During these days I walked up and down the streets of Calcutta. I went to most places on foot. I met Justice Mitter and Sir Gurudas Banerji, whose help I wanted in my work in South Africa. And about this time I met Raja Pyarimohan Mukarji.
Kalicharan Banerji had spoken to me about the Kali temple, which I was eager to see, especially as I had read about it in books. So I went there one day. Justice Mitter’s house was in the same locality, and I therefore went to the temple on the same day that I visited him. On the way I saw a stream of sheep going to be sacrificed to Kali. Rows of beggars lined the lane leading to the temple. There were religious mendicants too, and even in those days I was sternly opposed to giving alms to sturdy beggars. A crowd of them pursued me. One of such men was found seated on a verandah. He stopped me, and accosted me: “Whither are you going, my boy?” I replied to him.
He asked my companion and me to sit down, which we did.
I asked him: “Do you regard this sacrifice as religion?”
“Who would regard killing of animals as religion?”
“Then, why don’t you preach against it?”
“That’s not my business. Our business is to worship God.”
“But could you not find any other place in which to worship God?”
“All places are equally good for us. The people are like a flock of sheep, following where leaders lead them. It is no business of us sadhus.”
We did not prolong the discussion but passed on to the temple. We were greeted by rivers of blood. I could not bear to stand there. I was exasperated and restless. I have never forgotten that sight.