ChaptersChapter 31Page 4,230

Chapter 31: Blood On Indian Soil

1957Page 4,230 of 5,444
On Monday, 9 December 1957, Adi Sr. drove Baba to Wadia Park at 9:30 A.M., where Baba watched a cricket match for some time from the car, before returning to Meherazad.
In Meherazad over the next ten days, a detailed plan was chalked out for the Indian sahavas. Baba sent for Pendu, Padri and Vishnu repeatedly, discussing it with them and finalizing all the arrangements.
Mention has been made about Aloba's dark glasses. Baba had forbidden Aloba to come before him for six months, as even the sunglasses did not prevent Aloba from "staring" at Baba, or so Baba claimed. But hiding here and there, as Baba would come and go between his house and the hall, Aloba missed no chance to have a fleeting glimpse of Baba whenever he could, and Baba would daily catch him. It went to such an extent that Baba ordered Aloba to stay in Bombay for a month.
He reprimanded him, "Go and remain there for one month, because you are making me angry every day, which is not proper. Put your bags in a bullock cart and go to Ahmednagar in it. From there, leave immediately for Bombay by train. I will call you back after a month."
A bullock cart was hired from the village and Aloba's luggage was placed in it. With a heavy heart, he left. But after going two miles, he stopped a boy and sent Baba this message: "My living now is of no use. I will put an end to my life."
Reading it, Baba called him back and harshly took him to task for threatening to kill himself. Dhake had come to Meherazad that day from Ahmednagar.
Winking at him, Baba asked, "Now what should I do with Aloba?"
Dhake replied, "His message is proof of his trouble-making intentions. The police should be called to arrest him."
Baba asked Aloba, "Are you going to Bombay or should I turn you over to the police?"
Aloba agreed to go, and left.
The fact of the matter was that Aloba often used to ask permission to visit Bombay; while staying in Satara, he went many times. Previously, he had owned a restaurant in Bombay, which he sold during the final stages of the Satara residence, but perhaps some "link" was still left over somewhere. It was this attachment which Baba wished to snap once and for all, because, after returning, Aloba never again talked of going to Bombay.
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