The mandali rise early on the morning of Khordad Sal and make a great racket with whistles, trumpets, drums and other noise makers,
folios #2v360-2v364, 13-21 August, 1927.

In honor of Coconut Day the school was closed in the morning for a game of atya-patya followed by sweets for all and milk tea for the mandali. Some Hindu boys in the Ashram performed the Janoi ceremony and were bathed by Baba.

It took Baba nearly two hours to settle an argument between Jamshed and Jamshedkhan in the Branch Ashram. In the afternoon cricket match Baba played for the victorious Meherabad team.

In the evening Baba and most of the mandali attended a Satya Narayan puja at Mr. Mohendarjay’s place, followed by tea and sweets. After returning he played chess until 10:30 PM.

Bomanji took over the oven and bread making in the evening when Ardeshir went to Bombay.

The mandali arose early on the morning of Khordad Sal, the celebration of Avatar Zarathustra’s birthday, and made a great racket with whistles, trumpets, drums and other noise makers. They marched up Meherabad Hill with the intention of demanding milk tea from Baba. They were surprised when Baba offered tea before they requested it. Soon thereafter he served them with his own hands.

Buasahib, Baidul, Rustomji and Chanji took the six Zoroastrian boys to the Khusru Quarters for the Navjote ceremony arranged by Khan Sahib Irani. Due to a puncture on the way the ceremony was somewhat delayed but by noon it was finished and the party posed for a photograph at the Fire Temple followed by a “fine dinner” with Khan Sahib Irani and his family. The boys returned and presented the “Suan” to Baba at his new seat on Meherabad Hill.

When Chanji was a few minutes late to work in the morning Baba gave him a serious warning about punctuality in his duties. As the boys were praying prior to entering class Baba stopped them on the grounds it sounded disharmonious. He separated the non-Ashram boys from the others and instructed them to recite the prayer again with a “sweet and systematic” sound. He ordered that the prayer be done that way regularly.

Chanji suddenly developed a fever which remained high until evening. He spent the day near Baba’s seat and was ordered to spend the night there too.

Mr. Dhanjishaw and a Hindu boy came to Baba on Thursday among the usual visitors and expressed desires to stay and serve. Mr. Dhanjishaw was allowed to stay on the condition that he remain silent and fast on one meal a day. The boy agreed to do whatever work was assigned him; Baba appointed him sweeper and latrine cleaner. Finding the boy willing to take on those jobs, Baba rescinded that order and gave him over to Buasahib’s charge to do general work in the Ashram.

Baba remained in the Ashram for nearly five hours, returning to Meherabad around 8 PM. Kaka Shahane’s tea party therefore took place at a late hour.

Dr. Ghani went to Lonavla for two or three days on urgent business.

Lord Krishna’s birthday, Krishna Janma, was celebrated with devotion and enthusiasm. A game of atya-patya started the celebrations. Tea was served and sweets that had been offered to Baba were distributed by some Hindu devotees. Bhajans were sung and different ceremonies were performed including breaking the “curd chetty.” In the afternoon a cricket match was played.

A dispute between some merchants from the city was settled.

On a trip to Ahmednagar with some mandali Baba was welcomed and served refreshments in the houses of “five or six” devotees.

In the evening the first game of tennis, a practice match, was played on the new court prepared for mandali use at Meherabad.

Part 170: The Combined Diary

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