Shinde returned to Meherazad on the 8th, with an improved traction collar, which he adjusted to Baba's comfort. Baba wore it for two hours, and found that the intensity of his neck pain had become less severe. Khorshed had arrived from Bombay and was called to Meherazad at 1:15 P.M. Sarosh and Viloo were permitted to see Baba that afternoon, along with Franey and their daughter-in-law Anita and her baby.1
Baidul was taken to Bombay at this time and admitted to Parsi General Hospital for treatment. He remained in Bombay for five months, where his daughter Sarwar looked after him.
Dr. Ginde returned on Saturday, 13 February to reexamine Baba, and he spent the night at Meherazad. Homa had driven him from Bombay in Nariman's car. In the hall Baba asked Bhau to read out couplets from Meher Geet Suda to Ginde during this visit.
After hearing a few couplets in Hindi, Baba remarked to Bhau, "Do you know? Have you any idea what you have written? It is better than Kabir!"
Baba turned to Ginde and the others, and said, "This man says that he does not know how to write poems; but has he any idea what he has written? Kabir of course wrote sublime things, but the language is simple. Here Bhau has written in Hindi in such a way that he has taken care of the language as well as the content. And yet he always complains that he does not know how to write!"
Ginde left on 14 February and stopped for lunch in Poona at Herekar's, after having a flat tire on the way. Meanwhile, as they were dealing with changing the tire, Meherwan telephoned Herekar to inform Ginde that Baba's neck pain had worsened since he had left. Goher and Don decided to have new X-rays taken at Booth Hospital, which was done on the 15th or 16th. Don took the X-rays to Bombay, where Ginde examined them and decided to return to Meherazad on the weekend, if Baba would give his permission. Again, long telephone calls went back and forth over the arrangements and treatment.
Ginde arrived at 7:45 A.M. on Saturday, 20 February 1965 in Nariman's car, with Homa driving. They spent that night at Meherazad. As mentioned, Dr. Ginde was very devoted to Baba. He would eat whatever food the mandali were having, and would not want anything special cooked for his sake. Inevitably, whenever Ginde came to Meherazad, the next day Baba would tell him his pain had lessened, which would please the doctor, as he was usually about to return to Bombay. On his way, Ginde would stop for lunch in Poona at Herekar's. Even before Ginde arrived in Bombay, Adi would be instructed to phone him from his office that Baba's pain was intense; nevertheless, Baba indicated that Ginde should proceed straight to Bombay, and not drive back to Meherazad. This would confuse the doctor, but he would go to Bombay as instructed and return to Meherazad the following week.
Footnotes
- 1.Sarosh was permitted to bring his grandson and family to Meherazad again on 14 March 1965, the baby's first birthday.