View of a Caravan in Interior Iran This mountainous passage was rough and awful. According to the ginan of the Pir, Uncha uncha dungar desh'e daramanna, tiya kayar chhand'i prann, and this stanza struck in our minds again and again. Thus, we reached at the upper side after emerging from Tang-i Zindun at sunset. There was a police station, and we felt contentment to see it. We decided to pass there a night.
We spent a night in the station, but were engulfed into another worry in the morning during our preparation of departure.
The policemen told us. Other men will also come like you, then you all will go in the form of a big caravan, and we will also provide our armed escorts, because your route is much appalling. This police station has been erected for the security of the travellers. It was not certain how long we have to stay in waiting for another caravan, and it was immaterial to prolong our stay for further days as well.
I requested the police officer that we had to travel many villages and that too in a schedule time, therefore, it would be his gratitude to allow us to go ahead. He said that he would not allow because there was threat of plundering on the way, and they had been posted here in an inaccessible place by the government and erected a station for the safety of the travellers. I said that he was correct in his commitment and the arrangement of the government of Iran was also admirable, but we had come here to see the Ismaili jamats of this area with the orders of our Lord Aga Khan, and not for any business transaction.
I tried to convince him too much, and he conceded at last. He said to undertake in writing that there would be no responsible except ourselves for any plundering or the risk of the life on the way ahead. We wrote down all that the police officer demanded. He allowed us in a grambling mind, and cast surprise for taking a deliberate risk of life. Our armed escorts had to return back to Bagu, Khalillabad. We allowed them happily to return.
