[Tavern-Talk] HEART TALK: William Donkin's Diaries 13

Fri Feb 15 10:34:50 GMT 2008

HEART TALK - Donkin's Diaries: Thirteenth Installment

10/4/40 Anmode

We left Karwar at 4:45 am from the hotel in order to get to the ferry
at 5:00 am, when tide would be high and the bus get across O.K.

But at 5:00 am, when we got there the ferry was not ready, and the
tide almost fully low! The cars had to wait the other end before
getting up, and the bus made quite a risky crossing on the choppy
water at the river's mouth; driving the bus off the ferry at the other
end it was a matter of doing it quickly and hoping for the best - but
Baba was watching us and I felt all would be O.K: so it was, save a
broken back lamp; it was an exciting moment, such a steep run down wet
slippery boards swaying because of the ferry boat swaying on the
waves; it was lucky the back step had been broken off a week before
between Shimoga and Jog Falls, because this would certainly have hit
coming off the ferry, and perhaps made us stick in the wet sand. But
as always with Baba, all was O.K. in the end.

It was nearly 10:00 am by the time all 4 cars were across - 5 hours
gone! We gave the ferryman a purgation for being so deceptive about
time of tide.

We had lunch in the jungle - very hot, and then Jal's car started
going wrong, petrol pipe blocked, and clutch slipping on steep Ghat
road through the jungle. Eventually we had to leave the car in the
jungle for the night and all crowded into the bus and Opel, and we
came on to Supa where Baba was waiting for us.

As soon as we arrived Baba took us men to the river's edge - about
8:30 pm, and poured water from a kettle for each of us in turn while
we washed face and hands - rather like Christ washing his disciples'
feet I felt; he is both our servant and master; then he gave us all
food. Needless to say he was very pleased with all the trouble, though
we were all very tired indeed.

Elizabeth had burst a tyre on a big stone which Jal afterwards ran
over, rather stupidly, and we bumped a cyclist who skidded into us,
and stuck on one corner where we had tried to turn the bus, where it
was too narrow - one trouble after another with each car, rather like
the Jog Falls night.

This morning Baba told us that this was why he had given us the talk
on poise, and we must not grumble if he makes us undergo one little
tiny bit of the suffering he is going through now. He was groaning
last night a lot, and says that he is now suffering tremendously internally.

Baba ordered the broken down car to be towed to the nearest village
this morning by the Opel which Kaka, Tuka, Jal and Nilu did, and then
Nilu has gone by train to Belgaum where he will tell Vishnu's
brother-in-law [Mr. Vishwanath Haldankar] to have the car taken to
Belgaum for rapid repair; we meet Nilu again in Panjim (Goa). This
Anmode is a lovely place; a jungle stream 1/2 mile off for bathing; I
had a swim in the river at Supa this morning at 5:30 am; and Baba told
me that if I have fever and cold tomorrow as a result I go to the war!

Baba very pleased with all to-day, as all are resting after yesterday.
13/4/40 Panjim (Portugese Goa)

We got here on Thursday morning after some trouble with the customs;
Baba said the man was good, and within his rights asking to see some
luggage from the top of the bus; Norina flattered him a bit anyhow.

On reaching Old Goa at the Church of St. Francis Xavier Baba sent
Elizabeth into a restaurant by the roadside to enquire when the church
was open. Out she came with an old man with long hair and beard, an
old topi, and a very old suit, like Moses in an old suit.

Then the same evening we went along to see St. Francis Xavier's tomb
and on leaving, out came this man - he chatted about dramas he had
written in Karachi - so many - he spoke good English, and talked to
us, but kept glancing quickly at Baba: he was here writing a book he
said, about the place - he was a Catholic. Baba told Jal to ask him if
he required any help - he said no, thanks very much.

Afterwards Baba told us we were all blind, and we didn't see at the
time that he was Baba's agent - very advanced, conscious agent, all
his chat about dramas, Bernard Shaw and whatnot, had inner meaning,
and he was really talking to Baba all the time. Baba told us he would
leave the next day.

The next day Elizabeth met him again, and he told her that he was
leaving at once, he felt he must go to a cold country, he didn't know
if it was his beard - but he felt all on fire - so he must go. He had
intended to stay a long time, but now he must go - he said - just as
Baba had told us. Some job for Baba I suppose.

Jal and Kaka are out Mast hunting - one old man I found the other day
Baba washed and I helped; a little bit on the path Baba said - but he
wants an old woman, his agent here for Goa - but although they've
found her they can't persuade her to come with them to Baba's hotel.
She is old with short grey hair, looks like a man, and takes no notice of them.

Baba loves Goa, he says the atmosphere is spiritual here - it is
pleasant and a change from British India.

Yesterday Norina, Elizabeth and I went on Baba's order to see the
Governor about the island off Karwar called Anjadiv; he said no
renting or concessions could be given to anyone and it was law - a
shrewd old boy, I thought - but polite, kind and decent. Baba now
wants the peninsula opposite Karwar for a centre - so Norina writes about it.

17/4/40 Wednesday Amboli

We got a boy at a village outside Goa, an orphan, knows only Portugese
and Konkani languages, and a little English. He was servant to a
priest; very good boy, Baba likes him; spiritual type he says; he is
about 15, name Santana Fernandez. We had some trouble getting him,
having to argue with the priest, sisters, brothers, and whatnot; but
he came with us the next morning alright - nearly all the village
there to see him off, he was most popular boy of the village - bright,
intelligent, much sisterly weeping when he left.

Two evenings before we left Goa we all drank toddy. Baba said that now
he had drunk toddy all the world would go mad - Baba drank from the
jug, we all had about 1 1/2 glasses each. Baba said this Norway move
of Germany would not benefit her at all - but harm her: it now looks
as if the war is really starting: Baba says so too.

We left Goa on Monday morning 15/4/40 and picked up the boy on the way
out. Goa was very hot, and although picturesque, and rather like Spain
with all its churches and Portugese buildings, we were glad to leave -
too stinking and smelly, the hotel smelt of a mixture of fish, urine,
and phenyl disinfectant. Baba ate fish with all of us in Goa; he told
us it was all for special reasons - as was the toddy drinking.

Nilu was away in Belgaum seeing to Jal's car, and Baba in joke, said
that Nilu saw Baba most manifest in Ladoos and Basundi.

We spent Monday night at Khanapur, 15 miles the Goa side of Belgaum.
Baba took us men to bathe in the river there - I had a good swim, Baba
watching me, and the Goa boy had a swim too - swims O.K. - he's a
bright lad. Baba is a very good mimic of all his followers, in
Chanapur he was mimicking Gustadji, the way he blows his nose, and
wets his head and handkerchief, and all the funny little things, like
carrying a bottle of water under his arm, which are special to Gustadji.

Yesterday we had lunch in Belgaum in a restaurant, arranged by
Vishwanath [Haldankar], Vishnu's jeweller brother in Belgaum.

The evening before in Khanapur, Baba, the boy and we men played
marbles and other stone throwing and stick waving antics with stones
and sticks, perhaps just to amuse Baba, perhaps to amuse the boy, and
perhaps for other reasons - who knows.

Morning took the ladies in the bus down a saddle with a big precipice
below, and superb views on either sides of the jungle covered ghat
cliffs; 1000 or 2000 foot drop gorges; canyons, ridges, cliffs, and
dense jungle, with villages, and rice fields in the valleys.

Baba has now attended the programme, and we stay only 1 day each at
Mahableshwar and Panchgani - to save money.

Yesterday Baba picked up a 'pucca' mast 5 miles the other side of
Belgaum and we have brought him with us here - Baba is very pleased
with him - he is mildly crazy, his name is 'Jampia'.Yesterday Baba
shaved him and bathed him and fed him, and he now looks more
presentable, but rather sad.

Chanji came last night with the story that the Dewan of Mysore has
been arrested on a charge of being implicated in the death of the
Yuvaraja of Mysore at Bombay; it is said he was poisoned and then cut
to pieces.

Baba says this fall of the Dewan is the reaction to his false promises
to Baba. At the first he told Baba that whatever the opposition, he
stood with him, but as soon as the opposition started he fell off at
once, was no help at all, and never came to see Baba. So, poor devil,
he's in the soup now. Baba says the British government will protect
him, and he'll be released, but his name will be mud - what an ending
for 15 years Dewanship. It doesn't do to play the fool with saints!

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

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