HELLO, INDIA!
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On the 8th of May, 1923, the Roerichs left America for France. On the 16th of May they arrived in Paris, where George was finishing his studies. And on the 17th of November, in the same year, the Roerichs sailed to India on a steamboat. The dream of many years was coming true.
On the 2nd of December, the Roerichs’ steamboat arrived in Bombay, and for the first time the Roerichs stepped onto the blessed land of India. So began their trip to India, during which they would come to know the people and to study the ancient culture of this wonderful country.
During one month the Roerichs overcame the difficulties of traversing 3,000 kilometers: they visited Jaipur, Agra, Sarnath, Benares, Calcutta, and at the end of December, arrived in the State of Sikkim, in the city of Darjeeling. Nicholas Roerich stayed in Darjeeling till September 1924, while his family remained longer.
When one becomes acquainted with the travel of the Roerichs to India with the help of the diary of the expedition, which was published in the book Altai-Himalaya, one may ask, why did the Roerichs stay in Darjeeling for such a long time? One may feel that much in the book was omitted or was not expressed. Not long ago the recollections of George Roerich became accessible, from which one may learn the astonishing details of this part of the trip.
Now it’s well known that the English authorities, with all their forces, impeded the travel of the Roerichs through India, and that they especially tried to do everything to prevent the family from going into Tibet. At that time the English held complete dominion over India and Tibet. The movements of the family were painstakingly observed, which caused them great disturbance. Despite all the obstacles, soon after the arrival of the Roerichs to Darjeeling, Nicholas Roerich had a meeting in one of the temples with one of the Mahatmas and the disciple accompanying him.
From the recollections of George Roerich, we know that later on the Roerichs managed to distract the English, and for a short period of time, three of them passed from Darjeeling into Lhasa (the capital of Tibet).
From there Nicholas and Helena Roerich, at the Invitation of the Mahatmas, visited the most sacred place on our planet — Shambhala. There they communicated with the Great Himalayan Mahatmas and received their Blessing and Indication for the further Path and for their upcoming travel to Central Asia. It is this fact precisely that makes it possible for us to understand the future actions of Nicholas Roerich.
In September 1924, Nicholas left his family in Darjeeling to travel to America and Europe. In America he received official permission to lead an expedition under the aegis of the American flag.
Then he went to Berlin and visited the Soviet Russian Embassy, where he requested an official visa to enter Moscow. In this official inquiry he answered a question about the purpose of his travel in the following way: to fulfill the Assignment of the Mahatmas.
Afterwards, Nicholas Roerich returned to India, and on his way he visited Indonesia and Ceylon. In the spring of 1925, the family reunited in Darjeeling.
