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"There is, it would seem, in the dimensional scale of the world a kind of delicate meeting place between imagination and knowledge, a point, arrived at by diminishing large things and enlarging small ones, that is intrinsically artistic." Speak Memory p 130-131

One is always aware of other beings. There is no isolation to be gained by staying in one's room. The voices of people in the house next to mine and across the lane penetrate continually. Brief tableaus. The girl beautiful, pensive seated in the upper window, absentmindedly fingering the shredded remains of the 'chicken wire' covering the bared opening. Her face classic in form peering iridescent from a minutely detailed miniature of the Kangra school. A transporting look for neither world lovingly complemented by the late afternoon monsoon clouded light. The grandmother folding a blanket singing in a raspy loud voice setting unseen granddaughters giggling, her sari carelessly covering half her chest, one large still full breast exposed. Figures half-silhouetted in dim interiors. Not distant views, but close, involving, not viewed with detachment but by a participant in their midst. The unintelligible words in layers from different sources the lane, inside my house, upstairs, the hollow center air shaft courtyard, redirecting reflected sounds, the house next door. The building across the way etc. Those rush of words mingled with animal sounds and movement of bodies. Scatter in the mind. Oddly my landlord's family does not understand what they are saying either as we live in a Bengali neighborhood and they speak only Hindustani.

Aug 3, 70

104

Mr. TN Singh says they used to live in a house by the Ganges. But he had to move. There was a very nice man living with his family, a Sanskrit scholar, professor etc. but every day he and his wife would have the most violent arguments. Singh vowed if he could ever afford it he would rent a whole house for his family alone. He says this is one of the main troubles with joint families, the constant wrangling and fighting. Of course now that he is married, his wife and his brother's wife don't speak to each other, creating a constant tension within the family but at least, at present, they don't fight with each other in loud voices. The pressure of living as close shows. Not only must you put up with the quarrels in your own family but you can hear or witness all of your neighbors' as well.

Ramesh got married because he did not want to cause his father any mental anguish. "Do you mind if I smoke?" He asks as we walk along the street. "No, of course not." "You laugh." "Well in America a young man would never ask any one if he could smoke, he would just go ahead and smoke." "But you are my elder and as respect for you I must ask your permission." Their house is large (and crumbling like all the houses in Benares.) Two story, airy with a big courtyard. His grandfather rented it 25 years ago on a 99 year lease for 11 Rupees a month (about $1.50). There must be 10 rooms on each floor surrounding the inner court. His father 15 years ago fell from the roof to the street fractured his left leg and arm, they never set right as a result he limps badly. He says his father suffers from insomnia using the term