HE TOOK VERY GOOD CARE OF IT

 
One time Baba called us for a qawwali program that took place at the Ahmednagar Centre. Some people from there were called, and a group came and a program took place. After the program Baba had arranged for a bhajia party. Bhajias are fried fritters made with chickpea flour, and Baba liked them very much. He also liked the slightly crunchy and salty chickpea preparation called gathia, which He didn't have to chew because they melted in the mouth.

To return to the point, after the qawwali program we had a bhajia party with nice singing. Chhagan Master was given the job of getting good bhajias, but that the ones that he brought were very hard, almost like pieces of wood. People generally like crunchy bhajias, but these were exceptionally hard. Before they realized it, however, everyone took huge helpings of the bhajias, but because they were almost inedibly tough, they couldn't finish them.

I offered what was left on my plate to Gustadji — he was very fond of bhajias, and although he had no teeth, he could chew up the hardest possible thing and eat it with nothing but his gums. It was remarkable — he was a person in the best of health, always with pink cheeks. Seeing me unload my bhajias, other people also brought the bhajias they couldn't eat to Gustadji, and soon he had a big pile of everyone else's bhajia leftovers!

Suddenly Baba came around and said, "What's this, Gustadji? Where did you get all this?" Baba was quite annoyed. "Who gave bhajias to Gustadji? He'll fall sick. Throw them out at once!"

Gustadji signed, "No, Baba. I'll be all right. I'll be all right." Baba made Gustadji throw out most of the bhajias, but He did allow him to keep a few.

Baba wouldn't eat them that day, either — He only liked soft bhajias.

My sister Meheru used to tell us that when Baba was staying at the Links bungalow in Bangalore, He still had a single tooth left — all the others having been shaken out by His banging His head after Babajan's kiss of Realization — and she said that He took very good care of it.