Chapter 36: Interested In Remaining Disinterested
1961Page 4,768 of 5,444
Naja had to have her tonsils removed, and the operation had been performed by Dr. B. P. Apte prior to the flood, at his clinic on Jangli Maharaj Road. Baba had been to see Naja on the 12th and had instructed her to return immediately to Bindra House, despite the doctor's advice that she remain at the clinic for another day or so.1 Naja had been staying on the first floor of Apte's clinic and the flood waters had risen to the second floor.
Hearing of the critical situation in Poona over the radio and with telephone lines not working, Adi arrived at Guruprasad on the 13th, bringing drinking water, bread, food and kerosene. But when he found all were safe he returned to Ahmednagar the same night.
Due to the shortage of drinking water, those few who had wells in their houses made them available to the public. Outside Baba's childhood home, where Jalbhai and Beheram and his family were residing, there was a virtual mob every morning wanting to use the well there. From 4:00 A.M. a queue would form and Jalbhai and Beheram and Beheram's sons would help people draw up the water and carry it to their homes. Beforehand, Baba had visited and taken a sip of water from the well and then poured the remainder back in; thus, those who came for water were unknowingly receiving Baba's prasad. For several years no one had used the water, though it was suitable for drinking. Years before, when Baba was staying in the Poona Jhopdi, Sadashiv Patil had brought a turtle in a pail of water, which Baba placed in the well, and it had kept the water clean from algae.
On 27 July 1961, Baba and a few of the mandali paid their respects at Babajan's tomb. Gajwani and Siganporia had a two-hour audience with Baba on 1 August. Adi arrived that same evening.
During those days in Poona, Eruch used to spend the day at Guruprasad and return to Bindra House in the evenings. Baidul would also stay with his family at night. Naja would always stay at Bindra House to cook, as food for Baba and the women came from there. The men's food came from Jal Dorabjee's guest house. Once Eruch brought mangoes from Bindra House.
They were delicious, but the next day Baba complained to him, "The mangoes are sour."
Eruch replied, "They are sweet, Baba. I bought them myself after tasting them."
Sending for Mani, Baba asked her whether they were sweet or sour. Mani answered they were somewhat sour, and Eruch could only remark, "Well, perhaps they are."
Footnotes
- 1.Baba had visited Apte's clinic in 1958 also, prior to leaving for the West, but it is not recorded whether he was visiting a patient there or if he himself was being examined.