Most of the mandali, such as Pendu, Padri, Sidhu and Vishnu, were also engaged in work related to the mast ashram. Dr. Nilu had a medical dispensary and was treating the poor free of charge; Chhagan was the Master's night watchman; Masaji was the cook; and Kalemama was in charge of construction work. Officially without any duties, Gustadji was seemingly happily unoccupied in the joy of his silence.
On 21 August, Baba had instructed Pleader to rehearse the masts and mad to perform a play about King Gopichand.1 Baba had given them one month. It was a strange order and extremely difficult to carry out. How could the masts and mad be made to act in a play? But according to Baba's wish, Pleader devoted himself wholeheartedly to the task. With great exhortation he began rehearsing these unconventional actors, painstakingly teaching them their lines. Eruch and Homi helped Pleader produce the play. Pleader rented costumes from Poona, and a stage with floodlights and backdrop was erected at lower Meherabad for the production.
On Sunday, 25 September 1938, Raja Gopichand was enacted, and lovers from Bombay, Poona, Nasik and Ahmednagar came for the unique performance, including Rustom, Goher and the Dadachanji girls. The women mandali from Upper Meherabad also attended. None had ever seen anything quite like this. The masts and mad played their parts so well, the audience was amazed at how good they were. The "God-Mad Ashram Special Program" was:
Baba's arti, then the song Graceful Nazar sung by the God-mad men Singing and music by Hanuman Sangit group of girls Special song This is the Divine Court of Shri Meher Baba by Babu the singer Drama Raja Gopichand performed by the God-mad men Poems by "Shamlu the Shayer," the Crack Poet of the Mad Ashram2 Plain talks with Baba by Lal Saheb, the leader of the ashram, and Shamlu the Shayer Bhajan program Song: I Dedicated My Heart at the Feet of Baba by Babu
The full program was performed by the inmates of the mad and mast ashram. It was a marvelous event in this Avataric advent, never to be seen again. How could masts be made to act when they are unconscious of their physical bodies? How could mad persons be controlled to participate in a play? Yet, both groups did so to near perfection as if professional actors! It was an unequaled spectacle — the result of nothing but the Master's leela! His own divine play!
Footnotes
- 1.Gopichand was a Hindu king who had an overpowering experience of God and renounced his kingdom. The play depicted his pure character.
- 2.A shayer is a reciter of Urdu couplets or shers.