NOTES ON MY TRIP TO INDIA IN 1948

August 7 - 21st. Baba has gone away on a mast tour and we do not see Him till we go again to the cinema on August 22nd. This early rising and retiring is part of the life of discipline. Our little maid Babu is so charming. She also goes to the cinema and comes up in the evenings when we play the gramophone. She is quite a little actress. One night there was quite an uproar when Kitty and Katie thought a stray dog was mad. Up rushed Babu — vividly talking and pantomiming the scene. We heard the following instructive story of the mast Mohammed. He kept demanding that Baba should produce his wife (no one knew if he had one). Eventually, Baba had to humor him and said that Mohammed would see her that afternoon. Baba had a woman from the village dressed up to look like an awful old hag and presented her to Mohammed as his wife. This completely cured him of his desire and he never referred to it again. Thus does Baba comply with an insistent desire, in order to make the person free from that desire.

Baba now called us to stay with Him at the house in Ahmednagar until Pimplegaon was ready. We seemed lifted into a different vibration, being so close to Him in day-to-day life, I ceased to make notes. All our thoughts and love and endeavors focussed only on Baba. It is always an amazing and unforgettable experience to live like this. All time and space are here where He treads the earth.

Jean did some typing and editing of the new Discourses. I had to read thrillers at any hour Baba wished. Sometimes He would start walking about all round the house and insisted, much to the amusement of the others, that I walk behind Him still reading. The newspaper was passed around every morning and in the evenings when we all sat with Him in the garden, He would ask us to tell him the current world events. We also had to tell Him jokes and funny stories. At last, Pimplegaon was ready and we moved to this lovely new Centre, called "Meherazad" ("Meher Free"). The villa rather resembled a Swiss chalet facing it was a four-room bungalow which Norina, Elizabeth, Jean and I occupied. We had Western cooking. Our meals were sent over from the men's quarters. Baba and the other women ate Indian food which was cooked in the viIla; Rano and Dr. Goher acted as links with the outside world. There was an attractive garden supervised by Mehera.

The day arrived for the official opening of the ashram and it was very efficiently organized by Kaka. The women from Meherabad, Ahmednagar and other parts arrived and we had our meal sitting on cushions in the garden. Kaka made a speech, relayed from the men's quarters, calling on all to love and serve Baba more and more. Baba then opened the main door with a silver key. He sat on the couch and was garlanded. Gulmai performed the "Arti" ceremony with Mehera standing on the other side of Baba.

After this started a period of intense activity; meetings and disagreements over the Discourses and other matters. . . Baba sitting quietly and not commenting until we had exhausted ourselves, in the end always getting the decision He wished. Jean and I alternatively being ill, much to Baba's apparent disgust, as He had said He had planned several excursions we must both be well and not miss them. We did rally for the most important and there was one delightful walk where Baba said Rama and Sita had wandered in their flight. As we came back, two rainbows appeared in the sky and He said this was a good augury for us.

Every evening we gathered in the sitting room; often I read stanzas from Hafiz, Baba's favorite poet. One evening I read "The Hound of Heaven" by Francis Thompson. Sometime after, Baba said: "If I can stand Delia's reading "'The Hound of Heaven'", I can stand anything." When not reading poetry, Baba insisted on the four of us telling jokes. Luckily someone from America had sent out a large book of jokes and in the mornings the book was passed round and we each selected three or four and wrote them out ready for the evenings. Norina used to say hers with great aplomb. We often noticed while we were talking Baba's far away expression and the movement on the air of His fingers. Yet He always knew exactly what we had said. Jean was given some special meditations and also writing and typing. There was further clicking of typewriter keys from Norina, busy with her memoirs; Elizabeth with business letters and myself typing very slowly, chapters of Dr. Ghani's book, God Speaks*.

Very soon after our arrival, Baba announced that our return passages were booked for the middle of October. He said that one of my tasks on returning to England was to establish for Him "The Universal Spiritual Centre in Great Britain," He Himself selected the first Committee and I had to write to Mr. Purdom and Will Backett to explain all this to them. It was to be run in conjunction with the parent League in America and Elizabeth and I had endless discussions and correspondence with solicitors so that the form should be kept the same, though adapted to English laws and ways.

Baba told me that I was only to stay six weeks in England and then sail for Panama to arrange for Him to go there, as He wished to visit the Republic on His next trip to the states. I even had to write to Panama and ask for circulars to be sent with all data about Panama. These Baba kept in His pocket and later returned to me.

Jean had her own instructions but we were both told that we would eventually return to India.

Needless to say, as all know, plans were changed. Baba postponed His trip to the U.S. by starting His New Life and did not come to the West till 1952. When He returned to India after visiting the U.S., England, Switzerland, only two Westerners returned with Him: Rano Gayley and Dr. Donkin; but this is anticipating by nearly three years.

When the last day of our departure arrived, Baba said we were not even to shed a tear as we would be seeing Him again, whatever happened. So Jean and I left after a three month's stay, happy with Baba's promise, and ready to clothe tasks alloted to us. Having gained an added insight into Baba's working and His technique of changing plans, building and destroying when the work is finished, we returned to the West, strengthened and re-charged with Baba's unfailing love.