SHEBA BECAME FAMOUS

 
When Baba was at Dehra Dun — Dehra Dun is in the north — somehow one of the Baba lovers presented him with a very fine horse, a brown mare. Baba took it, and the only thing that mare could do was to love Baba, love Mehera and Mani, eat and drink, and that's all. No exercise or anything. But as long as Baba was there, he kept her.

When Baba went to Satara, the mare was taken with him. Baba stayed at Satara for a long time — two or three years — and then came to Ahmednagar. He said, "Sarosh, now I've finished work with this, you take her away." Whenever he used to finish work with anything, it was to be taken away. I asked Baba what I could do with her. He said, "You keep her or you give her to any good home."

When he said give her to any good home — being in the army, I spoke to the commandant and said, "Sir, I'm going to present you with a nice horse." We had a riding club there, so I gave her to the riding club. With Baba she had had lots of love and eating, but here she had lots of beating, because she was to be trained. She was very finely trained. One day Mehera, Mani and all wanted to see the mare, so I took them there. They were very happy, and the mare at once recognized them.

Poona is seventy-five miles from Ahmednagar and we have horse races there. So the commandant said, "Sarosh, we are going to race Sheba (her name was Sheba) at the races." Though we had no authority, because the mare had been given away, we then went to Baba and asked him about this. Baba asked Mehera and then said to let her race. Baba asked me, "Are you going to the races?"

I said, "Yes, Baba."

"Will you be betting on her?"

"Yes, Baba."

So in an army vehicle, nicely padded, we took Sheba to Poona for the races. From start to finish she won the race. I sent a telegram to Baba, and he was very happy.

Next day Baba called me and said, "Come and give us the account." Mehera was there, and I told how Sheba won the race. Baba said, "How much did you win?"

I said, "I won 300 rupees."

"Where is it?"

"It is there; if you want, I'll bring it." But he said no, to keep it.

So that is how Sheba became famous. You might have seen her in pictures.