Noshir Irani also arrived unexpectedly from Bombay. He was an acquaintance of Jim Mistry, but he was a bit peculiar.1 He had brought cake and sweetmeats for Baba. Baba had the packages opened, and with his own hands put a piece of the sweets into the mouth of every headman of the different villages who had labored in distributing 706 tickets to the poor of their villages. The remaining portion of the cake was given to Pukar to distribute to lovers in Hamirpur. Besides the headmen, 793 persons received prasad from Baba. At 11:00 A.M., the function ended. Baba praised those who had worked to arrange and carry it out so successfully, and he especially mentioned Chhagan, who had prepared the laddoos himself at his house.
Despite being in so much pain, Baba exerted himself for an hour and a half by touching the feet of the poor and handing prasad to them without showing the least sign of discomfort.
According to his wish, the mandali and all his lovers in the East and West had joined him in fasting the entire day.
Gulmai was still extremely restless and so Adi Sr. brought her to Meherazad on the 16th, where being in Baba's presence greatly eased her mind. Mehera invited her inside for tea.
On Monday, 25 February 1957, Baba's 63rd birthday was celebrated with much fanfare at different places.2
Two days before, Baba had sent telegrams to his followers throughout the world: "Convey my love to all my lovers."
As was Baba's wish, the Meherazad mandali, too, were ready by 4:00 A.M. Ramjoo had arrived from Satara. That morning, Ramjoo took a long time to finish his bath, so that others had to bathe outside under the water tap. Some even went without a bath, although Baba had told them to take one that morning.
Exactly at five o'clock, the hour of his birth, the women and men mandali, from their respective sides of the compound, shouted God's name seven times. Baba then called the men to his room. Mehera had helped Baba wear a light blue jacket and placed a garland of jasmine and roses around his neck. Baba was reclining in bed against a back rest and looked radiant. He extended his hand for each of the men to kiss — a unique loving gesture to them on his birthday.
Baba then asked the men, "Have you all had a bath?"
Because Ramjoo had monopolized the bathroom from 4:00 to 4:45 A.M., none except he and Kaka (who had rushed in afterwards to have his) and Baidul and Bhau (who had bathed in the open under the tap) had taken a bath that morning.
Jalbhai informed Baba of this, and Baba observed, "My lovers in other places have kept awake the whole night in my love and have arranged several programs in my remembrance while you who are with me remain indifferent! I attach no importance to bathing per se, but for my own reasons when I had asked you to bathe, it was necessary for you to carry out my wish."
Footnotes
- 1.Noshir Irani's father Khodabunda was Kharmen Masi's brother.
- 2.Eruch and Adi Sr. were the guest speakers at the Bombay Center's birthday function.