Having finally packed all our luggage and wrapped up most projects that needed to be done before the departure, we arrived at the airport and checked in our luggage. At the security check point, as our hand luggage was screened, one particular bag caught the attention of the officers. A lady officer asked us to move aside to have the bag examined. The bag was naturally the one our thakurjis traveled in.

As we opened up the bag, Malati began to explain how this was our Indian altar, and often causes confusion. However, Nitai-Gaura and Giridhari didn't seem to be the issue in themselves. There was something far more dangerous there. The flute! In the interest of public safety, the flute must not be taken onboard. It is too dangerous. After all, who knows what might happen, should Giridhari begin playing mid-air! This lady was evidently one of Vrinda's officers guarding the outposts around the area of Vraja. Now that Giridhari is unarmed, the vraja-vadhus can sleep their nights in peace.

Due to some dense fog around Moscow, our landing was delayed quite a bit, and also all outgoing flights were delayed. At any rate, we finally checked in and got out of the Moscow Sheremetyevo transit lounge, which is notoriously short on seats. We parked somewhere on the floor of the upper floor and took a nap to kill a bit of the time and to freshen ourselves up for the upcoming flight. Three quarters of the passengers to Delhi were Sikhs — an interesting sight to say the least.

Arriving at Indira Gandhi International airport in Delhi, we picked up our bags which were luckily all found and intact. Perhaps 15 kilos of what we carried contained food due to Malati's dietary limitations. One would think that India, the motherland of all things spiritual and so forth, the haven of hippies, would also have all varieties of natural foodstuffs available. However, sadly you only get cabbage and potatoes that have overdosed on DDT. Hence the rather sizable baggage you see in the picture.

Out of the customs and 2.30 AM, we meet Yugal who has already been waiting for an hour or so. He had come to Delhi the previous day to pick up some shopping and to pick up books he had gotten binded. We had to kill five and half hours before we could leave for Delhi, as everything there was closed at this hour. Despite his arduous travel, he wasn't short on energy at all. We spent the better part of the time discussing a number of interesting topics, including various fascinating devices and techniques he had invented to enhance the practice of manjari-bhava-sadhana, bringing it to a more tangible level. At this point, our thakurjis also took a breath of fresh air.