BABA WAS DELIGHTED

 
Nariman and I decided we would give Beloved Baba a car for His birthday in 1960. My brother Huma found a dark blue 1956 De Soto in excellent condition with only one previous owner, and he thought it was the ideal car for Baba, so we bought the De Soto and had Huma drive it to Meherazad on Baba's birthday.

On the way he stopped and bought flowers to decorate the car, then drove it right to the front of the bungalow at Meherazad. Mehera brought Baba from the dining table to the porch, pretending she wanted to show him something else. When He saw the car, Baba was delighted. Nariman had also written a poem for Baba, which he sent along with the car:

Two tiny creatures
     have gathered courage
          to offer,
          To the Lord
          of this universe
          our Beloved Baba
     On this day of days
          His Birthday,
this insignificant gift —
     and pray
He in His infinite mercy,
     and grace
     accepts it.
It being understood that,
     the one who steers it
and the water that propels it
     be borne by us,
till breath do us part.

               a. n.

Although Baba was no longer traveling as extensively as He once had, He used the car until 1968 to go to and from Poona, where He had begun spending every summer, April through June. Shanta Devi, the Maharani of Baroda, had given Baba the use of Guruprasad, her summer palace, where He gave darshan to large and small groups until He began periodically going into seclusion in 1967.