A MEMENTO OF THAT RARE MOMENT

 
On 17th October 1941, Beloved Baba went to meet Upasani Maharaj, together with Sarosh Irani, who drove the car; Baba's spiritual mother Gulmai, who was to bring Upasani Maharaj from Sakori to Dahigaon; Kaka Baria and Father [Savak Kotwal]. They reached Dahigaon at 2:30 p.m. and, leaving Baba with Father, Sarosh, Gulmai and Kaka Baria traveled on by car to Sakori, where they met Upasani Maharaj and brought Him to Baba at Dahigaon. They arrived around 5:30 p.m.

Baba and Upasani Maharaj spent half an hour together in a hut. After their spiritual work was over, both came out and Baba ordered my father and Kaka Baria to bow to Upasani Maharaj and touch His feet with their foreheads. Padri Kaka had come to Dahigaon after the others to photograph this historic meeting. As Father bowed down, Padri took several photographs, including one while Father's head was on Maharaj's feet. It showed not only the two Sadgurus together, but also Father's Lord and Master Meher Baba watching him as he bowed down to Baba's own Master. Father was most delighted to receive this photograph from Padri Kaka as a memento of that rare moment.

When the meeting ended, Sarosh and all the others took Upasani Maharaj back to Sakori. My father remained alone with Baba and, since there was nothing else to do, entertained Him, singing in a full, rich voice the Urdu ghazals of Ghalib and Jigar. He also sang several love songs from old movies in English — with a few changes here and there to make the words show his love for Baba — and songs from old Gujarati plays. Then Father told jokes in both English and Gujarati, enjoying this opportunity to entertain his King of Kings until the group came back.

Because of his humorous nature and his beautiful singing voice, Father was often called upon to entertain Baba, who always enjoyed both humor and music. Once when Baba asked him to sing in Mandali Hall at Meherabad, Father chose two songs in English. The words to the first were as follows:

O Meher Baba, I love You,
I am always dreaming of You.
No matter what I do, I can't forget You.
Sometimes I wish that I had never met You.

But if someday I'd lose You,
It would mean my very life to me.
Of all the kings I ever met I chose You
To rule me, my Meher Baba. . . .

At the fourth line of the song, Baba laughed silently and mischievously, gesturing, "Is that so? Why?" an innocent expression of surprise on His beautiful face. After that Baba frequently asked for this song, which was particularly meaningful to Father. When he was seeking a guru, he had met four of Baba's five Sadgurus — but from the day his eyes fell on Beloved Baba and Baba's eyes pierced his, he knew he had chosen Baba as his master forever.