The Harijan boys seldom had haircuts, so every few weeks Gustadji and Behramji became their barbers.1
When Baba was engaged in bathing the boys, if a stranger happened to come for his darshan, he would tell him to first lend a hand in the work. Some persons would readily comply, whereas others would hesitate even to touch these Harijans.
Baba would then remark: "If you have come for the darshan of God, these Harijan children are my God. You are welcome at Meherabad if you are willing to serve them, else you should worship your own God in your house or temple. Here, the only God you will find are these children."
Although wonderstruck at the sagacity of Baba's words and inwardly wanting to help, most could not bring themselves to offer a kind hand, fearful of being ridiculed by society.
Before departing, they would again ask for Baba's darshan, and he would tell them: "Taking me as God, you have come for my darshan, but you are unable to serve those whom I serve. So why this hypocrisy of asking for darshan? Whomsoever your God may be, go to Him for his darshan! I am telling you, the only God here is these children whom I worship."
Outwardly the amount of work Meher Baba did for the upliftment of the downtrodden of India does not compare with the work done by other larger charitable institutions. But from the spiritual point of view, the outcome of his work with these impoverished children gradually manifested in the course of time until the Untouchables began to gain an equal footing in Indian society. Meher Baba's work was totally distinct from the work of any social institution — there can never be a comparison between spiritual and material help. Baba's efforts on behalf of the lower classes in India, whose plight was truly pitiable then, were beyond the domain of worldly persons and his results sure.
Besides music and singing programs at Meherabad, Baba would occasionally send to Bombay for silent films, which Chanji and Naval would show on a wall at the Post Office building. Many villagers would attend the films, screened outdoors under the stars. For most, it was their first exposure to the cinema. In this way, besides providing a modern means of entertainment for the villagers, Baba used this medium to draw these simple folk toward him and give them the opportunity of his sahavas.
Footnotes
- 1.Behramji had returned from Persia some time before and rejoined the mandali at Meherabad.