Each year Nana Kher would come from Nagpur for three months to reside at Guruprasad with the mandali, and Bal Natu would come for the five or six weeks of his school vacation. From Bombay, Khorshed too would be permitted to stay for three months. Nariman and Jim Mistry would come every weekend. These arrangements continued until the end of Baba's life, whenever he resided in Poona.
For the most part, Baba kept himself secluded in Guruprasad, not allowing any outsiders to come and see him. However there was no ban imposed against visits from Sadashiv Patil, Meherjee, Meherwan Jessawala, Jalbhai, Beheram, Sheroo, Rustom, Sohrab and Jehangu. But most of these men had jobs, so they came only on Sundays, when Baba would also call lovers such as Madhusudan, Ramakrishnan, Pratap, Narendra, Kisan, Kamble, Shinde and Pote to play card games. Pegu, the Siamese cat, also received much attention from Baba. So the atmosphere at Guruprasad that summer was quiet and peaceful, as Baba's seclusion work continued.
During this period, Baba gave Bhau one hour, from 3:00 to 4:00 P.M., in which to do writing work, and so while Bhau was writing, Meherjee was instructed to be on watch near Baba.1 Bhau would then be on watch from 4:00 P.M. to midnight, and this schedule continued for the next few years.
One day Meherjee came out of Baba's bedroom at 3:30 P.M. and walked straight past Bhau to Eruch. Bhau saw him but thought he had some message to deliver and would be coming back. After a few minutes, Baba clapped and Goher rushed to him.
"Where is Bhau?" Baba asked, "I sent for him. Why hasn't he come?"
Goher told Bhau, and he entered Baba's bedroom.
Baba was displeased and asked, "Why didn't you come? I have been waiting for you. Didn't Meherjee tell you I wanted you right away?"
"No, he did not," said Bhau.
Baba sent for Meherjee and asked him, "Why didn't you tell Bhau to come to me?"
"I forgot," Meherjee replied. "But it was Bhau's responsibility to ask me why I left your room early." Baba agreed and scolded Bhau for not asking Meherjee about it. From that day onward, the moment Meherjee came for his duty, Bhau had to wait outside on the verandah and go to Baba the minute Meherjee left.
Footnotes
- 1.Later, at Guruprasad, Bhau kept watch near Baba from 2:30 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. Pendu, Aloba and Rano then took shifts for the rest of the night.