First Grain of Sand — Page 38
22 FIRST GRAIN OF SAND To that, the officer drastically shook his head saying, Nyet. Nyet. Nyet. ['No. No. No. ]. The Russian authorities were so suspicious of me that when I would wake up in the middle of the night for Tahajjud [the pre- dawn supererogatory Prayers], the patrolling officer would watch me through the window as if I was planning to escape. Since my place in the room was next to the window, he could observe each of my movements easily and report to his superior the next morn- ing what he interpreted I was doing. I noticed that a couple of officers would focus a great deal of attention upon my window and door. One of my cellmates ultimately informed me that the officers were very suspicious of me getting up in the middle of the night to offer my prayers and feared I was preparing to escape the prison. For fifteen days, I remained locked up at Artyk, where I was also given daily jobs and chores to complete such as fetching water, cleaning, digging in the earth, etc. The authorities would not give me any meals. If my cellmates had outside food delivered to them or bought with their own money, they would share some with me. Otherwise, I would endure the days and nights as is. In this prison, other inmates lovingly advised me that the only way I can get released is to declare myself a citizen of Iran or Afghanistan [as the Russians were on very friendly terms with these two states]. They said that if I were to tell them I am a British subject [since India was under British rule at the time], the Russians would look at me with a great deal of suspicion and treat me with hostility. All inmates who would speak to me—whether they were Turkish or Iranian-gave me the same advice to deny