Chhogmal Choprha
A letter received from Miss Meliscent Shephard, Chief Organiser "Association for Moral and Social Hygiene In India", Delhi.
My dear Seth Chhogmal Chopra,
I have been ill or I would have written to you earlier, to thank you once again for all the detailed care and kindly hospitality, which you arranged for us last weekend. That was indeed a most memorable visit and neither Lady Spens nor the Guptas nor I will ever forget the impressions we received. First - your generous kindness in asking us and in making such perfectly planned journey, such interesting visits to houses in Sardarshahr, such friendly introductions to other Seths, but above all, we do thank you for securing the permission of His Holiness for our attendance at his discourses, and for the private audience with him when he graciously answered our questions.
Although I am not versed in Sanskrit 1 was deeply impressed by the translated versions of His Holiness s discourses, which you so kindly asked Seth Subhkaran Dasani to translate on the last two occasions. The spirit of fellowship and of seeking after the highest spiritual values in life was very evidently the desire of the vast crowds of laymen and lay women present, whose stillness when His Holiness was speaking was evidence of their deep veneration for him and his wisdom.
We were deeply touched by the friendly welcome given to us by the Sadhwis, by the wonderful lives they and the Sadhus lead, and by the exquisite workmanship of their writings, their decorations on books, and their needlecraft and brushes. I have seldom seen happier people. Having renounced all that the material world calls necessities, they are indeed free to live the spiritualised life to which they feel themselves called.
I was grateful to be allowed to watch them begging in several kitchens. They refused all food specially cooked and would only accept a small portion of the family's meal, offered gladly to them. 1 saw one Sadhwi, who was offered four chapattis, accept only half of one chapatti and so it went on. Their rules of begging for daily cooked food is necessary if they are to keep free from buying and selling in the Bazars and from having to set up houses to live in and cook in. This Sadhus and Sadhwis therefore are not in the least like ordinary beggars. They beg cooked food, in order to be able to keep their rule of life, and to preserve their mental and moral enclosure, apart from the material world. I dread to think what may happen if famine really comes in India, as I understand that Sadhus and Sadhwis will never beg if they see real beggars awaiting alms of food stuffs at the same place. I expect His Holiness will plan some modification of their rule (that they only receive a share of that cooked for the family and never ask for any food to be specially cooked). It is true as I could see, that the laymen and lay women welcome the presence of the Sadhus and Sadhwis at their houses and feel as we felt ourselves, a sense of being blessed by their radiated happiness and goodness.
I hope the initiation ceremonies went happily yesterday, and that the three probationers have at last, after so many years of testing, attained their desire and have discarded the material joys of this world for the inner spiritual fellowship of Sadhwi life.
Will you please convey my deep appreciation also to His Holiness whose courtesy I shall never forget and whose blessing I much valued.
With my deepest gratitude, I am.
14, Hailey Road,
New Delhi.
9/2/46
Yours sincerely,
(Sd.) Meliscent Shephard
