Later that day, 26 July, Baba played cricket at the men's bungalow with the mandali plus Elcha, Hellan, Kumar, Keki Nalavala, Harichand and Kishan Singh. Elcha was made captain of one team and Kishan captain of the other. Baba played on both sides. The game started at nine o'clock, and except for a few, the rest were bumbling participants, some of whom did not even know the rules. Baba batted and bowled with a small kerchief tied around his head, sometimes arguing over a call. Elcha's team eventually lost and Baba gave him two "strokes" on his backside with the bat. Baba decided that they would play cricket every Sunday and their weekly games continued for some time. Both sides would want Baba on their side, since he was by far the best player. At times they would toss a coin to decide the issue. Baba's side inevitably won.
T. A. Pillay, a retired civil engineer from Nagpur, and his family had come in Baba's contact through Keshav Nigam. In the family were two daughters, Veena and Mira. After meeting Baba in Nagpur, Veena had begun behaving like a mastani, and had become emaciated. She scarcely spoke or ate, kept to herself and would sit for hours with a rapt expression on her face. The only time she "came to life" was when they recited the arti before Baba's picture — then she would participate and stand before Baba's picture with joined hands. Baba sent for the family and they arrived on the 27th.
About Veena, Baba stated: "In order to have such love [as she has], munis and rishis do penance for thousands of years. Out of lakhs, only one gets this kind of love. She is fully merged in me. She is mine."
Baba took the girl to the women mandali. Although Veena
had virtually stopped eating, she had food from Baba's hands that day. Baba fed her a little and then told her to eat some more. She had no bodily consciousness and had really become like a God-intoxicated mastani.
Baba assured her father, "You are extremely fortunate and have no idea of the state she is in."
To the other daughter Mira, Baba urged, "Become like Mirabai in my love and remain pure."1
Baba then asked Sastri to find a job for Mira, and he promised to look for one for her in Andhra. Baba then sent the family with Sastri to Andhra.
Baba had recently commented about the Korean War, and on 27 July 1953, it ended.
On the 29th, Baba talked with Bhau about his serving Nanga Mast: "You are doing an important duty. It is my work. You are helping me in my work, because looking after his health and keeping him well will help my work from August 1. From August 1, I will sit with him daily for one or two hours, and give him a bath every second or third day. Don't think of your work as a pastime. It is an important duty. Keep him well!"
On 30 July, Baba bowed down to the sweeper boy Isa and gifted him two rupees.
Footnotes
- 1.One of Meher Baba's's favorite saints, Mirabai was the celebrated poetess from Gujarat and worshiper of Lord Krishna.