July 24, 1967 : Delhi
Srila Prabhupada took with him on the Jaladuta 40 rupees and 200 sets of his English translation with purports of the Srimad Bhagavatam First Canto. He didn't even spend the 40 rupees in the USA, but used it as payment for a taxi.
After almost two years in America, Srila Prabhupada and Kirtanananda arrived in India around midnight. In Hindi Prabhupada asked one of the drivers to take them to Chippiwada, in Old Delhi. The driver put their luggage in the trunk, and Prabhupada and his disciple climbed into the back seat. As the taxi drove through Old Delhi and approached Chawri Bazaar, Prabhupada saw the printing and paper shops, now closed for the night. Chawri Bazaar led to side streets that led to the narrow lanes of Chippiwada, where upright metal posts blocked autos and rickshas from entering.
The driver stopped the taxi on an empty road and turned for his payment. Prabhupada took from his billfold forty rupees (the same forty rupees he had carried with him on the boat to America in 1965). But the driver took the entire forty rupees and said he would keep it all as the just fare. Prabhupada protested; the fare should not be even half that! Loudly they argued back and forth in Hindi. The driver had pocketed the money and would give no change. Prabhupada knew that to get a policeman at this hour would be very difficult.
Finally, although this had been nothing less than a robbery, Prabhupada let the man go. "He cheated me," Prabhupada said. He and Kirtanananda took their luggage and walked the last block, up to the door of the Chippiwada Radha-Krishna temple.
After almost two years in America, Srila Prabhupada and Kirtanananda arrived in India around midnight. In Hindi Prabhupada asked one of the drivers to take them to Chippiwada, in Old Delhi. The driver put their luggage in the trunk, and Prabhupada and his disciple climbed into the back seat. As the taxi drove through Old Delhi and approached Chawri Bazaar, Prabhupada saw the printing and paper shops, now closed for the night. Chawri Bazaar led to side streets that led to the narrow lanes of Chippiwada, where upright metal posts blocked autos and rickshas from entering.
The driver stopped the taxi on an empty road and turned for his payment. Prabhupada took from his billfold forty rupees (the same forty rupees he had carried with him on the boat to America in 1965). But the driver took the entire forty rupees and said he would keep it all as the just fare. Prabhupada protested; the fare should not be even half that! Loudly they argued back and forth in Hindi. The driver had pocketed the money and would give no change. Prabhupada knew that to get a policeman at this hour would be very difficult.
Finally, although this had been nothing less than a robbery, Prabhupada let the man go. "He cheated me," Prabhupada said. He and Kirtanananda took their luggage and walked the last block, up to the door of the Chippiwada Radha-Krishna temple.
Reference: Srila Prabhupada Tributes 2015 - Jagadvira Dasa & Srila Prabhupada Lilamrta Volume 3 - Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami
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