He sat there for a few moments absorbed in deep thought and then quickly stood up and said, "Man proposes and God disposes. God's will always prevails. So be it. There is no need to be displeased or disheartened over it, because God alone knows His plan. We have not the slightest knowledge of it. Whatever has happened is for the best. Thus thinking, we should wait patiently. That is our duty. Come on, I've not had tea since morning. My head is heavy. I'm having talab [craving] for tea."
This was Merwan's first and last experience at the racetrack.
In December 1911, Merwan passed the matriculation exam given by Bombay University. He then joined the previous (freshman) class of Deccan College in Poona for higher studies in Inter Arts. Deccan College was considered among the better college-level institutions. It had a boat club with excellent facilities for sports, and its students formed an integrated student body taken from different religions and communities in the area. In college, as he had done before, Merwan soon gathered a circle of close friends and again became a favorite of his classmates and professors. All admired the striking young man's innate leadership qualities.
As a college student, Merwan was exceptionally bright and would often participate in sports, cricket again being his favorite. He was a good batsman and an exceptional wicket-keeper. He was acknowledged not only for his agility and energy during games, but also for his sportsmanship. "Merwan's name became very famous in the college cricket team," Baily recalled. "Without him the match seemed very dull and lifeless." Merwan also became a member of the college boat club, and with his close friends, he would row along the Mula-Mutha River some evenings, spending many pleasant hours in this manner.
While at Deccan College, Merwan formed a drama (theater) troupe that rehearsed at the home of his aunt Pila Masi and uncle Rustom Masa ( Masaji ) on Sachapir Street. The group staged two or three public performances at a local theater with the proceeds donated to charity.
Merwan and his friends would sometimes attend kirtan performances — songs with narration about God or gurus and saints. Gadge Maharaj was a Hindu saint of the sixth plane, who, in his youth, wandered in India living off alms.1 Once Merwan heard the great saint perform a kirtan in Poona. Although the humble saint was dressed in rags, Gadge Maharaj radiated divine love, and all who attended were profoundly impressed.
Footnotes
- 1.Gadge Maharaj (1876–1956) was the saint with whom Meher Baba washed a leper at Pandharpur in 1954.