First Grain of Sand — Page 41
CHAPTER FIVE Transfer to Ashgabat A fter fifteen days of detention at Artyk, I was trans- ferred to Ashgabat. Before boarding the train at Artyk, all my religious books that had been confiscated earlier were returned to me, and I was told to carry the heavy load to the Ashgabat prison by myself. The train journey from Artyk to Ashgabat was approximately 2 hours, and it occurred to me that I should make the most of these books while I have this opportu- nity. So I began to read through and memorize some of the Urdu poems written by the Promised Messiahas. Throughout my life's travels, my true possession and nourishment for my soul was the writings of the Promised Messiahas, which always remained in my heart and mind, whether I was asleep, awake, standing, or sitting. Upon arriving at the Ashgabat station, they took myself and two other prisoners from Samarkand [in present-day Uzbekistan] by foot to the prison. My luggage was too heavy and I was strug- gling. Eventually, the Russian soldier gave some of my luggage to another prisoner, and we then arrived at the Ashgabat prison. On our way to the prison, when we passed through a marketplace, I