Baba and the mandali see Madari, their “universal pet” dog, run on the road in front of a fast-moving truck and be instantly killed,
folios #2v154-2v157, March 13-17, 1927.
Baba received Sunday morning visitors at his seat near the dhuni. Later he again reworked the publicity announcements for Meher Ashram to increase their emphasis on spiritual training and to eliminate praise for himself, saying, “I or my activities should not thus be advertised.”
In the afternoon Baba and the mandali celebrated the birth of a son to Bapu Brahmin at his place with sweets and milk tea. After a long evening of informal discussions together with Baba and the mandali sitting in “unusually peaceful and soothing” moonlight the day ended at 11 PM.
With the exception of one visit to the zhopdi, Baba occupied his seat near the dhuni. At 2 PM he called a meeting to address the mandali on Krishnamurti, the “supposed New World Teacher,” saying that he would soon pass away and thus spoil the plans of the Theosophists. At night the mandali were sitting with Baba listening to Ardeshir read poems by Hafiz when they saw Madari, their “universal pet” dog, run on the road in front of a fast-moving truck and be instantly killed.
Madari, who originally came from Sakori, would be the first to respond to the bell calling the mandali to meet in the Makan; he always attended evening arti on the veranda and he normally remained near Baba’s dhuni seat day and night. Baba said that he was a lucky animal to die under such circumstances and without any pain. Madari was buried in the pit which had been created that morning where a tree was uprooted to provide fuel for the Holi fire on the following day.
A young ascetic “Sanyasin,” who had been sitting under a lime tree at Meherabad for about two weeks according to Baba’s instructions, overheard some mandali remark that they had been with Baba for five years without “even a smell of Truth.” The young aspirant “apparently lost courage at these words and beat a quick retreat from Meherabad.”
School was closed and many visitors bearing gifts of sweets and fruits visited Baba on Holi. After supper the tree, which had been cut up and stacked as a bonfire, was ignited. A game of ata-pata was to be played in the moonlight but the mandali showed no enthusiam for it. Baba “lost his cheerful mood” and ordered the evening program cancelled. He severely scolded Behramji and unceremoniously dismissed the mandali from his presence.
Fifteen minutes later however Baba “became his old self again” and recalled the mandali to continue the program. A spirited game of ata-pata was then played for some hours, followed by milk-tea and bed for all at 11 PM.