The Combined Diary
After arti at night Ramjoo narrates Sexton Blake detective stories to Baba and the mandali, folios #2v252-2v255, May 7-9, 1927.
As the mandali were about to retire after a day of activity centered around the Ashram a report arrived that a young woman was lying injured in the village. Baba sent Ramjoo with a group of mandali to investigate. They found the woman in extremely serious condition covered with blood; her husband had suspended her upside down from the limb of a tree and beaten her brutally and then run away. She cried out for help for hours before someone responded and brought her down from the tree.
It seemed that without medical attention the woman would die. An official assembly including the village police chief quickly took and witnessed a legal statement. Then the woman was carefully brought to Baba who examined her, fed her and gave her water. He instructed that she be sent to the Civil Hospital in Ahmednagar and that the police be notified.
Later relatives of the woman's husband came to Baba full of apologies and "crocodile tears" asking that the matter be hushed up. He dismissed them and instructed Ramjoo to ensure that the police "took proper steps in the matter."
Raya's second party in honor of the birth of his son was celebrated with abundant tea and bhajyas for the mandali and school boys after Baba was initially served. The party ended at 2:30 in the afternoon with the recitation of a special arti.
In the evening as usual in recent days Baba visited the Ashram for a couple of hours to observe the progress of activities there. After arti at night Ramjoo related a Sexton Blake detective story to Baba and the mandali. Ramjoo, who was very fond of detective fiction, had been telling a Sexton Blake story every night for some time. Baba seemed to take a "keen interest" in them and the mandali enjoyed them after the day's work.
In response the many inquiries and applications for enrollement, Baba and the mandali ordered a press to print the rules, regulations, aims and goals of the Ashram in English to be mailed in reply to interested parties. A covering letter was also prepared by Ramjoo under Baba's instruction.
In the afternoon Shireenbanoo and Mani arrived from Poona.
The day closed with Ramjoo's narration of a story.
Part 144: The Combined Diary
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