ChaptersChapter 12Page 1,696

Chapter 12: Film Projects & Work In India

1936Page 1,696 of 5,444
Nargis Dadachanji had been ill and had lost a lot of weight. Before departing, Baba noticed how thin she was.
He pointed to a thick pillar and indicated to her, "I will make you fat!"
Baba returned to Meherabad on 20 December, via Nasik, in a rented car, accompanied by Kaka and Kalingad.
Baba decided to shift his seat of residence to Mysore in South India. To make the arrangements for this, Baba left Meherabad by train at 5:00 P.M. on 31 December 1935 accompanied by Nilu, Gustadji and Bhagirath (a young lover from Ahmednagar). After a brief halt in Bombay on the 1st, he arrived in Poona the next evening, where Vishnu and Chanji joined them. There was much confusion over their tickets and booking a private compartment, so Baba decided to go by the next day's train. They spent that night at the train station in the first-class waiting room, with Nilu and Chanji sharing nightwatch, and boarded the Bangalore Express at half past noon on the 3rd.
During this period, Baba had forbidden visitors from bowing down and touching his feet, and the men and women mandali likewise were prohibited from taking darshan. This had begun with the period of his seclusion on Meherabad Hill, at which time he had also stopped giving darshan to the general public on Thursdays and Sundays. However, at the very first station where the train halted, a railway official recognized Baba and approached him for darshan. Fortunately, he was prevented from bowing to Baba, and it was explained to him that Baba was in seclusion. Precautions had to be taken at every stop to ensure that Baba was not disturbed.
During the train journey to Bangalore, Baba informed the mandali about his future activities, stating, "If a suitable place is found in Mysore for seclusion, I will bring the women mandali only on condition that Chanji stay there also. But if I go to the West, Chanji will have to be with me."
Chanji consented and Baba was pleased.
They reached Bangalore on the evening of 4 January, and Sampath Aiyangar and his family were waiting at the station. As soon as Baba's group arrived, people wanted darshan.
To end the confusion, all were informed of Baba's strict wish: "No darshan."
After eating dinner at Aiyangar's home, Baba returned to the station and continued by train to Mysore.
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