Friday, June 28, 1929
Feels rather good to be in a large city again—even if I do feel like a country rube in a city of nearly a million and a half. [12,900,000 in 2010—the 9th largest city in the world, although a dwarf to Mumbai’s 18 millions.] The Maidan is opposite the Y. It is a large park some two miles long and from ¾ to 1¼ broad. In it are many tanks of water and the beautiful Victoria Memorial at the south end. This latter is said to be one of the great buildings of the modern world. Some compare it with the Taj, but I do not consider it worthy of the comparison. It is erected on somewhat similar lines and of white marble at a cost of 76 lakhs of rupees (or 7,600,000) in 1921 after 15 years of building. Within is a collection of paintings and objects of art.
Also visited the Jain Temple. It is extremely ornate, cheaply so, with tile designs, fountains, scores of small statues, fancy iron railings—all before the main temple adorned with everything to make it more showy.
Had two letters from Mother, one from Dudie, and one from Grandma waiting for me at the American Express Co. Also some returned from Delhi that explain why I haven’t received my money. It was handled through the Imperial Bank of Delhi and for some queer reason Cook’s evidently misplaced the letter sent me by the bank and so the latter was redirected to Calcutta after I left for Agra. Now I have to wait till they send up to Delhi for it again. Am going to take advantage of a weekend rate far for Darjeeling and return for 8 rupees and manage cheaply there some way—all of which will be better and as cheap as remaining in Calcutta over the weekend. Anyway, as long as I have to be broke, I might as well do a good job of it. The Juggernaut Festival at Puri is to be held from July 8-16. I haven’t the funds to wait for it unless I sleep on the beach for about five days.