The women gave Baba a hearty reception and a skit was performed to celebrate the occasion.
Soonamasi was the manager of the women's ashram, but she kept committing errors in her accounts. She had so much trouble keeping track of the money while shopping in the bazaar that it afforded amusing incidents for the other women, which they related with humor to Baba.
Memo and Mani had also come to Nasik from Poona.1 They discussed Bobo's death and what should be done to make certain that Memo was well cared for. Baba wanted to keep Mani with him in the ashram, but Memo thought otherwise. She wanted a family member to be with her in Poona. Consequently, Baba had directed his brother Beheram to marry Perin. Although Beheram was hesitant, he obeyed Baba and agreed to being married and staying with Memo. This freed Mani to join Baba's women mandali in the ashram.
Once settled in Nasik, Baba would play cricket, gilli-danda and other games with Rustom's children Meheru, Naggu, Mehlu and Falu, and Naval Talati's children Jeroo and Curshed. While playing a game, Baba struck a ball very hard. It hit Meheru and the wound bled. Her mother, Freiny, understood the incident as Baba's prasad, but little Meheru kept crying. Baba lovingly wiped the blood from her face and sent her to the hospital. In fact, it was Baba's prasad because, out of Rustom and Freiny's six children, only Meheru was chosen to become a permanent member of the Master's mandali after completion of her education.
Baba once wanted to give a fountain pen and pencil to Meheru and her brother Falu; but there were other brothers and another sister present, so a lottery was held. Lots were drawn and Meheru won the pen. Falu also wanted something, so a second lottery was held and he won the pencil. In this manner, Baba would enjoy the company of children and give them his invaluable contact.
Baba would often play a game with Rustom's children in which he would grab and twist his fingers into a fist, asking them to point out the middle finger. Only the tips of his fingers were visible, so it was difficult to guess. The children would usually err in making the correct choice; thus Baba would fool them and they would laugh at his clever trickery.
Meanwhile, on 6 September 1932, Baba had sent Nilu to Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, 41, leader and spokesman of the Untouchables, whom Mahatma Gandhi had urged Baba to meet.
Footnotes
- 1.Mastan was also brought from Meherabad to Nasik, where he remained for some days.