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Volume 9

CCXV Joe—

« Chronology » « Addressee »

*To Miss Josephine MacLeod*

GOPAL LAL VILLA, BENARAS CANTONMENT

*7th Feb*.* 1902*.

MY DEAR JOE —

We have safely reached Benaras, and Mr. Okakura [Kakuzo] has already done Benaras. He goes to see *Sarnath* (the old Buddhistic place) today and starts on his tour tomorrow.

He has asked Niranjan [Swami Niranjanananda] to accompany him and he has consented.

Kanay [Nirbhayananda] has supplied him with everything he asked for — and he asks me also to send you the accounts. This, on the other page.

I hope Nivedita and Mrs. [Ole] Bull have safely arrived. I am rather better than at Buddha Gaya. This house is nice — well furnished and has a good many rooms and parlours. There is a big garden all round and beautiful roses — and gigantic trees. It is rather cooler here than at Gaya. There was no hitch to our friends being admitted into the chief temple and [allowed to] touch the Sign of Shiva and to worship. The Buddhists, it seems, are always admitted.

With all love and welcome to Mrs. Bull and Nivedita — if they have arrived — and all to you,

VIVEKANANDA

*[Enclosed in the above letter was the following accounts list.]*

4TH FEBRUARY 1902. Rs 100

Rs. As. P.1

Train hire from Gaya to Benares 20 4 0 Cab hire 5 0 0 Tel message 2 0 0 Refreshment Room (Morning) 1 8 0 Cooly hire Gaya 0 10 0 Tobacco etc. 0 5 0 Refreshment Room (Evening) 2 0 3 Cooly hire (at Benares) 1 1 0 Cab hire at Benares 1 10 0

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Total 34 6 3

5TH FEBRUARY

Paid to Medicine for Mr. K. Okakura 1 8 0 " [Ditto] Oatmeal & corn — flour 1 4 0 " Tobacco etc. 0 6 3 " Bread etc. 0 2 0 Paid to Barber 0 3 0 " Fish 0 7 6

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Total 3 14 9

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6TH FEBRUARY 1902

Pickles 1 0 0 Sweetmeats 0 9 0 Carriage hire 1 8 0 Priests of Vishvanath etc. 10 4 0

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Total 13 5 0

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Things purchased for store at Gopal Lal Villa before Swamiji's arrival 17 11 9

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Total 69 5 9

Paid to Expenses from Calcutta to Buddh— Gaya 30 10 3

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Rs. 100 0 0

(“P.” stands for pie-s, twelve of them making one Anna (As.) and sixteen annas making one rupee (Rs.).)