THE BEAUTY OF BABA'S ORDER

 
So when this wealthy aristocratic lady offered to give Baidul something as a token of her gratitude for his curing her, Baidul said that he didn't want anything. "But if you really insist on giving me something," he added when he saw she was determined to repay him for his help in some fashion, "you may simply give me a certificate testifying to the fact that my medicine cured your condition."

"Certainly, most certainly I will do that," the lady replied and, sure enough, she had a little certificate written out on her letterhead which stated that it was owing to Dr. Baidul's treatment that her skin condition, which no other doctor had been able to treat at all, was entirely cured.

Baidul was overjoyed with his certificate and immediately lost no time in showing it to the mandali, especially Nilu and Donkin. They were always giving him a hard time about his practicing medicine and now he had the opportunity to turn the tables on the two doctors. And, as you can imagine, given Baidul's nature, this was not done with subtlety.

Donkin and Nilu went wild. They were afraid that someday something might happen to one of Baidul's patients and that it would all come on Baba. So when they discovered that Baidul had been treating the lady whose property we were renting, they caused quite a scene. Eventually the news of all this reached Baba. Baba agreed with Donkin and Nilu and ordered Baidul to stop practicing medicine at once.

But now, see how cleverly Baba designed things. If he had simply ordered Baidul to stop practicing his medicine, it would have pleased the doctors, Nilu and Donkin, but it would have hurt Baidul. So what Baba did was tell Baidul that he was not allowed to go outside the property to treat anyone, but he could treat anyone who came to him. This made everyone happy.

Donkin and Nilu knew that, at least in the future, no outsiders could be injured through Baidul's treatments, and Baidul still had the scope to practice on any of the mandali that were willing to submit to his ministrations, and so a sort of harmony was established. But, and this is where the beauty of Baba's order comes in, after curing the aristocratic lady, news of Baidul's prowess spread, and soon villagers were coming on their own to Baidul to have him treat them. This was entirely within the scope permitted him, as the villagers were coming to Baidul, he was not going outside to treat anyone....

You see, there was a hospital in town and it was filled with chronic cases. You can call it a repository for all those who couldn't be cured. And the chief medical officer hadn't been able to do anything for these people, and he knew it. So he thought that maybe Baidul could help. Baidul said he would have to ask Baba's permission first.

Baidul asked Baba, and since it was the chief medical officer who suggested it, who came to Baidul and asked him to make rounds with him, Baba gave His permission. This, of course, only made Nilu and Donkin all the more outraged when they heard about it, but they couldn't say anything because Baba had told Baidul to do this.

So each day, Baidul and the CMO would make rounds in the Government Hospital.... Baidul would ask the patient a few questions, reach into one of his four pockets, pull out a pill, take Baba's name, and toss it down the patient's throat. And, you won't believe it, but he effected cure after cure after cure. He emptied the hospital, you may say.