MEHERA ASKED MANI TO TAKE OVER

 
Late in the afternoon on that first day of the Great Darshan all the Australian women went to Guruprasad to spend two hours with Mehera and the women mandali. It was a relaxed atmosphere in that lovely room so filled with Baba's Presence. As in the morning, they all sat together facing us.

Mani asked Mehera to begin by telling some anecdotes. Mani held the microphone for her — but Mehera shyly kept leaning away from it, with Mani still holding it for her.

Mehera said she had come to Baba when she was sixteen. She remembered His love of songs in the early days. On one occasion at the old Post Office at Meherabad where she and the women were staying, Baba asked her to sing. The only song she knew was 'Swanee' which she had learned at school. Baba asked her to sing it several times so that He could learn it, which He did very quickly, and the next morning they heard Him singing it nearby. Baba had a very beautiful voice, Mehera said.

Soon Mehera asked Mani to take over the microphone and tell some stories. Mani did so in her own inimitable and delightful way, with comments or reminders from Mehera and the others. After some music, including Mani playing her sitar, we all moved about to talk to one another.

In the morning Mehera had wept, but now she was bright and smiling though at times a little serious. It was sweet to spend a few minutes with each of the mandali who were so loving, so gentle. They all said they were so happy to see us, and that they felt Baba was very present.