SRINAGAR 367
nity of meeting him along with his friends in a quiet spot
on a small piece of green headland in the middle of the Dal
lake. Bhai Vir Singh, popularly known as Pitaji among
his disciples and admirers, was a childlike devotee. He took
a great liking for Ramdas. They had a short talk on the
teachings of saints, bhakti and the power of God's Name.
Ramdas would utilize the early mornings to climb
up Sri Shankaracharya hill and lose himself in the con-
templation of God. The enchanting vision of the landscape,
lakes and mountains from the hill top captivated him.
During one of his wanderings on the hill he came upon a
cave. In ono of his trips uphill Gopalrao and his wife also
accompanied him. Ramdas was given to ascending it by
direct paths. So the friends, when they followed him upon
the hill, had a most trying time of it as he w^as running up
like a squirrel.
* One day a young Gujarati came to the house-boat in
search of Ramdas. He was the Secretary to the Yuvaraja,
the eldest son of the Thakore Saheb of Limbdi. The father
had wired his son to see Ramdas. The son was staying in
Srinagar at the time. His motor-car carried Ramdas to the
Yuvaraja's house-boat moored in the Jhelum river in front
of the late Maharaja's palace. The Yuvaraja's time was
fully crowded with engagements as he confessed, and so
RamdaB had an interview with him for about five minutes,
when they had only a formal talk about health etc.
About this time Ramdas met K. Sadashivarao, Director
of Army Audit, who had also come to Kashmir with his
family on a pleasure excursion. He with his wife and two
daughters came on a visit to the house-boat. Soon after
this Durgadas Nagarkatte invited to his bungalow
fcJadashivarao with his family, Gopalrao and his wife and
Ramdas. They had a happy time of it together for a couple
of days.
One morning Ramdas discovered Durgadas and Gopal-
rao, seated under the shade of a chenar tree in front of the