When Baba would come to the hall every morning, the mandali would take up what had become their fixed positions over the years inside the hall. Kaka would sit on a stuffed "poof" to the right of Baba's chair; next to him, Aloba and Kaikobad. Baidul would sit in a chair against the wall opposite Baba (towards the back of the hall) and to Baidul's right, Eruch, Francis, Bhau and Pendu.1 The men would sit on the cowdung-plastered packed earth floor on burlap sacks or mats.
Their positions were as follows:
Each day Baba would ask for the "real news" — that of his lovers or their group activities — and then perhaps the "bogus news" — from newspapers or an interesting magazine article. Even though Baba banned correspondence at this time, lovers from all over the world would write seeking his advice. "Should I get married? ... Should I go abroad?" they would inquire. "Should I pursue this career? ... I am in legal difficulties ... My business is failing."
When the mail would come, one letter or telegram would contain the joyous news, "Baba, by your grace we have been blessed with a son." The next might say, "Baba, it seems it was your will that our son not recover from his illness, and he passed away." One letter would contain an engagement announcement, and the next, word of a husband and wife fighting bitterly. Eruch said: "It was one thing to hear Baba tell us time and again that the world is just a passing show and illusion, but the nature of much of the flood of correspondence that came to him each day made us believe it as nothing else did."
Through Eruch, Bhau, Mani and others, Baba would send replies and then ask every day, "Has there been any word from so-and-so?"
Telegrams would be sent and a second and sometimes a third letter. For example, at the beginning of March, Baba had Elcha write to Keki Desai in Delhi, informing the Desais that Sorabji Siganporia's son Noshir and his wife were coming to Delhi for a two-month job-training course. Baba asked the Desais to accommodate the couple, and Baba directed Noshir to pay the Desais Rs.150 per month toward their board and lodging. Others in Delhi were also written to guide the couple and introduce them to other Baba lovers in the area.
No word was received from Keki Desai for a week or so, and Baba appeared anxious about the matter. Ten days later a telegram was sent to him. More letters followed back and forth. This is a typical example of the sort of seemingly trivial things which filled Baba's days and apparently occupied his time.
Footnotes
- 1.If Adi Sr. came, he would sit in Bhau's position and Bhau would move to the opposite wall; Don usually stood while speaking with Baba, and then went out to discuss medical issues related to Baba and the mandali's health with Goher.