MEHERA'S CHILDHOOD

 
As a small child her father put her up on an elephant, told her to hold on tight and not fall off — she indicated how she did this. Later her father made her get on a camel which was a very spirited one, with two men holding its head, one on each side. Her father got up behind her and she had to hold tightly. The movement was jerky at first but very smooth when it ran.

Her mother was seated on a very quiet camel in a saddle made for her from an armchair, and worked away with her knitting needles. Because it was such a long ride she had to have something to do! They were moving camp, and everything was packed on the camel-train.

Mehera remembered how nice the camels looked moving along in line. Eventually they came to the place in the forest where their servants had erected a very big tent with scalloped trim round it and divisions inside for sitting room and bedrooms. 'Very lovely it was', she said.

Mehera asked me would I be afraid in the forest like that, with wild animals roaring close by. I said I didn't know, perhaps, (but thought later that I really should have said Yes!). Her father was absolutely fearless, and would tell her mother and herself not to be afraid, that he was there to look after them.