Chapter 22: 1952 Trip To The West

Ahmednagar, circa 1951

On Wednesday, 13 February 1952, Baba, with the women, visited Meherabad for the first time since the New Life began. He and the women went back the next day also. It had been two and a half years since those at Meherabad had seen Baba.  On the 15th, Baba appointed Padri manager of Meherabad, and re-appointed Kaka Baria manager of Meherazad. During the New Life, while Padri was at Meherazad, Sidhu had been manager of Meherabad.

As announced, Baba's seclusion ended completely on the 16th, and he began staying once again in his bedroom in the main house. On Sunday, 17 February, Baba, along with Mehera, Mani, Meheru and Goher, left Meherazad for Bombay in Nariman's car. Meherjee, Nariman, Kitty and Rano traveled in Meherjee's car. On the way, they halted for a while at Bindra House in Poona, where a small darshan program was held. Baba and the women were going to Bombay to obtain visas to proceed to America. Don, Nilu, Adi Sr. and Gustadji, who were to accompany Baba to the West, also went to Bombay, with Sarosh in his car.

Once, after leaving a darshan, Baba suddenly had the driver stop the car for no apparent reason. Soon afterwards, two men ran up to the car and, panting, prostrated themselves on the ground. The men had been late in arriving at the darshan, only to find that Baba had left. They had run in the direction of his car, in hopes of catching up to it. It was for them Baba had the car stopped.

In Bombay, Baba and the women stayed at Ashiana; Nariman and Adi Sr. stayed at Naoroji's; Gustadji at Dina Talati's; Don at Meherjee's; and Nilu with his relatives. During their stay, Baba and the women went to the American Consulate to get their visas; they took an early morning walk on Juhu beach; they visited the aquarium and saw three films. While waiting for their visas, Baba held a program for 50 women followers at Ashiana. After getting the visas, Baba and the women returned to Meherazad on the morning of the 22nd.

Baba was still suffering terribly from hemorrhoids and a fissure, so on 26 February, an operation was performed at 11:00 A.M. by Dr. Joglekar, in the Ahmednagar Civil Hospital. Dr. Joglekar had been specially called from Bombay. Once on the operating table, Baba was in such a hurry that the doctor accidentally dropped a hot proctoscope on Baba's anus. No anesthesia had been given, and when Baba did not utter a single sound, Dr. Joglekar was very moved, and tears welled up in his eyes. Eruch's heart also was overcome, and he was amazed at Baba's powers of endurance.

Goher and Don were present too and watched dumbfounded. Baba was taken to his private room (which Viloo and Franey had had specially cleaned the previous day). At 4:00 P.M., Baba traveled in an ambulance back to Meherazad (driven by Adi Sr.) where Goher began treating him in the bedroom downstairs.  Don stayed overnight to assist, and Padri also helped for a few days.