Baba arrived in Eluru at 6:30 P.M. on Friday, 23 January 1953. An enormous crowd had come to the station to receive him and echoes of "Avatar Meher Baba ki jai!" rocked the train itself. Age knew it was the voice of Wine which was rejoicing, the Wine which was weeping, the Wine which was dancing and singing!
Baba was met by Ranga Rao, R. V. Ramarao Naidu, the Maharaja of Pangidigudem, Dr. Kanakadandi, Katta Subba Rao and K. Narayan Rao who garlanded him. He was then led to the Raja's decorated car, and a long procession formed to parade the Lord of the Universe in all his splendor through their city. The group stayed with Baba in Katta Subba Rao's large garden. A small room had been kept for Baba, and a tent had been erected for the others. Katta, a simple man by nature, had made fine arrangements.
The next morning, Baba served seven poor people. After washing the feet of a lad named Bhupati Rao, Baba also bowed his head to him, and gave him seven rupees as prasad.
From Eluru, Baba sent Don back to Meherazad for some work; but Bal Natu joined the group that same day, 24 January.
Baba expressed a desire to play a game of marbles that morning. Ten or twelve of the mandali took part in it, and Baba hit seven marbles at a stroke. The game lasted for half an hour. The members of the reception committee were amazed to see Baba playing marbles, and when the game was over, he remarked:
"After many years, I have again played marbles. But in fact, since eternity I have been playing marbles with the universe, and have never once missed the mark!
"I am the smallest of the small and the biggest of the big. This is my actual experience. And one who gets purified completely will know me to be everyone.
"I have been repeatedly saying we must be honest. The least hypocrisy [truly] drives away the Infinite which is Baba. So, my blessings are for this honesty in loving God."
A very large mass darshan took place in Eluru in the afternoon at the grounds of the Sir C. R. Reddy College.1 Villagers from neighboring places had come in large numbers, and it reminded Bhau of the festive scene at Saoner. People arrived in buses and in hundreds of bullock carts. The crowd was estimated at 25,000 people.
Footnotes
- 1.Sir C. R. Reddy (1880–1951) was a famous Indian educationalist and one of the founders of Andhra University.