MEHERABAD DIARY #172

MEHERABAD DIARY #172

 

Jai Meher Baba to you all!

 

7 to 15 December 2017.

 

Thursday 7 December.  I arrived back in Meherabad last night, after six weeks in the States visiting my family.  Though it is fun being with family, there is nothing like being home in Meherabad.  It is as if my heart can now rest and be in peace with Baba without so many distractions.

 

It was raining in Mumbai when my plane landed.  I though, no, it can’t still be raining?  I was relieved to say the storm with in Mumbai only—though as I write this I swear I can hear thunder off in the distance.

 

My housemate, Anne, told me there have been a lot of killing of snakes around Meherabad.  It must be because of all that rain.  I told her about the kraits I saw before I left for the States.  She said they had seen two more kraits at the Samadhi, as well as other places.

 

The other day, Anne said my two dogs were barking and barking.  She went to see what was going on—there in their dog yard was a big cobra!  Its head was up and it was swaying back and forth.  Anne called to have someone kill it.  A lot of men came, but they only got out their phones and starting videoing!  They did nothing!  So, Anne went to the village to get the snake-catcher.  When they got back to the dogs yard, one of our watchmen had killed it.  The snake-catcher was upset and said he still needed to be paid, which Anne did.

 

A couple of days after that another snake was under a lot of leaves in the circle where our cars go around.  She said she had no intention to walk in those leaves to see what kind it was.  By the time she got someone to help it was gone.

 

Friday 8 December.   I had so much to do when I woke that I could not go for my walk until 8:45 am.  It was hot walking at that hour.  On the way up, right by our sub-station for electricity, there was a straight white line of powder running from it to the area where the Amartithi Baba booths will be set up.  I asked one of our workers who was passing by about it.  He said the electrical lines are going to be put underground.

                                    

                                 

                                                                                     

 

Just before I reached the railroad tracks to cross over, I noticed a double line of newly planted trees all along the outside of the fence of the Memorial Tower Garden—well, the future garden.  However, as of now it is only weeds and some trees inside the fence.

 

                                                  

 

 

I went to the Samadhi to say hi to Baba and take darshan.  When I came out of the Samadhi I noticed the metal frames that hold the huge pandels for Amartithi were being put up.  Many of the Trust workers will be spending most of their time on the hill getting ready for Amartithi.                                                           

 

In the afternoon, after my nap, I put my two German Shepards out in the large yard I fenced in for them.  After a short while I heard them barking and barking.  I went out the back door to tell them to be quiet.  What did I see?  My two dogs had a cobra cornered between part of the fence and a tree.  One dog was on one side of the tree, the other dog on the other side of the tree.  The cobra was up and swaying from side to side!

 

All I could think of was I didn’t want the cobra to strike my dogs!  My next door neighbors were in the back yard, having tea.  I yelled for Paul to call someone to come and kill the cobra.  Paulette came over to see snake.  I first called my puppy of ten months and brought her inside.  Then I called Rascal, my other dog, and took her inside.  When I went back out Paulette said the cobra went somewhere.  Where?  Archana, another neighbor, said she saw it go near some pipes.

 

By this time Bif, another neighbor, came with a shovel and snake pole to kill the cobra.  Paulette suggested I let one of the dogs out to find where the snake went.  I let out Rascal, who is three years old and more careful.  But all Rascal did was sniff around.  The snake had gone.  We all thought the cobra might have been the same one that was here about a week ago.

 

Saturday 9 December.  I went up the hill early to begin my cleaning once again.  I cleaned Mani’s shrine and then took darshan when the Samadhi doors opened.  After that I cleaned Baba’s Cabin Room before going for a walk.

 

After breakfast, I went to clean the Jhopdi and Table House.  The floor of the Jhopdi looked like someone had just washed the floor, it looked wet.  I called Archana, who  now gives the Meherabad Historical Tours.  I asked her if anyone else was cleaning the Jhopdi beside the two of us, because the floors looked wet, like they had just been washed?  She said she too thought that and checked with more people in Archives.  It turns out the floors and walls are still damp from the months of rain we had since June. 

 

I told Archana also about some parts of the wall behind the Jhopdi door looked like a chunk of plaster was about to fall off.  She asked me to tell Ted.  When later I saw Ted, he said it was Amartithi and I would have to just put it in the Archive book of repairs.  With Amartithi, there is a strick schedule of timing of things to do.  The Jhopdi repair would have to wait until they could get to it.

 

Sunday 10 December.  I went for my walk early.  There was a line at the Samadhi.  Tuesday is Dhuni, so I guess pilgrims are here until then.  We now have many pilgrims who come each month for Dhuni.

 

Monday 11 December.  I went for my walk at 5:00 am.  It was colder this morning then yesterday.  I like the cold—sure beats the months of hot weather we have just had!  When I was passing by the Samadhi parking lot on my return from the walking out back, I saw a large bus letting pilgrims off.  At Dhuni time, one or two buses full of Parsis’ come from Mumbai.  They are followers of Zoroaster and they came from Iran centuries ago. The ones from Iran from the past century who are also followers of Zoroaster, are called Irani’s. This was what Baba’s family were called.

 

Tuesday 12 December.  This is Dhuni Day.  We have a few hundred pilgrims here.  This is becoming normal during pilgrim season.

 

I seemed to have picked up some virus.  I don’t have any energy left, so I will close off until I feel better.

 

In Beloved Baba’s sweet love,

 

Judy Stephens