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The Unknown Pilgrims
The last three years of Sadhvi Pramukhā's life were subject to a double, trial: that of sickness and that of the absence of the acarya, who was at a distance in the South. This latter and Muni Campaka sent a number of letters to their sister during her final year, to which she duly replied.87 These letters, of which several are written in poetic form, are the expression of fraternal bonds rendered the stronger because of the sharing of all three in a common ideal and were written at a time when the sister, already on the threshold of the Great Departure, was nearing the end of a long spiritual journey and her struggle against acute physical pain. Sadhvi Pramukha had one desire and only one, namely, to have once more the darśana and benediction of the acarya. He himself was eager to come, but his mission retained him in the South. In February 1970, when news from Rājasthāna arrived describing the rapidly deteriorating state of Sadhvi Lāḍāṁ, Ācārya Tulasi despatched from Haidarābād Sadhvi Samghamitra, entrusting to her two written messages, one for Sadhvi Pramukha, the other for the samgha of the North, along with a lengthy missive from Muni Campaka. The ācārya enjoined the messenger to give full and detailed news to the invalid; he was making plans to take to the road again in a northerly direction before long and hoped to see her again. Sadhvi Samgnamitra set out with a group of seven sadhvis. In thirty-three days they covered about eight hundred kilometres, stopping by night wherever they could find shelter, in the jungle, in some hut or school or village-hall, or in some, delapidated house. It was truly an extraordinary vihara. The thought of the joy, hope and comfort that their message would bring gave them the strength to walk steadily on. But when they were already in Rajasthāna, within a few days' walk of their goal, a telegram announced to them the mahāprasthāna of Sadhvi Pramukha. This was a very hard blow for them and their energy flagged: After their arrival at Bidāsara, where everyone was impatiently awaiting their arrival, Sadhvi Samghamitra read to the assembled company the message of the acarya to Sadhvi Pramukhā.
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87 These letters number 27 and are dated between April and September 1969: 10 letters of Acarya Tulasi to Sadhvi Lāḍām, 9 letters of Muni Campaka, 8 letters of Sadhvi Lāḍāṁ to Acārya Tulasi.
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