First Grain of Sand — Page 157
MOSCOW CONDITIONS WORSEN 141 and more capable, worthy, and intelligent scholars than me, but Huzoor was so kind to me that he chose me for this service. And you say that he is living comfort? What do you know about the incredible sacrifices he is making for the whole world? We cannot even imagine the suffer- ing that Huzoor is enduring. After this, the officer said if I answered one more question, then he won't ask me any more questions. I told him to ask. He asked when we meet Huzoor, how do we greet him. I told him that we shake his hands with great love, sincerity, and enthusiasm, and he gives us the honour of shaking our hands. I explained that we try to gain blessings from his presence by being in close contact and sometimes even embracing him. For some time, I remained in this room with the same prisoners. Once the guards summoned the prisoners to go take a bath, includ- ing political prisoners who were accustomed to nice clothes, food, and conversations. When they were taken for the bath, they got naked all together—not a single one of them covered themselves. In this big hall, each prisoner was just a short distance from one another at their place where they each had hot and cold bathing faucets and a bucket. I was shocked to see their naked condition in such openness. Although I had noticed this same scene in the Tashkent prison, I was still surprised that these people, who were from a richer class with good food and clothes, were bathing together naked. When I covered myself with a sheet and entered the hall to take a bath, everyone looked at me and in unison began saying 'Hindu, Hindu. I quietly started taking a bath while keeping myself covered and facing the wall. Once I was bathed, I got dressed.