Chapter 36: Interested In Remaining Disinterested
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After this was done, Baba came near and performed the last rites by placing flowers on Gulmai's forehead and body while Kaikobad offered prayers. The coffin lid was then positioned and secured. Almost 200 persons from Arangaon and Ahmednagar were present. Thus Baba's spiritual mother Gulmai came to rest in Meherabad, the place she herself had been so instrumental in laying at his feet.
Baba remarked to Adi, "She is very fortunate that I was present at her burial."
Gulmai was, in fact, the first person whose body was buried on Meherabad Hill. As if in an additional tribute to her greatness, this was the last time Meher Baba ever went to Meherabad.
Age bowed to Gulmai's dedication, service and love for Meher Prabhu! She and her husband, Kaikhushru (Khansaheb), were the ones who gifted Baba the land in Arangaon which became Meherabad.
Prem Khilnani was present for the funeral, and as Baba was looking at the tower of the Meher Retreat Building, Prem said to him, "Someday Meherabad will be like Benares, a place of world pilgrimage."
Baba nodded, "Yes, you are right. It will."
On the way back to Meherazad, Baba stopped briefly at Khushru Quarters, expressly to see Gulmai's daughter, Dolly, whom he embraced. He visited Gulmai's room first and then sat for ten minutes in Adi's office before departing.
The next morning, Sunday, 12 August 1962, Baba again went to Khushru Quarters, where he had a brief discussion with Adi and Adi's sisters, Dolly and Piroja. He gave darshan to his Ahmednagar lovers, and Lata Limaye sang two ghazals. Hoshang Bharucha had arrived that morning for a day's visit and he returned to Meherazad with Baba. Adi was called there at 5:00 P.M. and Baba reiterated to him how fortunate Gulmai was that Baba had seen her before she died, and had also attended her funeral.
Soonamasi (Gulmai's sister) and Khorshed had not been able to attend Gulmai's funeral, but they came from Bombay on the 15th to pay their respects. After visiting Meherabad and Gulmai's grave, they went to Meherazad for a few hours in the afternoon to be with Baba and the women mandali.