the person who has the key shows up. Raining every
day, so I got stuck here.
14-07-17
Bus to Jessore. Train to Rajshahi. I arrived at the manuscript section of
the Museum maintained by the Rajshahi University quite on time to meet the
person in charge, who was very helpful and immediately brought a set of their
catalog.
15-07-17
I was somewhat delayed in the morning because of a very annoying “rule”
that visiting foreigners can go out only escorted by the police. No surprise
they do not receive many tourists... I met the director of the Museum to get
permission to do my work. I spent the rest of the day reading the catalogs but
couldn’t see the mss because the staff were busy with other things.
16-07-17
After the police “procedure,” I went once again to the Museum and soon
got to see all the mss I wanted, and they let me copy most of them. I still had
time for a visit to the reference library and in the evening went to visit some
temples in the area.
17-07-17
Early morning train to Dhaka. I was packed in a compartment and everyone
around was eating meat with their hands. If I had anything on my stomach, I
would have probably vomited. Arrived in the evening and was invited to attend a
program with the students at the Dhaka University, which ended quite late. Went
to bed around midnight.
18-07-17
Visit to the Dhaka University and meeting with the head librarian, who
received me very politely and asked if I could help in classifying their
unsorted manuscript collection. I purchased a set of the available catalogues.
19-07-17
The whole day reading catalogues.
20-07-17
Visit to the manuscript section of the University. The whole day
consulting mss. The staff are quite helpful and prompt, and most mss seem to be
in quite good condition. It has been raining heavily everyday, and to move
around is tough.
21-07-17 to 22-07-17
Day off. Taking part in some activities in the local ISKCON temple and
preaching programs.
23-07-17 to 26-07-17
Daily visits to the Dhaka University, whenever the rain allowed.
27-07-17
I spent one hour in the line at the railway station just to hear that no
tickets were available for tonight. I booked a bus ticket and only at the last
minute came to know that it was cancelled. Caught a bus to Benapole at 1:30 AM.
28-07-17
There were hundreds of people in the line to cross the border to India,
and I got stuck there the whole day.
29-07-17
Local train to Kolkata. Train to Varanasi.
30-07-17 to 02-08-17
Visiting libraries and meeting people.
03-08-17
Train to Mathura.
04-08-17
Back to Vrindavan.
05-08-17 to
10-09-17
Revising and
glossing the Karika-bhasya.
11-09-17
Morning train to Jaipur, which
was late and arrived in the evening. There was curfew at downtown due to some
serious riots and the market and everything else were closed. Network off and
not many people outside.
12-09-17
Night train to Bikaner, one of
the dirtiest I’ve seen so far. I also couldn’t sleep because the other
passengers didn’t shut up the whole night.
13-09-17
I arrived at the Rajasthan State
Archives at 11 AM, and the door of the director’s office was closed. I asked if
he would come, and the staff told me that he would be coming in 5 or 10
minutes. I sat at the entrance until 1:30 PM when one of the workers asked
another – with scorn and in Rajasthani, probably thinking I wouldn’t understand
– why I was sitting there, to which the other replied, “He is just sitting
idly.” I told them a few things and walked off. Just in case, I passed by the
research room and came to know that the section in charge is “on leave,” so
there would be no point in waiting for the director anyway. Vide the previous
entries for Bikaner for more about this “wonderful” place.
14-09-17
After a long time, at last the
director arrived and instructed the staff to assist me. Yet they “surprisingly”
failed to locate the volumes I needed the most, and of course, suggested that I
look at something else... As I already knew, the staff know nothing about the
collections and their contents, so I am on my own to find my stuff. Several
hours later, I requested copies of a couple of documents. After some time the
peon came with the Xerox copies and charged me 2 rupees. When the section in
charge heard that, he was outraged, “Only 2 rupees?!” I wouldn’t be surprised
if they come up with a new table of fees for foreigners... In the evening I
walked a few km to meet a pandita who was recommended to me as an expert in
historical records. Unfortunately, he is already very aged and due to politics
is not allowed in the Archives.
15-09-17
The whole day looking for
documents, among thousands of them, apparently without any definite order. I
was so concentrated that it took me hours to realize that they had not even
turned on the fan for me, so I was sweating a lot and ended up with a headache.
I found important documents, but some seem to be missing. They suggested that I
look the bundles one by one to check if by chance the documents I want were not
put in the wrong bundle. This would probably take a day of Brahma, as we are
speaking of hundreds of bundles and millions of records... I could not book a
train ticket in advance because I didn’t know how long this ordeal would take,
and now there were no seats available for several days, so I had to catch a
night bus to Jaipur, which was extremely uncomfortable and resulted in zero
sleep again.
16-09-17
Too broken down to do much, so I
just had darsana of Govindaji and spent the rest of the day indoors.
17-09-17
Visit to the Sanjay Sharma
Museum.
18-09-17
Most of the day in Galta, long
discussion with the Mahant.
19-09-17
Visit to the City Palace library.
20-09-17
The whole day at the Sanjay
Sharma Museum.
21-09-17
Making contacts and arranging
some meetings.
22-09-17
Yet another visit to the Sanjay
Sharma Museum and City Palace library.
23-09-17
The whole day in the City Palace
reading manuscripts.
24-09-17
In connection with the court case regarding the Radha-rasa-sudha-nidhi’s authorship, a Babaji came from Radha-kunda to meet the Gosvamis of the Govinda deva Mandir to request a copy of an ancient manuscript preserved there. I accompanied him after telling about my previous experiences, but somehow he didn’t take it very seriously. As he showed them the documentation and explained the situation, in a minute the junior Gosvami there was blasting at him like hell. Some highlights of the discussion – “Who is this Prabodhananda?,” “Who is this Radha-kunda Mahant?,” “Radha-ras... what?,” “I’ve checked in our list. We don’t have it.” Let alone copying anything, we were not allowed even to see the list.
25-09-17 to 26-09-17
Karauli.
27-09-17
Bus to Hindaun, train to Mathura,
auto-riksa to Vrindavan.
October and November
Getting the Karika-bhasya ready
to print.
27-11-17
Train to Allahabad.
28-11-17
Visit to the Allahabad Museum.
The manuscript section in charge was out of station and therefore I couldn’t
see anything. Visit to the Ganganath Jha Research Institute. The principal was
not there and therefore I couldn’t see anything. Visit to the Hindi Sammelan.
The director was not there. Visit to the State Archives. Guess what? The
manuscript section in charge was out of station. Not to speak of manuscripts, I
hardly get the chance to see even the people supposed to “work” with them. Yet
in the last place the librarian was kind enough to let me see the catalogue.
When I was given a volume written “part one,” I asked how many of them there
are. At first I was told “two,” then “three,” and at last “only one.” Go
figure.
29-11-17
Another visit to the Hindi
Sammelan. Check my previous entries for a picture of the buffoonery. So for the
first time I managed to meet the director and he called the librarian and gave
express directions that they should let me consult the manuscripts I wished.
There were also some whispered directions which I couldn’t get. Since they
never show mss to anyone, they were totally clueless about how to locate them.
After one hour running up and down, to and fro, they insisted that the numbers
I wrote were wrong. I replied that we can easily sort this out by referring to
their catalogue. Another half and hour trying to find it... A peon whispered to
me, “ye sab bekar, kamchor hain,” (they are all useless slackers). At last,
they brought the first part of the catalogue with a smirk of victory on their
faces because the titles I asked for are not there. I retorted that the
references are from the second part. Elementary, Watson. Now they were adamant
that there was no second part and that I was definitely mistaken. They were
already sure to get away when someone from the staff popped bringing the second
part. “All of a sudden” they remembered that they actually have another part of
the catalogue and remarked that the numbers I wrote are indeed correct...
Another one hour while they were digging the library. When I finally got the
mss and started reading, they came with a camera and asked me to pose. This was
the whispered part... As if it were not enough, they requested that before
leaving I should write down a positive review acknowledging their efficiency!
When I was done with the mss and they had gone for a tea break, I quickly left
without writing the review they deserve. Another visit to the GJ Research
Institute. This time I could meet the director, who was quite polite and
immediately approved my case. Yet in the ms section they told me to come
tomorrow...
30-11-17
Another visit to the GJ Research
Institute. By the time I had looked at a few mss, it was 1 PM and upon
requesting to see another one, I was told that it was lunch time and that I
should come tomorrow... Well, it was already too much of an accomplishment for
a single day...
01-12-17
Train to Varanasi.
02-12-17
The whole day in the BHU library.
In the evening I met the Sankaracarya of Varanasi in order to see the rest of
his manuscript collection. He told me that they would look for my mss tomorrow
and asked me to come day after tomorrow.
03-12-17
I had requested to digitize a
book at the BHU library and the senior librarian had told me to come today.
When I remarked that there was a holiday today, he dismissed the matter
assuring me that there would be no holiday. When I arrived in the library I was
told that he wouldn’t come today because it is holiday...
04-12-17
I went again to the Sankara Math.
From the Swami’s servant’s expression and tone, they had looked for no ms. He
asked me what time my train would depart and was pensive for a moment until he
had a “better” idea. He decided that he would have to ask “someone” if they had
found the mss I want. After being absent for a moment, he came back with a
forced smirk saying that unfortunately they couldn’t find my mss and that
nothing can be done. Several years investing time and money to come here again
and again ended up in this way. Train to Barddhman.
05-12-17
I met some devotees on the train
and they kindly gave me a lift to Navadvip.
06-12-17 to 08-10-17
I had to meet a few people in
Navadvip and Mayapur, but none of them were in town.
09-10-17
Train to Kolkata.
10-11-17
Train to Balasore, tempo to
Remuna.
11-12-17
Visit to Vidyabhusana’ supposed
birthplace memorial.
12-12-17
Train to Bhubaneswar. I had a few
things to do in town and decided to spend the night in a “guest house” behind
the station. As soon as the sun set, dozens of bed bugs popped up. Needless to
say, I got no sleep at all.
13-12-17
Train to Puri before sunrise.
14-12-17 to 16-12-17
Visiting places and meeting
people.
17-12-17
Train to Vijayawada.
18-12-17
Mangalagiri.
19-12-17 to 20-12-17
Tirupati.
21-12-17
Sholingur.
22-12-17
Tiruvallur.
23-12-17
Sriperumbudur.
24-12-17
Chengalpatu, Singaperumal,
Madurantakam.
25-12-17
Bus to Tirucchirapalli.
26-12-17 to 09-01-18
Srirangam, Nammakal, Karur,
Tanjore.
10-01-18
Mannargudi, Vaduvur.
11-01-18
Tiruturaipoondi, Sikkal.
12-01-18
Chidambaram, Srimushnam.
13-01-18
Kattumanar, Chelgapattu.
14-01-18
Tenganur, Kanchipuram.
15-01-18
Chennai.
February-March
Vrndavan
16-04-18
Train to Hindaun, bus to Karauli.
17-04-18
Bus to Jaipur.
18-04-18
I wish to meet the Galta Mahant,
but his phone is always switched off. Upon asking about him in one of his
temples at downtown, I was told that I could meet him at Galta today at noon,
as there is some function going on. I went all the way up and down the hill
under the scorching noon sun just to hear that there was no function at all and
that the Mahant was out of station. This is the third or fourth time this
happens.
19-04-18
Visit to the Sanjay Sharma Museum.
20-04-18
Visit to the Maharaja Public
Library.
21-04-18
Visit to the City Palace Library.
22-04-18
Another visit to the Sanjay Sharma
Museum.
23-04-18
Another visit to the City Palace.
24-04-18
Another visit to the Sanjay Sharma
Museum.
25-04-18
Met some panditas. I came to know
that Anantadas Babaji recently sent some of his disciples and a lawyer in
another attempt to request the help of the mahant of Govinda deva Mandir. He
replied that only if he receives an order from the Supreme Court he would give
them a copy of the manuscript they need.
26-04-18
Udaipur.
27-04-18 to 01-05-18
Nathdwara.
02-05-18 to 04-05-18
Baroda. Visit to the Oriental
Institute and other places.
05-05-18 to 28-05-18
Dwarka.
29-05-18 to 30-05-18
Somnath.
31-05-18 to 01-06-18
Dakor.
02-06-18
Baroda.
04-06-18
Mathura
June and July
In Vrindavan, mostly working on
the Siddhanta-ratna.
August
Most of the month in Kathmandu
visiting several manuscripts libraries.
September
Back in Vrindavan. Translating
the Siddhanta-ratna and chasing the same old folks who have manuscript
collections here and there.
06-10-18
to 08-10-18
Visiting
some government libraries in New Delhi.
09-10-18
Jaipur.
Visit to the Sanjay Sharma Museum.
10-10-18
Visiting a few places and meeting people in Jaipur.
October-November-December
In Vrindavan, working on the Siddhanta-ratnam.
01-01-19
to 05-01-19
Visiting
libraries and meeting scholars in Chennai.
06-01-19
At
the gate of a major Sri temple, a fellow selling books approached me and
offered a book by Rangaramanuja. I replied that I have it. He then showed
me one by Raghavendra Tirtha. I replied that I also have it. I pointed out that
he had just showed me a Sri text and then a Madhva one and asked him about his
affiliation. He claimed to be a Sri-vaisnava. I had a look at the other books
and saw some by Sankara. I asked why he was selling those too, since he is a
Sri-vaisnava. He became indignant and started arguing that there is no
disagreement between Ramanuja and Sankara and that ISKCON people are the only
ones who say such a thing and criticize the latter. Wow! This is the first time
I hear that their philosophical divergence is an ISKCON discovery! I asked if
he had read the Sri-bhasyam. “Yes.” I again asked whether he had also read Sankara’s
commentary. “Yes.” I then asked him to explain why the latter’s philosophy is
called Mayavada. He couldn’t answer and just started yelling at me. I walked
away to avoid wasting more time.
07-01-19
to 26-01-19
Srirangam.
Translating, meeting scholars and attending the temple celebrations.
27-01-19
to 14-02-19
March
to May
In
Vrindavan, getting the Siddhanta-ratnam ready to print.
July
Short
visit to Tamil Nadu.
August
to September
In
Vrindavan, working on the Vedanta-syamantaka.
13-09-19
to 14-09-19
Karauli.
15-09-19
Bus
to Jaipur.
16-09-19
Visit
to the Govindadeva Mandir. I asked the staff about the library, and they told
me that they have instructions not to show manuscripts to illiterate people
like me. I didn't say a word but just thought ‘atmavan manyate jagat.’
17-09-19
I
phoned the Galta Mahant, but he didn’t pick the call. Although I had seen this
movie quite a few times, I went all the way up hill on foot and upon reaching
the temple I was told that he was busy and won’t meet anyone.
18-09-19
The
whole day in the Sanjay Sharma Museum sorting out manuscripts.
19-09-19
Visit to the Oriental Institute. I arrived right in
the middle of an altercation between the officer and the peon. They ignored me
and kept on with the argument, which soon turned into shouts, verbal abuses,
and punches. Another “enlightening” visit to them. Check the previous entries
on their offices in Jodhpur, Bikaner, Bharatpur, and Alwar.
October and November 2019
In Vrindavan, getting the Vedanta-syamantaka ready to print.
08-12-19 to 14-12-19
Hyderabad.
15-12-19 to 16-12-19
Mangalagiri.
17-12-19 to 18-12-19
Antarvedi.
19-12-19 to 21-12-19
Chennai. Visit to the University of Madras.
22-12-19 to 23-12-19
Chengalpattu.
24-12-19
Cuddalore.
25-12-19 to 25-01-20
In Srirangam, translating and researching.
26-01-20
Nagercoil.
27-01-20 to 28-01-20
Varkala.
29-01-20 to 08-02-20
In Udupi, visiting libraries, meeting scholars, purchasing books, translating and researching.
09-02-20 to 10-02-20
Mysore. Visit to the Oriental Research Institute to see some manuscripts. Visit to the Sanskrit College, whose library, as usually, was closed.
11-02-20 to 12-02-20
Mantralaya. The present Acarya was out of station, so I couldn't see his library as I intended.
13-02-20 to 14-02-20
Pandharpur.
March 2020 to September 2021
Locked up in my room in Vrindavan amidst lockdowns and curfews. Worked way too much, and sitting in front of the computer day and night without a break took a toll on my health.
29-09-21
First official short expedition post-lockdown. Train from Mathura to Hindaun, tempo to Karauli.
30-09-21
Moving around and meeting locals in the attempt to find out what happened to the manuscript collection of the royal family. A pandit claimed that it was fully burnt due to the negligence of the palace staff. I went to meet another pandit to see his private collection, but he was not at home. His wife was very eager to know what I wanted, but as soon as I explained it, she lost all interest and even refused to give me his phone number.
01-10-21
Arrived in Jaipur. Tried to locate a few Jain temples to see their libraries. No one was available.
02-10-21
Visit to the Balanand Math, where the NMM has listed a manuscript collection. The Mahant flatly denied having a single manuscript.
03-10-21
Train to Udaipur.
04-10-21 to 08-10-21
In Nathdwara, visiting libraries and purchasing books.
09-10-21
Visit to Kankroli, where there is a manuscript library that remains closed because only the Mahant has the key, but he lives in Baroda… Bus to Udaipur and train to Jaipur.
10-11-21
Visit to the Sanjay Sharma Museum to consult multiple manuscripts.
11-11-21
Visit to the Rajasthan Sanskrit Academy.
12-10-21
Train to Mathura.
13-10-21 to 15-11-21
In Vrindavan, once again pursuing the matter with local manuscript holders.
16-11-21
Train to Prayagraj.
17-11-21
Visit to the Ganganath Jha Campus. I arrived late in the morning and was told that the director would come only after 1 PM. After I had waited for a couple of hours, someone from the staff was kind enough to tell me that he would not be coming at all…
18-11-21
Train to Varanasi. Visit to the Sanskrit University, where the staff changed and I could a consult a manuscript without any drama. Visit to the Kashi Vidyapith. I had being trying to contact them for over one year, but no landline works, and despite my requests from several people, nobody was interested in going there. To make it short: the librarian was on leave for a whole week and the staff refused to show me anything. Exactly what I intended the avoid…
19-11-21
Purchasing books.
20-11-21
Visit to the Nagari Pracharini Sabha, where I wished to consult a manuscript but was told to come on Monday.
21-11-21
Sunday. Meeting with some old acquaintances.
22-11-21
Another visit to the Nagari Sabha. I explained that the entry for the manuscript I wished to consult was obtained from the NMM and was not found in the Sabha’s catalogue. They insisted to make me sit there and go through all catalogues, just to confirm that the entry is in fact not there. When I requested them to check the stack, they told me to come tomorrow… Late in the morning, the librarian was back at the Vidyapith and kinda approved my application to consult and copy manuscripts, but under a restricted time due to the lack of staff. He appointed someone to make sure I wouldn’t damage anything. Right. I was told to come at 3 PM. I decided to go back to my room, on the other extreme of the city, instead of hanging around for several hours. I arrived at the library on time just to see the gate closed: some students were holding a protest and put a padlock from outside the entrance gate. I was standing in the street wishing I had been locked inside the library. Soon they broke the padlock, but that was a good excuse to suspend all work. I was told to come tomorrow...
23-11-21
Again at the Vidyapith, I finally made it inside the manuscript room just to find out that there is no order whatsoever. Adding injury to misery, the staff announced that the librarian allowed only 30 minutes to finish my task. I gasped. The time was over and I found nothing of what I needed. I had to explain the situation to the librarian. He excused himself saying that this is the first time they allow anyone in the manuscript section and decided to give me more a couple of hours, but day after tomorrow…
24-11-21
Visit to the Goenka Library.
25-11-21
Another visit to the Nagari Sabha. This time there was someone else in the library, and although I explained the whole thing, he flatly refused to check the stack for any entry not found in the catalogue. I left for the Vidyapith and frantically searched for the manuscripts. By the time I located a few and shot them, the library was already closing. I had to again beg for an extension. Granted.
26-11-21
Again at the librarian’s office, he told me that since I am working on manuscripts, I should know very well that it is a copyright violation to copy them. I looked at him in disbelief. He also insisted that there should not be any acknowledgment in my work, lest they end up facing legal troubles. Wow! Apparently, he had a meeting with his staff, who convinced him to not allow me to copy anything else. He was not interested in getting the facts right, since he has such well informed assistants… I had to be content with sitting there and reading. Yet only after locating the manuscripts…
27-11-21
I got an extra couple of hours for reading, which barely served to have a random look at the manuscripts.