October 13, 1976 : New Delhi
Hari Sauri: We set off at 2:00 a.m. for Chandigarh in an old right-hand-drive American hire car. It was a great inconvenience, but nothing else could be done. Prabhupada was displeased, but because the arrangements for the program had already been made, he went, even at great personal strain and discomfort. It took us three and a half hours to get there, with Hansaduta and me in the front with the driver and Prabhupada lying down in the back seat trying to rest.
It was a dangerous journey. Overturned and broken-down trucks littered the route. As is the practice in India, the drivers had simply abandoned their vehicles in the middle of the unlit roads, substituting for danger signs a few bricks, boulders, and tree branches placed around their vehicles a yard or two from the rear. The dark hulks loomed suddenly out of the night at us, and several times our driver had to swerve at the last second to avoid rear-ending them.
Finally, the tortuous journey ended with our arrival at Chandigarh airport at 5:15 a.m. Serene as ever, Prabhupada had me bring his toilet kit and washed and brushed his teeth in the airport bathroom. Then he sat calmly chanting japa in the lounge as if it had all been an everyday occurrence. At about 6:30 people started arriving to receive Prabhupada, and before long a sizable crowd of about three hundred had gathered. Gopala Krishna and Caitya-guru arrived early, full of apologies for having caused so much inconvenience to His Divine Grace, but it was done and Prabhupada did not pursue the matter further. He had arrived, and now he was concerned with the preaching.
It was a dangerous journey. Overturned and broken-down trucks littered the route. As is the practice in India, the drivers had simply abandoned their vehicles in the middle of the unlit roads, substituting for danger signs a few bricks, boulders, and tree branches placed around their vehicles a yard or two from the rear. The dark hulks loomed suddenly out of the night at us, and several times our driver had to swerve at the last second to avoid rear-ending them.
Finally, the tortuous journey ended with our arrival at Chandigarh airport at 5:15 a.m. Serene as ever, Prabhupada had me bring his toilet kit and washed and brushed his teeth in the airport bathroom. Then he sat calmly chanting japa in the lounge as if it had all been an everyday occurrence. At about 6:30 people started arriving to receive Prabhupada, and before long a sizable crowd of about three hundred had gathered. Gopala Krishna and Caitya-guru arrived early, full of apologies for having caused so much inconvenience to His Divine Grace, but it was done and Prabhupada did not pursue the matter further. He had arrived, and now he was concerned with the preaching.
Reference: A Transcendental Diary Volume 5 - Hari Sauri Dasa
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