...Now to speak about our Beloved Big-Daddy, who is
giving darshan with His lovely glistening eyes closed. Well,
on 31st the mandali came to know that Beloved Baba had
dropped His physical body at 12:15 p.m.
That morning Baba told Dr. Donkin, "Today is the day of
My crucifixion." You see, Beloved Baba was off and on
giving hints that He will be no more to the male mandali but
NOT to the ladies because I guess it would involve Mehera.
On 22nd December, i.e., Mehera's Birthday, when we all
collected, Baba said to us 200 people... "You are all very
lucky to see Me like this, at such close quarters, and you
can talk to Me and see Me before you like this. In My next
darshan there will be crowds; you will not be able to speak
to Me. You will simply have to bow and go ahead." So
hearing this, we all thought of the April darshan and we
thought that at that time there will be crowds and we will
not be able to talk to Baba.
One day, after 22 December, some mandali member
asked Baba as to how He would give His darshan, when
He seemed so frail and weak. So Baba asked Eruch. He
said, "Will anyone mind if I give My darshan lying down?"
So Eruch said, "O.K. Baba, we will do accordingly." So
then Baba asked Francis Brabazon, "Will the Western
lovers mind if I gave My darshan lying down?" So Francis
said, "Baba, we will put your head up six inches... so that
everyone can see Your face properly." So Beloved Baba
said, "It is a good idea, and we will do it that way."
So you see, this time He gave His darshan lying down and
His head was raised six inches higher. Little did anyone
understand the significance of Baba's words....
Padri Kaka was called by Baba on 31st January, so when
Sidhuji, who used to attend on Mohammed the Mast, went
to be with Mohammed, he asked Sidhuji, "Where is that
spectacle-dada?" That was the name given to Padri by
Mohammed. So Sidhuji said, "He has gone to meet Baba."
Mohammed said, "Yes, just as Gustadji was brought here,
similarly he has gone to bring Baba here. Baba will come
here, now." [When Gustadji had died, he was brought to
Meherabad and buried.]
...On 31st we got the news — this horrifying news.
Daddy came to know at home and came rushing to the
college to inform me. He told me about Baba and I was
terrified, horrified.... It was just like a nightmare. Daddy
and I packed up and left for 'Nagar and Meherabad. We
stayed there only, Daddy down-hill and I up-hill.
Thousands of people have flocked together from all over
India. Don Stevens and Delia and Adi Jr. and four others
came from London. Twelve Americans including Harry
Kenmore arrived from the U.S.A.... All twenty-four hours
darshan programme is continuing ever since 31st at 4:00
p.m.
Baba's body was brought from Meherazad to Meherabad
and placed in the tomb. On 1st February, at noon, Baba's
body was to be covered up as per the doctors' advice.
But our lion-hearted Khan Sahib Sarosh K. Irani did not
agree. He said that Baba lovers from all over want to see
Baba and so it cannot be done. He took responsibility of
keeping Baba's body fresh as ever by placing ice slabs on
both sides of Baba in the tomb.
You will hardly believe... Baba's complexion, which was
pale, became pink by 4th February and He looked as if
He was in a deep sleep. The whole atmosphere of the
Tomb was filled with a lovely fragrance of roses and even
though the door was kept open all the time, up to now
Beloved Baba's body is as fresh as a light pink rose, just
blossoming....
On the seventh day Beloved Baba so arranged that we
could go down the steps and touch His feet. It was a
privilege for a few intimate ones, including me, in the very
early hours of the morning around 5:00 a.m. I
remembered you, dear Mummy, and Hilla and her family,
and Adi too, who could not attend.... I had taken with me
three new handkerchiefs, so I placed them on His feet.
Those are our family heirlooms for the three of us children
forever.
...At 12:15 p.m. they cleaned up the Tomb and then at
1:00 p.m. Mehera went into the Tomb and garlanded
Baba. She then put a pink sheet over Baba's body up to
His neck, keeping His face in view. Then they placed a
sheet woven of flowers on the top.
Then the men mandali and Baba's male relatives went into
the tomb with an inverted coffin of wood, which they
carried in, and Beloved Baba's body was covered up.
They came out and then Mehera went in. She put the first
fistful of earth, followed by the rest of us, and this is how
the last ceremony ended. Then we were given prasad of
rava, because the 7th happened to be Baba's birthday as
per the Parsi calendar. On that day all the ladies wore
colored saris, NOT white saris, because Baba is Eternal
and also it was Our Beloved Baba's birthday, and thus
Interment Day ended....
Now, dears, to talk about Beloved Mehera. None of us
could ever imagine that Baba would go, leaving Mehera
amidst us. Looking at her is a heart-rending scene. Every
little while she cries and says, "O Baba, why have You left
me and gone away? Why did You not tell me that You
were going away?" She says like this and weeps and weeps.
She sobs and sobs and it tears our hearts to see her suffer
like this, she who is Baba's beloved. She goes around with
a small framed photograph of Baba and fondles it all the
while and cries as she remembers Him.
The ladies encircling her pacify her by saying, "Mehera,
Baba is now within you. He has not left you." When they
say this, she cries and says, "Why is it that I cannot see
Him?" She yearns with so much grief that our hearts shed
tears at her state. She was so much enveloped with Love
Divine that now it is difficult for her to bear this physical
separation from her Beloved. Even in her room she sits
with Baba's sadra or His coat, such is her plight. I wonder
how she will be able to survive....
Beloved Mehera gave me some rose petals which were
touched at Baba's feet, for you separately. She, in spite of
all her heartache, remembered you, Hilloo and Mummy,
and she told me to give you her message. She said, write
and tell them, "Baba is eternal. Baba is with us only. Baba is
in our hearts and so now we must endeavor to find Him
within us. We must not think or worry over this. Beloved
Baba's delicate body has suffered much for our sakes. We
should now feel happy that Beloved Baba will no longer
have to suffer for us. Baba is now always with us...."
I asked Mehera whether I could embrace her and she said
"yes," so I embraced her and said, "Mehera, from now on
we shall see Baba, our Baba, in you...."
Our darling Mani and Meheru were sitting beside her, and
they said to Mehera, "Yes, Mehera, now we see Baba in
you alone. Baba has purposely left you for us, Mehera,
because now you have to spread Beloved Baba's message,
so that every moment we can feel His presence around you,
and with you. This is why Beloved Baba has kept you for
us, dear Mehera."
Hearing these words, Mehera said, "Amen." Then she said,
"Beloved Baba, give me strength, so that I may be able to
serve You as per Your will."
After the above conversation, Mehera asked me to sing
some devotional songs, so I sang for her. She was no
more upset and depressed. She was absolutely calm and
composed, as if Beloved Baba had come and hidden into
her, and He had bestowed upon Mehera His love and
peace and made us realize that He was now within
Mehera.
It was so true, that shortly after one devotee from Andhra
came to me and asked, "Who is that lady there who looks
like Baba?" I said, "Mehera." He bowed to her from a
distance and said to other Andhra Baba-lovers, "There is
seated the Divine Power of Baba," pointing to our Mehera....
Dear ones, remember Mehera's message, and keep happy
in His love and care.
At His Feet,
Your ever-loving daughter
Najoo
P.S. It is decided that Mehera will continue to stay at
Meherazad with other ladies mandali. She will only come
to the Tomb-Shrine when she yearns to do so. Mehera
says "Baba is for all."
