August 19, 1965 – Thursday
We starting for Cochin at 6
p.m. The ship started at 7 p.m., the pilot being late in reaching the ship. It ran for the whole night and next
day up to 3/30 p.m. and reached the coast of Cochin. The ship is standing on the coast of Cochin without
entering the dock.
August 20, 1965 – Friday
Today at (20/8/65) the captain arranged for a meeting on board the M/V Jaladuta on account of Janmastami
day and I spoke for an hour on the philosophy and teachings of Lord Sri Krishna. All the officers attended
the meeting and there was distribution of Prasadam. The matter was radiographed to Smt. Sumati Moraji in
Bombay. The ship is stranded on the Arabian Sea about 4 miles away from the coast. We are in this position
from 3/20 p.m. 20/8/65 to 9/30 a.m. on 22/8/65.
August 22, 1965 – Sunday
At about 10 a.m. we are now in the dockyard of Cochin. The dock is peculiar because it is by nature full of
small islands. Some of the islands are full with nice hutments formerly known as British Island. I saw my
books from Bombay arrived in five cases and the agents loaded them on the ship at 4 p.m. on 22/8/65. The
agent m/s Jairam & Sons kindly sent their car for my driving in the city. Out of the group of islands two big
islands joined by an iron over-bridge are known as Cochin and Ernakulam. The iron over bridge was
constructed by the Britishers very nicely along with railway lines. The railways line is extended up to the
Port. There are many flourishing foreign firms and banks. It is (?) Sunday, the bazar was closed. I saw a
peculiar kind of plantain available in this part of the country. The island known as Coachin is not an up to
date city. The roads are like narrow lanes. The part of the city where the foreigners are residing are well
situated. The buildings factories, etc. all big and(?) well maintained. The mohamedan quarters are separate
from the Hindu quarters as usual in other Indian cities. The part known as Ernakulam is up to date. There is
a nice park on the bank of the gulf and it is named Subhas Bose Park. It is good that Subhas Babu is popular
in this part of the country. I saw the Kerala High Court and the public buildings, the High Court being
situated in Ernakulam it appears that the city is capital of Kerala. This Official Bhadra 31 days 1887 Saka part
of India resembles Bengal scenario and the city Ernakulum also Cochin appears to me like old Kalighat or
Tollygunge area of Calcutta. The culture is Indian as usual.
Official Bhadra 31 days 18887 Saka.
August 23, 1965 – Monday
Today Annada Ekadashi
We started towards Red sea on the western front at about 12/30 noon. The sky was almost clear and there
was sunshine since the starting of the trip from Cochin port. We are floating now on the Arabian sea.