Ramjoo was similarly affected, but recovered quickly after Baba visited him at 11:00 P.M. and gave him medicine.
Padri was in charge of the dispensary at Toka, with Beheram serving as his assistant and as compounder. After residing in Toka for two weeks, Edke (one of the teachers) developed terrible sores on his leg, which became septic and would not heal. His condition became so severe that Masaji had to carry him around on his back. No treatment cured the infection. Dr. Sathe was convinced that the only resort was to send Edke to Ahmednagar where the leg would have to be amputated. A date was fixed for the operation and the doctor came to Toka for one last checkup. This time Baba attended the examination and inquired what medicines had been tried. Pointing to a bottle of lotion, Baba asked if it had been used. Dr. Sathe replied that it had not, so Baba picked it up and, handing it to Edke, directed him to apply the lotion. The very next day, all traces of the infectious sores were miraculously gone and no amputation was necessary.
On Sunday, 29 July, Raya, Anna 104, and Gulabsha arrived in Toka. Raya and Anna had been staying in Ahmednagar since the move to Toka, and Gulabsha returned after being away since December. A cricket match was played that day. In the evening Meredith read some of his poetry, which he would write daily.1 Afterward, Khak Saheb read out one of his compositions to Baba.
The next evening, one of the mandali commented that it was remarkable that a few Europeans had come to stay at Toka.
Baba pointed to Starr's quarters and said, "In the future, many will come. This whole line [of buildings] will be full of Europeans."
On 1 August 1928, Shankar Pate, the sanyasi at Toka, was told to fast on only water, and he agreed. He did so for two days and was then given oranges to eat.
Baba went to the night watchman's quarters on the 1st for a tea party. Kaka Shahane's family sang the Marathi arti and the mandali sang the Gujarati one. That night at 9:00 P.M., Baba took two dozen of the mandali boating in the moonlight. They returned after half an hour, and Khak recited one of his songs, followed by singing by Edke, Sidhu, Dhake, and Sohrab Hansotia's son Dara, who was staying at Toka and helping in the school.
When Dara arrived, like everyone else, he was expected to obey the following six standing "Don't" orders from Baba:
1. Don't drink anything in a standing position. 2. Don't accept any eatable outside the boundary of Meher Ashram, without permission. 3. Don't touch the body of any boy of the ashram. 4. Don't touch any article belonging to others, except with permission. 5. Don't use a plate and glass not belonging to you. 6. Don't give your plate and glass to anybody.
Footnotes
- 1.A collection of Meredith's poems were published in 1930 titled, Arrows of Flame.