Baba was in a splendid mood.
As he had previously hinted in Meherazad, he informed Bhau, "Today, I will teach you how to write ghazals."
Bhau stood before him sweating profusely and did not say a word. He had protested against writing ghazals before when the subject had first come up, and he was still working to complete the "ghazal-like" songs he had written.
Baba complimented him, "You have written with all your heart and the songs are good, but I want you to write ghazals and today I will teach you. I am going to give you one line and I want you to repeat it to the rhythm I will beat on my thighs."
So saying, Baba dictated this line in Hindi: "Now my heart is terrified even to hear the name of love."1
Bhau began repeating it aloud as Baba played a rhythm with his fists, pounding his thighs like a tabla. Standing before Baba, Bhau repeated the line over and over again in Hindi. "Now my heart is terrified even to hear the name of love ... Now my heart is terrified even to hear the name of love ..." Half an hour passed, but Bhau did not understand what Baba meant.
Bhau was perspiring; Baba was also perspiring. Still Bhau had no idea what Baba was trying to make him comprehend. So he said, "Baba, I don't follow, please don't take this trouble for me. You are already burdened with seclusion work."
Not once stopping his constant rhythmic pounding, Baba only gestured, "Continue."
Bhau repeated the line again for another half hour, but he still had no notion of the poetic meter Baba was trying to convey. Again he pleaded, "Baba, it is too hot in here! Now, please stop!"
Baba again gestured, "Continue."
And once again for another fifteen minutes, the sound of Baba slapping his thigh to Bhau's repetition of the same Hindi line went on.
Finding it monotonous, Bhau became more and more exasperated during this final fifteen minutes. He found it hard to concentrate because of the oppressive heat. Baba, too, was wringing with perspiration from the exertion. It had now been going on for an hour and fifteen minutes. Bhau could not contain himself any longer and blurted out, "Baba, please stop now; I cannot follow anything!"
Footnotes
- 1.The Hindi line is: Ab-tau nam-e ishq-se bhi sakhta ghabrata-hai dil.