CHAPTER XXXIII
CHINTAPURNI- JWALAJEE-PATHANKOT
(i) Pain transmuted into joy
In the evening they reached the station of Hoshiarpur,
where they spent the night on the terrace of the huge rest-
house for pilgrims. Here some pilgrims provided them with
a drink of undiluted warm milk and cots to sleep on.
Dysentery continued to harass Ramdas' body. Early next
morning they prosecuted their journey on foot to Ghinta-
purni, which lay about fortyfive miles from Hoshiarpur,
They had to walk up a gradually rising tract of land. They
covered fifteen miles during the day and found rest in a
small village rest-house. Except stopping four or five times
to answer calls of nature, Ramdas and Ramcharandas
walked the distance at a rapid pace.
Ramdas eschewed solid food. He had a cup of milk
while Ramcharandas procured by bhiksha some dal and
roties for himself. At daybreak, next day, they started
again. About eight o'clock they reached a wayside
hamlet. As they neared a sweetmeat shop, the eatables
exhibited in the shop drew the attention of Ramcharandas.
Poor boy! his mouth must have watered at the sight of the
tempting sweets! There was by the side of the shop a small
thatched shed for the use of customers. Ramcharandas
entered it followed by Ramdas. They sat on the floor.
There was none else in the shed. Ramdas thought that
Ramcharandas proposed to have some rest after the three
hours' walk. God's ways are wonderful! A few minutes
after they entered the shed, two Punjabis came in and sat
near them.
One of them saluting Ramdas enquired, "May I get
for you some milk from the adjoining shop?" Ramdas gave
an affirmative nod. The Punjabi then got for them two
huge brass cupf uls of milk. Each cup contained about a
seer of the liquid. Ramcharandas and Ramdas drank it.