[Tavern-Talk] HEART TALK: William Donkin's Diaries 7

Thu Dec 27 13:48:07 GMT 2007

HEART TALK - Donkin's Diaries: Seventh Installment

DR DONKIN'S DIARIES VOL 2

Dec 2nd 1939

Baba went to the South of India about a week ago with Kaka, Eruch,
Gustadji, and Jal Kerawala. They have come back now with 2 more masts,
one of whom Baba says is on the 6th plane.

Baba is awfully pleased to-day about the Finland invasion; he said he
was going to the South either to start the war or to make peace.

There has been a big crisis over the fact that the crops have not yet
been cleared from the site at Byramangala. To-day Norina and Chanji
went to the Dewan to complain, ending up with Baba's message, that he,
Baba, is a fakir and therefore an emperor, and will not mind giving up
the whole scheme in 2 seconds. So tomorrow the Dewan goes to the site
to make a fuss. Yesterday Chanji and Padri were so fed up about it
all, that they hoped the scheme would be chucked, but to-day there is
more peace.

Nilu and I started on Aga Baidul's wife's teeth extractions to-day -
no pain, so local anaesthetic was O.K. Also Shirinmai's 1st injection
from the Bowring Hospital.

Baba often looks very radiant these days, and he looks thinner since
his return from the South. Last night Baba called us over to see Jal
Kerawala when we were out, and Baba was peeved - so we expected a row
this morning, but he seemed so pleased about the Finland affair, that
no row was given to us: at any rate is really a privilege to be ticked
off by Baba; I have a deep feeling of satisfaction, and love for him
when he does it, even though superficially it is no joke.

Baba has told me that henceforward I must be on the Centre Committee,
because I am to be in charge of the Hospital when it is built.

I still wonder how much of this scheme will come to fruition. Baba
said the present Maharaja will not see another Dasara, which means
that if his nephew comes to the throne, the present Dewan may be
ousted, to Baba's detriment; it is only because of the Dewan that
things have so far gone so rapidly.

Baba told me to keep the £5 my father sent me for birthday the other
day for clothes, and as Nilu keeps on telling me I need another suit I
have bought one for Rs30, and also shirts and white trousers.

4/12/39

Baba had a big meeting this morning of all the Mandali here to tease
Ghani because he has breakfast before he cleans his teeth. Then he got
Jal Kerawala to describe how they got the new masts from Trichinopoly.

The most troublesome was 'Chatty' Baba, so-called since he always
carried his water chatty with him.

After some trouble due to floods, when the car had to follow an
irrigation bank for 80 miles, as the road had been washed away, they
reached some place from Trichinopoly. Here Baba said the mast was,
although Kaka said no. Sure enough they found him, and got him into
the car. At the hotel Baba fed him and bathed him, and all Chatty
Baba's local followers came to see him in the hotel: Baba told the
others not to say who he was, but to call him an uncle or friend, who
was unwell. When the crowds saw Baba bathing the mast, they said look,
your uncle is O.K. now, due to Chatty Baba!

They got him to Tanjore alright, but from there he ran out from the
hotel. With great difficulty they got him back, and he began throwing
earth over himself in the hotel compound. Then Baba started throwing
bucketfulls of water over him, clothes and all, and this calmed him
down a lot. He would not often look at Baba, and would always stand up
when Baba was there. In the train too he stood up when Baba sat and
Baba had to tell him to sit down. Baba says he is 6th plane.

Now that he is here he has lost his love for his water chatty, which
is broken and thrown away; he has very clear eyes.

The Belgaum mast pinched some food brought in specially from a
restaurant for Mr Chakravatti, a visitor; when discovered he was very
sheepish: but he bosses people about a lot: he is 6th plane too, Baba says.

Baba is as pleased as Punch with all these new masts, and poor
Mohammed is no longer the favourite, as he is only between the 3rd and
4th planes.

Apparently as well as helping the masts, the washing etc of them by
Baba gets rid of the sanskaras of the Mandali.

To-day we operated on a papilloma on Sidhu's brother's [Genu] face: I
hope it will heal O.K. without sepsis. We had Baba's permission.

To-day Baba said that the war is gradually involving more and more
nations, and that Germany might later fight Russia - when asked how he
said that Italy hated Russia, and might help Germany.

5/12/39

Baba this morning called all the women at the Links when he saw Rano,
Nilu and I talking on the verandah; instructions not to talk except in
Baba's room. Nilu got most of the digs though I deserved it just as much.

9/12/39

Yesterday there was a big to-do because the previous evening Vishnu
brought back from the market some leaflets against Baba: mostly
quoting Dastur and John Bull: very old stale stuff. Dr Ghani wrote out
a spirited reply; and the Dewan said that it was run by an ex-convict
lawyer, who is trying to stage a come-back.

If they knew that since then, Dastur has threatened to commit suicide
if Baba did not give him money to pay his debts and has wept at his
feet begging for cash, since he left Baba, and that Baba has sent him
hundreds of rupees, they might think differently.

If they knew that Meredith Starr's last letter to Baba demanded £400
or God-realization! If they knew that the Herbert Davy row was all
unfounded; if they knew that Raphael Hurst only left Baba because of
lack of signs and wonders!

At any rate Baba says this is a mere nothing, but that real opposition
will come soon. He says it helps his work, and that the Parsees and
Iranis are behind it all.

10/12/39

To-day Jal Kerawala, Kaka, Chakravarti, Babanand Swami, and Byramshaw
have all gone to the meeting in the town against Baba, to listen to it
and to distribute pamphlets. Baba doesn't seem to attach much
importance to this opposition; I suppose it's a mere flash in the pan,
compared to what may come later.

Today was Mani's (Baba's sister) birthday [according to Parsi
calendar], with special lunch, with ice-cream, and I drove the women
in the bus to the Lal Bagh for 1/2 hour in the afternoon with Baba.

11/12/39

There's no doubt that Baba loves a row. Yesterday morning there was a
superb clash in our room, with Baba sitting quietly on Nilu's bed: Jal
Kerawala, Norina, Chanji, and Byramshaw, all arguing and accusing each
other about nothing at all: Baba with a real twinkle in his eye. Baba
too mimicking Chanji as he shaved, when he keeps on showing his teeth
in a funny way; Baba really enjoyed getting all of them worked up.

It seems as though the opposition has increased the demand for tickets
for the foundation ceremony next Sunday: 70 students now want to come.
Some parsi boy got up at the protest meeting the other day, as all
thought to second the resolution, but he started to defend Baba, much
to everyone's surprise.

Last night we all collected in Baba's room at the Links to hear of the
visit to the Dewan: the Dewan is with Baba whole heartedly.

===================================

Jai Beloved Baba!
Archives Team
Avatar Meher Baba P.P.C. Trust

Other Heart Talk letters can be selected at:
http://www.ambppct.org/archives/collections/written_materials/correspondence/heart_talk.htm

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