At 7:00 A.M. on 20 December 1968, Meherjee brought Dr. Grant again with Dr. Ichaporia to give Baba a second blood transfusion. Baba was cheerful in his presence and also explained several spiritual subjects to him.
Baba remarked, "I am the Expected One who will also be the Accepted One while I am yet in this body. All will know me when I manifest, but those who know and love me now are the really fortunate."
Dr. Grant took Baba's EKG and said it was normal. He left after an hour with Meherjee and Dr. Ichaporia stayed until the full one-pint transfusion was over. Yusuf, the Meherazad driver, then drove her back to Poona in the DeSoto.
Goher was busy day and night attending to Baba; it was an exhausting service.
Eruch suggested calling Dr. Hoshang Bharucha from Navsari to assist Goher, but Baba replied, "Not now. He will come on his own at the right time."
Meanwhile , Baba had given his consent to hold the wedding of his brother Adi Jr.'s son, Dara, 24, to Kumar's daughter Amrit, 18, in Meherazad. For several days, Pendu, Eruch and Mani were kept busy making arrangements for the two-day affair. Sarosh, Viloo and Adi were also actively engaged in these arrangements as well.
A circular was sent on 12 December 1968 to those invited:
Rules given by Beloved Baba to be observed by all his lovers who are visiting Meherazad on 22nd and 23rd December 1968:
1) None must take Baba's darshan.
2) None must embrace him.
3) None must garland him. (Flowers may be placed near him.)
4) Each will file past him (first the women and then the men) on 22nd morning. Baba says that mood permitting he may allow his hand to be kissed; otherwise, each should only bow to him with folded hands.
Added directions for the women Baba lovers:
1) None must embrace Mehera, nor Mani nor anyone else.
2) There should not be any hand-shaking or hand-kissing or overna. All should simply greet Mehera and others by saying 'Jai Baba' with folded hands.1
3) None must garland Mehera (i.e. not put garland round her neck), but flowers may be offered in the hand.
Kumar and Subhadra, and their son and daughter Amrit arrived on 18 December 1968, and were accommodated in Meherazad in Bhau's room. Bhau moved in with Eruch.
Adi Jr. and family arrived from London two days later, on the 20th. With them was Ann Eve, 32, the daughter of Douglas and Mollie Eve, who had been living in their upstairs flat for almost ten years and had become a close family friend. Adi stayed at Meherazad for a few days and afterwards in Bhingar; Franey and Shireen stayed with Franey's mother and brother at their family home in Bhingar, and Dara and Ann at Sarosh and Viloo's. At first the wedding date had been fixed for November, but Adi had written to say that June would be more convenient as Shireen would have a school vacation break then. Baba did not agree to this, but agreed it could be held in December when Shireen had a shorter Christmas holiday.
Although Baba agreed to the postponement he remarked, "I will have to adjust my work."
A shamiana (canopy), shading about 300 chairs, was erected in the garden at Meherazad opposite the main house. Everything was done splendidly, including arrangements for a luncheon. Close lovers from Bombay, Poona, Ahmednagar and Meherabad were invited for two days, coming in the morning and returning in the evening. Nariman and Arnavaz were staying in Meherazad, as were Katie and Khorshed.
Footnotes
- 1.Overna refers to the Indian custom of putting the knuckles to the temples, in a gesture that can signify taking on a loved one's suffering or praying for the person's protection from any evil influence.