Bankipore. - Received his mother's last letter at Benares, with one written by Bessie from the train to Wallington. They are stopping here for three nights on the way to Calcutta, staying with [Syed Ross] Masood, a 'young Mohammedan Barrister' whom he… read more
Bankipore. - Received his mother's last letter at Benares, with one written by Bessie from the train to Wallington. They are stopping here for three nights on the way to Calcutta, staying with [Syed Ross] Masood, a 'young Mohammedan Barrister' whom he has met before several times in England, a friend of [E.M.] Forster's, and who is 'clever and artistic'. There is not much to see here; Patna, of which Bankipore is a suburb, is 'the most sordid, horrible and slummy place' they have seen yet in India, with little remaining to be seen of Pataliputra. They will go to Gaya for the day tomorrow, to see Buddha's Bo tree; tells his mother how to pronounce 'Buddha'. They will stay two or three weeks at Calcutta, perhaps visit Darjeeling for a few nights, then go south to Madras. Is very well, as is [Goldsworthy Lowes] Dickinson now; they parted company with Forster at Chhatarpur. Benares is a 'wonderful place', where they made friends with a mystic, 'a charming man, with a charming, but fantastic, philosophy'. Thanks his mother for all the news about Julian, who seems to be doing very well; it was good that he could stay so long at Wallington. Bessie seems to have had a very good time in the Netherlands; is glad that she is getting on so well with the Bottomleys and that the Shiffolds seems to be suiting them. Still quite cold here at nights; rather like Rome or Florence in December, except with no rain. They just missed seeing [Ekai] Kawaguchi, the Japanese traveller in Tibet, who lives in Benares learning Sanskrit but has gone away for a few days; Robert is 'very much disappointed'. Montagu [Edwin Montagu, British Secretary of State for India] arrived at Benares the day they left; they were invited to a party to meet him but could not stay. Politics seem to be going better now; hopes the [First Balkan] war can be settled soon. Always reads the "Manchester Guardian" and "Nation", which arrive weekly; the news is 'stale' but better than the 'very poor telegrams' in the Indian newspapers. Sends love to his father; supposes his parents will be at Welcombe by now.
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