Chapter 36: Interested In Remaining Disinterested
1962Page 4,793 of 5,444
Daily reports of his condition were relayed over the radio and in the newspapers, which Pendu relayed to Baba from the 19th. Since Nari was injured, Umrigar replaced him as captain, and thus Baba gave both men the chance of leading the Indian team. Baba sent messages to Nari's wife, Dolly, not to worry about him.
On 25 March, Adi, Sarosh and Dhake saw Baba at Meherazad in relation to an encroachment from a neighboring Pimpalgaon landowner. Jalbhai also arrived that day.
Baba left for Poona at 8:00 A.M. on Saturday, 31 March 1962 with the men and women mandali. He stopped at the Sarosh Motor Works Petrol Pump on the way, where more than 100 lovers had gathered. He then went to Khushru Quarters to see Gulmai, who was not well. Baba proceeded to Poona with the women in Meherjee's Chevrolet; Adi drove Naja, Rano and a few of the mandali in the DeSoto; and Waman drove the remaining mandali in Adi's Chevrolet. They took up residence in Guruprasad, where Nana Kher of Nagpur joined them.
Soon after their arrival, on the evening of 3 April, Pendu had much pain passing urine and was admitted to the Jehangir Nursing Home. He had to have a prostate operation, but when the surgery failed to relieve his condition, he was operated upon a second time. This operation failed as well, but fortunately the third attempt (on 9 May) was successful. As Meherwan Jessawala pointed out, "It was so obvious that such a capable surgeon would not fail three times. All these procedures were extremely painful for Pendu, and it looked as if Baba was making Pendu share in the suffering that was always the lot of the mandali who were with Baba."
So during Baba's stay in Poona, Pendu had to remain in the hospital, with Aloba and Meherdas attending to his needs. Don also stayed in Poona to oversee Pendu's treatment.
One day Aloba came to Guruprasad from the hospital, and Baba asked him the purpose of his visit. He replied, "To see you!"
Baba corrected him, scolding, "When you don't obey me, what is the use of seeing me? Only by following my orders will you ever be able to really see me! You will never be able to 'see' by seeing me physically!"
Aloba immediately returned to care for Pendu. (Eruch and Bhau would visit Pendu occasionally, but they could not stay long.)