01.10.2007: Delhi
Before starting to Ladnun, we went to Digamber Acharya Vidhyanandji whom we had also met last year. Acharya Vidhyanandji wanted to send some books to Acharya Mahaprajnaji. Swami Dharmanandji used the opportunity to fulfil the mission he was asked for, and most lucky, the research scholar from Ladnun who had come from there to receive me, would start for Udaipur the next day. He agreed to hand over the books to Acharya Mahaprajnaji then. Swami Dharmanandji was very happy about this development.
For me, this was another occasion for some portraits of Acharya Vidhyanandji. Aged 83, he never has stopped to fight against the inner enemies, as is reflected in his eyes and his face expression.
After this short visit, Mr. Surajmal Rao, his 4 years old son Adith, the driver Mr. Arvind Soni, and I were ready to start for Ladnun. We took tea at a place I already knew from our 2005 trip from Ladnun back to Delhi.
When we left the Delhi – Jaipur highway, the landscape became more desert like. Mr. Rao, a Jaipur born Rajput, remarked how green the landsape is now in the rainy season. (...) This makes clear how much care is needed to design a garden like the one of the restaurant where we took lunch.
01.10.2007: Ladnun
Late in the afternoon, we reached Ladnun. In the university guesthouse, I met two Sanskrit scholars, prof. Dhayanand Bhargava and prof. Kalanath Shastry from Jaipur Sanskrit University, one out of 13 all over India. We took tea together, and I learned that they were guest lecturers of a Sanskrit Refreshment Course, organised by JVBI department of Comparative Religion and Philosophy, sponsored by Indian UGC (University Grant Commission) for Sanskrit teachers at colleges and universities. They extra put on their shawls by which they are recognised as Sanskrit scholars.
Then Dr. Anil Dhar welcomed me. He is the coordinator of the German language course. His researches are on non-violence and peace studies.
I was eager to meet Samanijis, and nearly felt at home. At the entry, I met two of them, Samanis Riju Pragyaji and Pratibha Pragyaji, well known to me since many years. Samani Riju Pragyaji is the head of the College, and Samani Pratibha Pragyaji was in London for 3 years. When I entered the house where Samanijis are staying, I instantly felt among friends, as I knew many of them.
After dinner, I immediately fell asleep.