CHAPTER IV
TOWARDS GOKARN-GOKARN
(i) Instiiution-a Bondage
On a moonlit night at about three o'clock in the morning,
Ramdas and Ramcharandas left Marigalore. Ramdas walked
at a brisk pace with Ramcharandag close at his heels.
They passed through many villages, and at midday made a
halt in tlie vicinity of a few thatched huts underneath a
grove of cocoanut trees. There was a well close by.
Ramcharandas prepared some khichadi. After finishing
meals they rested for about two hours in the cool shade of
the trees. Then they prosecuted their Journey. In the
evening they arrived at a mofussil town-Moolky where
Ramcharandas escorted Ramdas to the house of one of his
relations. They lodged for the night \vith the friends who
were very hospitable. Ramcharandas1 aunt, who was there,
dissuaded him from going with Ramdas. They presented
to him in lurid colours the discomforts and difficulties of a
sadhu's life, but they could not induce him to change his
mind.
Next day at dawn the Sadhus proceeded on their travel
and reached Udipi where they put up for the night with
Srinivasarao, Ramdas' younger brother in the former life.
Leaving Udipi the next morning they came to Kalyanpnr
at midday where they were welcomed with great joy by a
bhakta. They proceeded onward. From early dawn to 11
a. in. and then from 3 p. m. until dark they tramped on day
after day. At Kundapur they halted at the dispensary of
Rama Bhatji, a friend of H. Umanathrao who had shuffled
off his mortal coil, a few months before their visit.
Crossing the Gangolly ferry they came at noon to a
hamlet called Kirimanjeshwar. Here they stopped near a
Shiva temple. On the bank of a large tank, in which they
bathed, they refreshed themselves with food cooked by the