One hundred and five poor children were brought to Judge's Bungalow on 9 June. Baba washed and wiped their feet and gave them laddoos. After each boy and girl was fed a good lunch, Baba gave material for either a shirt or dress to each. Only after this program was concluded did Baba take his meal in the evening.
Baba left Satara for Meherazad at 8:00 A.M. in Nariman's car (Eruch driving) on Sunday, 10 June 1956 with the women — Mehera, Mani, Goher and Meheru. Adi Sr. took Rano, Naja and Gustadji. Within a few days, Jalbhai and Meherwan Jessawala visited from Poona. There were daily discussions about Baba's forthcoming trip to the West, and Baba dictated a few messages for it. Before proceeding to Meherazad, Baba had instructed Bhau to prepare seven messages for him to use in the West. Bhau wrote the messages, and they were given to Rano to edit, but they were never used.
Beryl Williams wrote to Mani that she and the other Westerners "would have our wings ready to fly with Baba around the country," when he came. Mani read the letter to Baba and responded, "Beloved also agrees to the wings and doesn't mind any of you doves flying around with him during the trip. So stretch out your wings, girls."
Adi had informed Baba that a West African woman named Beatrice Vigo had come for his darshan. Beatrice was in India for a few years to study Vedanta and had come before, in April, when Baba was in seclusion at Satara.1 Baba was still in seclusion and not meeting anyone, but he permitted her to see him for a few minutes at Meherazad on the morning of 12 June 1956.
Beatrice had visited several ashrams in Rishikesh and elsewhere, and Baba emphasized to her, "Only through love can God be realized."
Prior to becoming interested in spirituality, Beatrice had studied in London where she became active in the African colonies' struggle for independence and in women's issues.2 She invited Baba to visit Africa.
Baba also had a local God-mad seeker named Barakoti (Twelve Coats) brought to Meherazad one day. He was so named because no matter what kind of weather it was, the mast-like man would always wear twelve ( bara ) tattered coats. Baba changed one of the layers with a nice new coat. Baba told the mandali that he was not actually a mast, but had a "whiff of the Path."
During this period, Habibullah Baig of Poona was determined to go into business for himself. He came to Meherazad and told Baba of his desire.
"Do you offer namaz daily?" Baba asked him.
"Now I offer the original namaz!" he replied, meaning remembering Baba.
Pleased by his answer, Baba asked, "From where will you get the money to go into business?"
Footnotes
- 1.When Beatrice Vigo had come to Ahmednagar in April 1956, Adi had taken her to Sakori where she was introduced to Godavri Mai.
- 2.Beatrice Vigo was a student in London in the late 1920s. She joined the West African Student Union (WASU) and became the wife of the vice president of the WASU branch in Zaria, Nigeria, Arthur Vigo. She acted as WASU's representative in the United States for some years during the early 1930s, before traveling through the British West Indies and London on her way back to Nigeria. Concurrently with her work fighting racial discrimination and colonialism, she worked for improving the status of women in West Africa.