[Tavern-Talk] HEART TALK: William Donkin's Diaries 8

Thu Jan 3 13:04:53 GMT 2008

HEART TALK - Donkin's Diaries: Eighth Installment

18/12/39

Yesterday the foundation function of the centre took place. We all had
different duties allotted to us, and my job was to drive the bus to
and from the site as often as necessary with Mandali and ladies etc: I
made in all 5 double journeys, 250 miles in all.

The first trip I made at 7:00 am, with some of the Mandali, and Baba's
granite foundation seat. This was designed by Byramshaw, and is rather
too small; the previous night there had been a row about this, and
Byramshaw was rather hurt. This stone seat is made of grey polished
granite, about 2'6 " high and 2'6 " square. This sort of design.
(small sketch to right of page). Round the 4 sides of the actual seat
slab are inscribed the words  "Foundation Seat of the Meher Baba
Universal Spiritual Centre 17/12/39 ", engraved and painted gold.

When I first got to the site things were nothing like ready, but on
getting there again at about 10:30 good progress had been made. In the
middle was the brickwork for a raised dais on which Baba was to sit,
and the outlines of the central building marked in chalked stones: a
Bamboo leaf-covered canopy covered this over. Round this, at 45 feet
distance were some 8 or 10 tents, for chairs of visitors; like this:-
[Diagram sketch of seating plan showing tents, Baba's seat, Dewan,
entrances etc.]

All was very gay with leaves, flags, and flowers. The site is lovely
too with hills to the west, with granite outcrops, and a green valley
with trees between. The projected lake is to the east, over the
shoulder of a small hill which is on the site, and which will be
completed in 2 years. It is a bit like parts of Scotland.

At 2:00 pm I went over to the Links by Baba's order, to be ready to
take the ladies to the site: Baba in good mood, asking if all was
progressing O.K. Baba for the function was dressed in white dhoti
affair, and a very old very patched coat that must once have been a
sort of brick red: but it suits him and looks good.

I got to the site at 3:45 pm with the women, and as soon as we stepped
from the bus a youth came up with a pamphlet saying we ought to hear
the other side, and urging us to read it: it was reprints of old John
Bull articles. Later Dr Ghani told the District Commissioner about
this distributing of pamphlets and the D.C. told the police inspector
to tell these men that this was a private affair on Baba's own private
land, and if they did not stop distributing pamphlets at once, they
would be under arrest. They therefore sat in the audience and behaved
themselves. Adi sen. pinched some of their pamphlets from their car,
and got a boy to burn them!

Baba came up in the car at 4:35 pm, in Elizabeth's Buick, with Baba
and Jal Kerawalla in the back, and Kaka and Elizabeth in front. A band
greeted Baba, and before he came two singers praised him with songs,
and also Mysore state. One singer was a real card, huge and fat, with
drooping moustache, like a cheerful edition of Byramshaw in
spectacles, and a lofty turban on top of his head.

Baba toddled along to the dais, with Jal Kerawala and Kaka behind him
and we all waited 10 minutes for the Dewan, who was a bit late, as he
had come all the way from Mysore City: Baba still in his old coat.

After Dewan came, the schoolmaster of Closepet read a poem in Persian
which no-one could hear. There followed speeches by Ayengar, Laxmi
(Ayengar's daughter) and Chakravarti. Chakravarti spoke of the help
the state was giving to Baba, and compared it to the help the Rajahs
had given in history to the saints and pirs - The Rajah of Mysore had
helped Shankarcharya etc; this pleased the Dewan a lot, in view of the
opposition.

Before these speeches Byramshaw garlanded Baba and then led Baba to
the foundation seat, upon which he sat, and scooped up a little earth
with a spade made of 7 metals. This seat will be in a corner outside
Baba's central building for all to see in future years; being granite
it should last.

Baba finally blessed some ladus (sweet balls) which Vishnu brought to
him, and were then distributed to the crowd of villagers. All the
invitees then went to the refreshments, and Baba drove off.

'Baba Das' a man here, invited the opposition men to tea in the tent.
Fireworks ended the show as the sun set.

I took the ladies back with 1st trip, then Mandali, and again Mandali
last trip at 10:30 pm. Between last 2 trips Baba called me over to
look at Baidul's eldest daughter who had stomach pains: nothing
serious though. Baba was pleased with the success of the show.

On return from the last trip we stopped to look at a car about 100
feet from the road, at the bottom of a small ravine, nose in the bed
of a stream. Subsequent enquiries showed the following facts:-

3 men left in a Morris 8 red colour for Byramangala to distribute
pamphlets there against Baba. In all they had 5 accidents during that
day. The first 2 they hit bullock carts, with not much damage. The
first accident frightened the driver, and he thought that perhaps it
was because they were opposing Baba that this had happened. His pals
said what rot, and they went on.
3rd accident they hit a lorry, the driver of which was hurt a bit.
4th accident they knocked down a man on the road, and didn't stop for
fear of police.
5th and last, on returning they hit two carts at one place, and were
bounced down an embankment, and then 50 or more feet into the ravine;
car a thorough wreck.

None of the car occupants, almost miraculously, were badly hurt, and 2
were taken to Victoria hospital for treatment. One was admitted for
observation, but no serious injury: amazing escape after seeing the
state of the car!

One bullock cart had overturned and its driver was extricated from
under a pile of wood; one bullock with right back leg broken, poor
thing. Both bullock men not seriously hurt however.

All this was got from the car driver who is in hospital to-day, and
whom I discovered this morning in the Victoria Hospital. This evening
Baba Das went and had a chat with him and got the whole story from him.

As Dr Ghani says, quoting some Persian couplet:
  "Do what you like with God the Absolute, but beware what you do 
with saints. "

To-day Baba gave Nilu and I a dressing down about Daulat, saying we
were rotten doctors, etc. There was also a dust-up because we left
Chagan behind on the 1st bus load by a mistake, and because the
distribution of the ladus did not go well.

This evening Padri brought back a 9ft python from Byramangala site,
they say there are lots of them there: the other day he brought a huge
black scorpion from the site too - some place!

25/12/39

To-day Baba gave me a Christmas card, an iced cake, some fruit and a
bunch of flowers as present, with embrace and blessings. His orders
were to eat the cake at every meal and call Nilu to watch me eat it,
and not give him any. I pleaded for Nilu after and asked to be allowed
to give him some; Baba said give him a little piece only, or I get a
slap from Baba.

At 9.25 am Nilu and I were called in to see Baba in his room; he had
angina, with pain over the heart. The pain lasted 2 minutes, and ended
at 9.29 am. Baba asked us to note the time.

A suggestion of Ayengar's has been adopted to stop all pamphleteering,
and to cease pestering the Dewan so much; also not to tell the
innermost secrets to Chakravati.

Yesterday Dr Ghani read out his pungent reply to some local Arya
Samajist who sent a list of ridiculous questions to be answered by Baba.

2/1/40

Baba says that 1940 will be the worst year since creation, that 1941
will be 50-50, and that 1942 will be the best year since creation.
Afterwards Dr Ghani asked Baba which would be the best year for the
Mandali. Baba said from June 1940 to June 1941! But we'll wait and
see, as you never can tell with Baba's dates.

Nilu and I are to give the O.K. to the drainage plans for the centre
at Byramangala.

Baba has been buttering me up the last few days, don't quite know why,
but no doubt will get the opposite soon again, calling me a good for
nothing. I suppose one must become indifferent to both.

Baba goes off on Jan 4th till 12th mast hunting with Eruch, Kaka,
Gustadji and Jal Kerawala.

Nilu has just been telling me of a row between Byramshaw and Chanji
when Byramshaw in all seriousness, in front of Baba, told Chanji that
his wrath would make Chanji piss; Chanji in extreme anger answered
back that his (Chanji's) wrath would make Byramshaw shit! Baba
enjoying all this called Nilu in to give them both opium injections.
Byramshaw said that if he was injected he would shout at the top of
his voice. Chanji said - argued that - injection would do Byramshaw
good - it would plug his ass!! Byramshaw is the cause of a lot of
quarrels like this, he is so hot-headed - but Baba seems to enjoy them.

Two days ago Dr Ghani went to see a Muslim saint who had never seen
him before and who did not know he had any connection with Baba. After
10 minutes the saint told his followers that Dr Ghani was a saint, as
the hand of a great Master was on his head.

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

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

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