Chapter 36: Interested In Remaining Disinterested

Meherazad, 1960

On 21 June 1960, the day after his return from Poona, Baba visited Meherabad in the morning. After meeting with the resident mandali and families there for three hours, Baba returned to Meherazad.

Five days later, on Sunday, 26 June, Baba came to Khushru Quarters at 7:00 A.M. with Eruch, Pendu and Francis. He went to the Avatar Meher Baba Trust office room (on the north side, next to Adi's bedroom), where a chair had been specially kept for him. Sarosh's eldest daughter Gulnar was getting married that day, and she and her physician fiancé, Hirji S. Adenwala, garlanded Baba, along with other family members, and received his blessings. Nariman also came.

At 9:00 A.M., a poor program was held in front of Adi's office in the open compound. According to Baba's wish, Adi, Chhagan, Rangole, Rustom Kaka, Waman and Bhagirath had found and brought 106 lepers. Forty-four destitute persons were also brought. Baba washed and wiped the feet of the lepers, and after touching his forehead to their feet he handed each five rupees as prasad. He did the same with the 44 poor destitutes. Each leper was given the towel Baba had used to wipe his feet. After Baba had bowed to the first few persons, the elevated wooden platform, on which the lepers were asked to stand, was shifted to Piroja's verandah, as a breeze was bothering Baba. The program took one and a half hours, and afterwards Baba returned to Meherazad. Mrs. Dhakephalkar was the only woman permitted to witness the program.

A well-known singer of Ahmednagar named Habib Nizami Qawaal gave a performance in Meherazad on the 28th, from 8:30 to 10:30 A.M., and several persons from Ahmednagar were also invited. Baba had previously heard some of Habib's records and enjoyed his ghazals. The singer had also performed once at Meherabad, in 1952. Although Habib had agreed to perform for free, he was given Rs.50 as prasad.

While Baba was at Guruprasad each year, Kaikobad stayed with his family on Meherabad Hill. On the morning of the 29th, Baba was driven to Meherabad to bring Kaikobad back to Meherazad. He stopped at Akbar Press and Khushru Quarters for fifteen minutes on the way and returned to Meherazad at about 10:30 A.M.

The next day, 30 June 1960, this circular was issued: