Chapter 36: Interested In Remaining Disinterested
1961Page 4,741 of 5,444
From 26 March, the mandali began taking Baba out for 40-minute rides in the car. He would go with the men every morning at 8:00 A.M. and with the women every evening at 6:30 P.M. Because of the ban on visitors, when the mandali had Baba walk for very short distances in public parks, if someone happened to recognize him, they would keep away with great respect, displaying a willingness not to disturb him in the least. Therefore, Baba's "disposition" gradually improved, and physically, too, his condition became noticeably better. Dr. Dikshit, the radiologist at Sassoon Hospital, examined him at the beginning of April 1961, took X-rays and also did a barium meal exam of Baba's gastrointestinal tract.
Although visitors to Guruprasad were strictly banned, Adi was called on the 7th and 16th of April, and again with Ramjoo on the 23rd about Trust work. Baba, himself, would sometimes contravene his own orders. For example, Baba had given orders that his lovers were not even to look inside Guruprasad if they happened to be passing by, as Baba might be on the verandah at that time. Not to risk breaking his order, several avoided traveling via Bund Garden Road altogether.
One evening a few young girls came inside and began frolicking about. Eruch saw them and came out to scold them that they were trespassing. "What do you want?" he demanded.
"We just wanted to see what was inside," they said.
"Is this the time to come when the gates have been shut? What is here? A zoo?"
The girls had been steadily approaching the main building, because, from behind Eruch, Baba was standing waving for them to come closer.
Pointing to Eruch, Baba remarked, "Yes, this is a zoo, and here is one of the animals!"
Baba greeted the girls, who then scurried away.
Baba, being the Compassionate Father that he is, eventually decided to allow his lovers darshan. As Mani wrote in her Family Letter of May 1961:
Having bound his lovers with the invisible cord of his wish that he might be left completely undisturbed, the first week of May found Baba in the mood to decide to open the door of his seclusion the merest slit to allow a glimpse of himself again.
The one chosen to be first to enter was Maharani Shantadevi, who was allowed to come and see Baba at 5:00 P.M. on Thursday, 4 May 1961 for an hour. The Rani was permitted to return two days later, as were Meherwan Jessawala and the twins, Sohrab and Rustom, who entertained Baba with a magic show.