Once Baba sent Eruch for certain work to Ahmednagar, asking him to return to Pimpalgaon by seven that evening. When Eruch had not returned by that time, Baba became restless. He would send Krishna every two minutes to see whether he had arrived. Baba was very uneasy and got angry with Krishna for no apparent reason.
Eruch had been late in leaving Ahmednagar and was driving swiftly toward Meherazad. On the way, he found the nallah (riverbed) flooded due to the monsoon rains, and cars and buses were stuck there. Paying no attention to the warnings not to cross the canal, Eruch plunged the car through the stream. He managed to drive across, though he got completely soaked. He arrived safely at Meherazad, and as soon as he drove in the compound, Baba calmed down.
Eruch was called, and Baba asked him, "Why are you late?"
Eruch was weeping. He said, "Baba, I forgot."
"Why didn't you forget your self?" Baba fumed. "Why did you forget my order? If you die, I will have to answer to Pappa!"
Once, Baba asked Krishna, "How do you find Eruch?"
Krishna replied, "He is a very good man."
Baba stated, "He is not only very good, he is a gem!"
While Baba was away on tour, Chandrabhan, the boy who did the shopping in the bazaar was under Kaka's supervision and refused to listen to Krishna. Foregoing sleep to do night duty, Krishna sometimes would be in an irritable mood. When Baba returned from his journey, he was displeased to learn that, in his absence, Krishna had gotten angry at Chandrabhan and had struck the teenager.
Baba scolded Krishna disapprovingly and said, "Now it is better that you go."
Krishna sorrowfully agreed and left for his home in South India. Baba then appointed Chhagan to take over as night watchman.
In the afternoon of 11 November 1947, Sarosh, Ramjoo, Pendu, Padri, Vishnu and Adi Jr. came to see Baba. Other regular visitors included Nilu, Kalemama, Babadas and Amir. Eruch came from Poona for the day on the 17th, and Savak, Pendu and Baidul saw Baba that day also. Meheru Damania had been sending Baba's food to Pimpalgaon every day with Adi Sr., but this was stopped from the 19th.
Baba had approved of his brother Adi Jr. remarrying and had even chosen the date. Accordingly, Adi Jr. was married to Sarosh's niece Franey from Ahmednagar, on Thursday, 20 November.1
Footnotes
- 1.The date was significant, as in England on the same day in 1947, the future Queen of England, Elizabeth II, was being married to Philip Mountbatten, Duke of Edinburgh.