23

knows James Joyce, he replies I can only read what is going to be in my MA course - he can not have any outside interest. He shows no curiosity. Indians tend to be restricted and narrow in their fields of knowledge. The English lit is of course British and primarily the Victorian novelists the Indian view of art is formed on the British Victorian model, sober, dull unruffling.

Money. Money. lotteries have become a major industry. everybody revolves around money. The Indians are big front men - If you have some material advantage you display it. You try to impress your guests and friends. It is all so hollow and empty all the values of greatness have gone from their lives only the semblances of structure remain. Traditions carried on tiredly. oppressively. the problems so fast that one can only patch them temporarily and hope they don't fall apart before your back is turned. It is poverty of spirit in the people that is the most depressive not the poverty of beggars or the poor. It is man using man always trying to gain an advantage. Almost all of the food products that can be, are diluted. I got with a boy to the milk man, he goes twice a day and if he does not watch carefully the man will dilute it with water - even though the boy's family are good customers dealing for years with this man. At the first turning of the back he will cheat you. The quality of life here has become diluted.

(I have not discussed here the reasons for this - the religions, personality and history of the Hindu)

March 22. 70

Night of Holi downtown Vanarasi

dusk Godolia crowded hodgepodge of traffic I see on one of the road dividers on the main street