He had pain in the hip even while resting. At night, his joints became even stiffer and more painful, and sometimes he experienced cramps. He also had pain in the knee joint (down to his instep at times), but it was less intense than in his hip.
Previously, Baba would walk from his house to the mandali's side every day, but now he had to be carried in the lift-chair by the garden boys. The persistent swelling in both feet returned and was not relieved by rest. Usually diuretics are given for edema, but because of Baba's renal damage he could not take them.
By the 22nd of July, Baba's weight was down by a few pounds, his cholesterol level was also lower, and the edema in his feet was almost gone, but he had pain in the abdomen and back and he complained of giddiness. His pulse, too, was not healthy at 82.
On 31 July Baba permitted Sarosh's son Merwan and his wife Anita to pay their respects at Meherazad, prior to their return to England. Mansari and Kaikobad's family were also called on the morning of 4 August.
On the 11th, Baba sent the following message by telegram to his lovers in the West: "Hold fast to my daaman now more than ever."1
On the 13th, a meeting was held at Meherazad before Baba of the Akbar Press and Bindra House families, regarding their joint property.
On Sunday, 18 August 1963, Lata Limaye was called to Meherazad with Adi. Lata had been selected to compete in a singing contest in Delhi, and Baba expressed his happiness and encouraged her. Adi had recently begun keeping silence every Sunday, and Baba said that this was all right, if he wished, but he should speak with Baba in his presence, which he did.
Adi's assistant Feram Workingboxwala was called to Meherazad on the 23rd and Baba instructed him to stay at Meherazad for a month from 1 September for a change. Feram began doing so every year thereafter.
Meanwhile, Swami Satyaprakash wished to establish a new center called Meher Vihar (Abode of Meher) in Vijayawada, Andhra.
Baba sent him this telegram in July approving the idea: "Adhere to honesty in all you do, and this will keep you with Baba always, and will always keep Baba's love aglow in Meher Vihar."2
The inauguration of the center was held on 24 August, and Baba sent Jalbhai as his representative.
Footnotes
- 1.The same message was included in Mani's Family Letter, dated 9 August 1963.
- 2.Two years later, Meher Vihar moved from Vijayawada to Hyderabad.