Sometimes Baba would go to the Satha home to eat lunch and relax, sitting under a shady tree in the compound, discussing matters with his mandali and Nusserwan. Nusserwan had one stepbrother Ardeshir, four brothers — Meherjee, Jemi, Homi, and Piloo; and four sisters — Banumasi Kerawala, Gaimai Jessawala, Gula Satha, and Shirin Damania.1 Gradually, by his frequent visits, all the members of this Parsi family were deeply drawn to him and accepted Meher Baba as their Spiritual Master. In the years that followed, his spiritual connection with the Satha and Jessawala families became very significant.
Also, during this period, new contacts were established in Ahmednagar and Bombay; these newcomers were to prove useful in the Master's work in the near future. Gangaram Pawar (who served Baba bhakri when he first visited Arangaon during 1923) became closely connected with the Master at this time. Gangaram was a carpenter and he would now spend his days at Meherabad doing repairs. A Christian, Pawar would occasionally read the Bible in Marathi to Baba. Because he was older than the other residents, he was nicknamed Ajoba , which means Grandfather .2
Maruti Patil, the headman of the village, also became closely associated with Baba. And because of these two men, all the villagers in Arangaon came to know of Meher Baba.
One old connection outwardly severed at this time was with Homi Vajifdar, the cricketer. One of Vajifdar's close friends had passed away, but before the man died Vajifdar had promised to look after his widow. Baba advised Vajifdar to join his mandali, but Vajifdar felt obligated to honor his promise to his friend. Baba then told him to go his own way. It would be seven long years before Vajifdar saw Baba again.
Mehera and her mother Daulatmai were staying with Rustom and Freiny at Khushru Quarters in Ahmednagar, and Small Khorshed, too, was staying with them. At times Baba would call them to Meherabad to see him. Baba instructed the women to meditate and write the Zoroastrian name of God, Yezdan, over and over again for half an hour each day. They were then to cut the paper into small pieces and roll each piece bearing the name, Yezdan, into a tiny roll and save them all. Later he added that the small scrolls would eventually be immersed in the sea.
In addition, Baba assigned the women the work of stitching clothes for the children and poor of Arangaon.
Footnotes
- 1.The brothers were known by all as: Meherjee Mama, Jemi Mama, Homi Mama and Piloo Mama.
- 2.Ajoba later kept a diary of activities at Meherabad.