Dear Shri S. Venkataraman,
Saprema Namaskar.

Received your letters dated the 1st, 2nd and 3rd April. The news of the demise of Shri Bhaskar Thondaman made me very sad. We have been deprived of a great pious soul. The loss to the Committee is also very great. I am writing to Shri V.K.C. Natarajan to express my grief. It is good that you have utilized your visit to  Trivandrum and met some important persons including Shri Vaidyanath Iyer. I had already dispatched from here copies of the pamphlet to all important persons with whom I came in contact in Trivandrum. Now that you have talked to Shri Vaidyanath Iyer about the necessity of the study of the Palace Records, it is better if you pursue the matter and remind him when you get an opportunity.

As I am leaving for Delhi on the 11th you need not send the corrected sketch (of the original prepared by Shri Nagarajarao) at Bombay. Instead, you bring it to Madras when you come there for the meeting. But see that everything and every relevant item is correctly indicated in the sketch. I hope that at least this time you do not fail to get the work completed.

I met Shri S.B. Joshi after his trip to the Cape. He looked happy. We had a very good talk. He is proposing to send one of the Rope-way Experts to the site. One Mr. Harvey, an Englishman, who is working with S.B. Joshi & Co. may be deputed by him to visit the site and prepare a plan and calculate the cost.

From what I have gathered from other sources, casually, Rope-way may be feasible but it is very doubtful that it will be cheaper too. Unless otherwise proved and established convincingly, ‘transport by barges’ seems to be the only alternative we shall be required to handle. We should never lose sight of that important point. Our mind should work only in that direction and should not be allowed to wander in doubtful tracks. The jetty-platforms are also to be designed
with that end in view. While you get opportunities to discuss the jetty-construction with the marine-engineers you never forget to stress the necessity of designing the same in such a manner that the platforms should not only be of the requisite
shape, size and pattern but should also be strong enough to bear the strain of the loading and unloading of the heavy stones and of the additional weight of the crane-like machinery which might have to be pressed into service.

Dear Shri Gopinath should be asked to spend his vacation at Kanyakumari. We should not miss this opportunity. I am soon writing to Shri Bhaskarrao about the urgency of the matter. You, on your own, should also write to Shri Bhaskararao.
Shri Anantrao Deshpande is also proposing to spend a few days at the Cape in the 2nd week and 3rd week of May. He is proposing to go there with his family. Every year he gets facilities of travel (air or train), in company with his family, to any part of the country, on behalf of his company. This time he intends to utilise the same in spending some time at the Cape.

Regarding purchase of the necessary instruments Shri Deshpande also was telling me that it would be convenient if we have our own instruments. I quite agree. But as we are in a tight corner at present let us postpone it to a later date. I may be able to give you a green signal when we meet at Madras.

My further programme is as under: Leaving for Delhi by
Frontier Mail 11th night.
Reaching Delhi 12th evening.
Leaving Delhi for Calcutta by Howrah Express 16th night
Reaching Calcutta 18th morning.
Leaving Calcutta for Madras by Madras Mail 22nd Mail.

I have sent letters to Electricity Board Authorities, both at Madras and Tirunelveli. I am enclosing copies of the letters for your information.

I am thinking of visiting Tirunelveli and the Cape after the General Body Meeting at Madras. If possible I may also visit Trivandrum. We shall take a decision about the same at Madras.

If the C.M. visits the Cape, as per reports reaching me here, efforts should be made to take him round the work-centres. At least he should visit the main Centre. About his visit to the Rock we should not insist at present. Looking to his
age, it is better we request him to visit the Rock after the construction of the jetty-platforms. Because, even if the sea be calm, you will not be able to avoid the ‘jumping business’ at the time of landing on the Rock.

You should reach Madras positively on the 24th. I am also reaching there on 24th morning. Entrust all matters to Shri Parameshwaran and Shri Padmanabhan.

We should try to get some geologist visit the site. May be, get some expert at Madras or Trivandrum. We should be on the look out. It is better to have someone from the surrounding area rather than ask somebody from far away to visit the place.

I hope you have with you my Delhi and Calcutta address. However, I am giving below the said addresses:

C/o Chamanlalji,
Jhandewala Mandir,
New Delhi –1
(Tele: 54287)

76/2, Bidhan Sarani
Flat No. X-12,
Calcutta - 6
(Tele: 557069)

Syt. Anant Deshpande,
14-Shankar Darshan, 15th Road, Chembur
Bombay –71 Phone 522430

If you need any technical help or information or material from Bombay, please write to Shri Deshpande, directly.

Yours affectionately,
Eknath Ranade