Dear Mr. Bhogilal, After returning to Aiglemont from India, I spent four days here before leaving for Egypt, and as I got back only the day before yesterday from that journey. I simply have not had an earlier occasion to write to you personally to thank you and your wife and niece for the magnificent hospitality you extended to me during my stay in Ahmedabad.
When I arrived at your house for the first time, after what had been a series of very heavy days of work and quite a lot of travelling, the sheer beauty of your house, and the warmth of the welcome of your niece gave me an extraordinary fillip, and I found new energy and strength to move ahead with the commitments of the next days-which were amongst the heaviest of my whole journey.
All the arrangements which you, your wife and your niece had made for my wife and me, were exquisite and I very much regretted that my wife could not experience the beauty of your home and the warmth of your welcome.
Everyone was the epitome of kindness and generosity, and your staff did you honour in every thing, the food was outstanding, the service impeccable, the quiet and peace a blessing.
I do not have words to thank you enough. Also, I want to thank you for having called on me on the 7th morning at the Oberoi, and especially for the unique gift you offered me. The Lapis Lazuli with the inscription of "Ya Hussain" is a treasure in its own right, but because of the inscription, it has unique significance for us, and I have no words to convey to you the depth of my gratitude.
Before leaving Ahmedabad, I met your niece and invited her and all her family, but also you and your wife and your daughter to be my guests at my home whenever you next come to Europe, and it is my wife's and my deep wish that you should accept our invitation.
We eagerly wish to be able to return even if in only some small way, the extraordinary hospitality you extended to us.
With all my warmest and heartfelt thanks for your innumerable kindnesses and courtesies, and my deepest gratitude and esteem. Aga Khan.
Hazar Imam Stayed at Bhogilal's house in Gujrat in 1989.
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