Letter to Shri Sankaran

Letter to Shri Sankaran

calcutta

Dear Shri Sankaran,

A rough plan of my movements in Calcutta during the next 10-12 days is now almost ready in my mind. I have started meeting important people here since today. I hope to complete my first round of visits by Sunday the 25th. My next move is to address a Press-conference. Though I have not fixed up a definite date for the same as yet, I hope it can be conveniently held on Tuesday or Wednesday if Monday the 26th is considered a bit too early from the point of view of completing preliminary preparations prior to the conference.

I badly need your help in finishing up the said preliminaries.

Firstly, I need the new booklet the copies of which shall have to be distributed among the Press-representatives. The number of important Dailies and Weeklies is twentyfive here.At least an equal number of copies would be necessary for their distribution among other important persons. I, therefore, expect an air-parcel of 100 copies before the end of this week.

Secondly, if Shri Dattaji’s present efforts at Kanyakumari actually produce any desired result and if it is at the stage of being purposefully utilised in the Press-conference, I would like to be posted with all details of the same before I meet the Press.

Thirdly, I am immediately in need of the photographs and the respective negatives about which I have already written to you. Apart from those mentioned in my previous letter I require the under described photographs and their negatives.
                                                           
(1) A booklet by name ‘Kanyakumari’ published by Hari Kumari Arts, carries on its cover a photograph of the K.K. Temple and the V. Rock. As you know, it is actually a combination of two photographs taken separately. I require those two photographs with their negatives and also, if possible, a negative of the said combined photograph.
                                                           
(2) In your album at Madras there is one quite a comprehensive photograph presenting to view the temple premises, the V. Rock, the Gandhi Memorial building, the minor rock near the shore, and even a part of a building on the other side of the road opposite to the Gandhi Memorial. I require the negative of this particular photograph along with other articles.

The idea is to prepare two big pictures, one depicting the Vivekananda Memorial in its entirety as it will look when completed, and the other presenting a comprehensive and panoramic view of the seashore-background of the V. Rock.

The newspaper cuttings, both of English and vernacular Dailies from Andhra, Tamil Nadu and Kerala which I had already sought from Madras even before, appear to be all the more necessary when I find that there is, contrary to all facts, a feeling prevalent here that the South is more or less cold to the idea of the Memorial of Swami Vivekananda at the Rock. Madras is reluctant – and reasonably too – to part with that valuable newspaper cuttings – file. But I still think that if you send the file to me by Registered air parcel for being used in my contemplated tour from State to State, it would serve a very useful purpose. The responsibility of handing it over back to you when I return to Madras, of course, rests with me.

Just when I am on the point of winding up, I am fortunate in receiving your letter dated 18-8-63. From your letter it appears that you had not received my two letters posted on 16th and 17th. Calculating the reasonable delay due to Sunday in between and the unreasonable delay on account of the inefficiency of both the postal and censoring depts.. I presume that by now, at least, you must have been in the receipt of those letters.

In your letter you have wrongly spelt the name of Shri Asim Kumar. Please note that it is NOT Aswin Kumar.
 
 Please convey my respectful Pranams to Dr. Raghavan, revered Shri V. Rajagopalachari, Shri Mahadevan and other elders. Also convey my Sadar Pranams to Shri Nanjappaji, Dattaji Shri Gopalanand others.
 
 My affection and Namaskaras to all the Karyalaya brothers.