The Combined Diary
Having arranged to comply with the Bombay University Curriculum the school is named Hazrat Babajan High School, folios #2v328-2v331, 26 June - I July, 1927.
Vishnoo's birthday was celebrated in the morning with arti, bhajans, sweets and milk tea.
Upon completion of the Saptah ceremony by the villagers, Baba invited them all to dinner. Sufficient food for about 700 guests was prepared but "no less than 15 to 16 hundred" feasted to satisfaction and "strangely" the food was "more than sufficient."
Baba supervised work at the tank building and later in the evening played hockey with the Ashram boys.
Villagers who came for Baba's darshan were excited about local elections. Mr. Thorat seemed to be the favored candidate whereas Baba had previously assured Mr. Chitlay that he would win.
"Knowingly or unknowingly" the Kirtankari Bua influenced Mahendarji against allowing his son to remain in the Ashram. Baba called him and advised him not to spoil the future of his children by following the senseless prejudices of irresponsible people. Baba concluded, "Don't worry for the future of your boys. I will see to everything including the question of their marriages. Let people talk what they like. Don't pay any heed to them. They would talk a lot but do nothing for you...."
Rustomji's birthday was celebrated with rava and milk tea in the morning. Soaked ground following heavy rain during the night caused the morning's atya-patya game to be cancelled and also held up the opening of the school until 8:30.
In order to accommodate a newly arrived Ashram boy, a Seventh Standard Gujarati class was established to commence on 1 April. New books were distributed to the school boys. A "fine collection" of gift books for the Ashram library arrived from Mr. S. N. Desai of Navsari. Some of them were added to the school library.
Work on the tank building neared completion; kitchen facilities and stores were moved to their new quarters on the Hill.
After Baba played a brilliant game of cricket, arti was celebrated and sweets were distributed. He then played several games of checkers while discussing various subjects with the mandali, particularly the plight of the Persian boys who were detained in Bushire.
A press release about Meher Ashram was sent to the New York Times while final preparations continued for the move to the Hill. An argument arose among school boys from Arangaon and Baba sent them away from Meherabad in order to express his "displeasure."
On 30 June the Ashram moved to its new premises amid holiday celebrations. Games of atya-patya were played in the morning near the school before all went up the hill for milk tea. Baba discussed spiritual subjects and played a cricket match before dinner. Later bhajans were sung and all were served sweets and tea.
An application was prepared for presentation to railway authorities by Rustomji petitioning the establishment of a level crossing near the Post Office building.
Having completed arrangements to comply with the Bombay University Curriculum the school was named Hazrat Babajan High School on 1 July. Dhakay and Chanji, supervised by Baba, reorganized the classes and schedules.
Boys who were provided free room and board and allowed to attend the school though considered unsuitable for admission to the Ashram were assigned to Raosahib. They were moved from the Makan where they had been staying together with the mandali to the building vacated by the Ashram boys and staff. Except for food which they continued to take with the mandali, separate arrangements were made for their washing, playing, studying and so on according to rules and schedules very much resembling those of the Ashram.
Four pilgrims on their way to Pandharpur stopped at Meherabad for the day and were provided with room and board.
Besides supervising the new arrangements, Baba found time to play a game of hockey with the Ashram boys. After arti he distributed rava to the mandali and played a few games of checkers with them.
Part 161: The Combined Diary
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