When Bhau related to Baba how people were ridiculing him because of the sign hung around his neck, Baba chuckled and gestured, "Good that it happened. I am happy. Have you any idea about my plight? You only had the board around your neck, but the whole world is around my neck!"
Sorabji Siganporia had rented Pherozeshah Mehta Hall for a qawaali program that evening.Two hundred lovers gathered, and Baba attended, but returned to Ashiana after listening to the singing for less than an hour.
Because of the disturbance the previous night, Aloba was relieved of nightwatch duty, and Bhau had to keep watch the whole night.Baba left for Satara on the morning of the 15th.On the way, he stopped for a short while at Naoroji Dadachanji's, in Dadar, as he used to do in years past.After meeting all the family members and taking a little of the food offered to him by Naoroji's youngest son, Nozar, Baba and the mandali departed.
at Ashiana, 1955
Soon after the darshan, Eruch described it in a letter to the Dehra Dun group:
All kinds of devotees were present: men, women and children; Parsis, Gujaratis, Christians and Moslems; Marathies [Marathas] and Madrasis; both rich and poor were pressing alike around Baba for darshan without hesitation or any kind of distinctions.It was a sight to see the fishermen from Bombay-side come to Baba for darshan.All mandali were wondering as to how they came to know about Baba!And when asked, they said with pride and devotion that they were Baba's old lovers.These simple folk worshiped Baba in their own way with very great devotion; side by side, aristocrats of Bombay worshiped Baba too.
Baba too had felt happy at the end of the day's program; and he appeared to be exceedingly pleased because all those who had approached him had done so with great love ...And all those who contacted Baba that day, after a long time, felt a great happiness within.They experienced great contentment and peace amidst the dissatisfaction and turmoil of their worldly routine.
Of course, there were a very few who could no longer bear the onslaughts of suffering, begged Baba to show mercy towards them.Baba patted them and asked them to rely on God."God is infinitely merciful," he said."God alone is the protector and Lord of all."
When Baba returned to Satara, he described the darshans to the women, which Mani related to the Westerners:
Although [Ashiana] is small, it was a most loving and touching meeting between Master and lovers — amidst the usual tears, smiles and kisses.Although the latter [kisses] was not on the agenda, an Irani woman started it (as Baba amusedly told us afterwards).The motherly soul planted loud kisses on Baba's cheeks, forehead and face.It was the needed signal for the others who hadn't yet dared (because of the recent seclusion and restrictions) — and immediately the crowd broke forward, and soon poor Baba was smothered in kisses from each ...
Baba told us of one man — a Hindu — a big man, dressed Western style.He tossed his felt hat away, kissed Baba soul-satisfyingly, stood back, raised his hand to command silence, and made a heartfelt little spontaneous speech of some few sentences, saying there before them all was the One and Only — the Avatar actually in their midst where they could touch him, etc.At the end of which, overcome with emotion, he prostrated fully before Baba ...
Later, Baba seemed tired from the long nonstop darshan hours and the two-way tiring journey.How Baba changes at such gatherings — how beautiful — how tireless — radiating his divine Self and Love!Even Baba remarks on that.He told us yesterday [16 August 1955], "They kept repeating over and over again how beautiful I looked."
Yes, at times like these he lifts from himself the tiniest bit of the veil that hides him from us, so that we lose ourselves completely in the beauty and love of him, worshipping him with the utmost gratitude and depth of our heart.
Arnavaz also wrote to the Westerners:
I cannot describe to you the joy of two days Nariman and I had with Baba.I felt as if I were floating in the air and not walking upon the ground.Baba was his old self again before the New Life.We saw the radiance and happiness on his face after a long time ...Like the waves of the sea coming towards the shore and going back into the sea, the waves of love of devotees poured into Baba, and Baba's Infinite Love poured into them.The atmosphere created was one of love and devotion, and we breathed that air the [entire] time.
In Satara, on Thursday, 18 August 1955, Baba sat with Kaikobad at 7:00 A.M. for six and a half hours, and fasted for twelve hours.The mandali were instructed to repeat God's name for one hour.At 6:00 P.M., Baba called all the mandali and bowed to each of them.The women staying with Baba had also been told to fast for twelve hours that day.
There was a girls' school in Satara near the mandali's bungalow, which Krishna Nair would pass while going for night duty.
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