IT NEVER ENTERED OUR HEADS

 
Very gradually, as the years passed, Baba's health gave way. We did our best to make Him comfortable, but we did not know what was going to happen. We would try to amuse Baba with interesting stories, and He would just smile a little.

In 1968, much of the time, Baba was doing His seclusion work. At Meherazad He would do it in Mandali Hall, and at Guruprasad in His bedroom. And this work told on Baba's physical body very much.

When He went into seclusion Baba would gesture "no noise." And we all still went about our work, but very, very quietly. There was to be no banging of pails or talking or dogs barking or even birds calling, and we tried our best not to do anything to disturb Baba's work.

In Guruprasad Baba did His work in a big chair in the middle of His bedroom, and none of us were allowed to touch it. Baba put much emphasis on this, and I had to be very careful not to brush against this chair when I did Baba's room. This chair is now in the Museum Room at Meherabad.

One day Baba said to us, "People will want to see Me, and they won't be able to see Me." At that time we did not understand what Baba meant. We thought that many will come to see Baba, but perhaps Baba will be inside having His food, and so they would not be able to see Him. So we did not take it seriously.

In October 1968, I think, all of a sudden Baba said, "I tell you that the time has come, and it is very near."

We looked at each other and thought, "Ah, yes, Baba's Manifestation is near, and He will speak and give mass darshan."

How could we have such an idea that Baba would drop His body? It never entered our heads. But on 31 January 1969 He did leave His beautiful physical Form.