THE GOD-MAN The Life, Journeys and Work of Meher Baba with an ...

358 THE GOD-MANwere to send a simple notification of what they had done, without writing a letter.In February 1961 Joseph Harb of California and Dr Ben Hayman of Texas were permitted to see himand remarked upon his looking extremely well. He also had a visit for a few days from his youngestbrother Adi, who had been in England for the past five years. But he continued in seclusion, even fromthose nearest to him. All the same the birthday was celebrated at all the places where he is known, and hesent the following telegram:I am the one who is always lost and found among mankind. It is your love for yourself that loses me andit is your love for me that finds me. Love me above everything, for now while I am in your midst I ammost easily found as I really am.He was in Poona the middle of March 1961, in strict seclusion. Those around him began to think that thefinal complete seclusion was beginning. He was still seriously ill, alternating with times when he seemedwell. Occasionally he went for drives in the car and sometimes played ping-pong, giving a very vigorousgame. He would also sit now and then in the evenings with the mandali. For a fortnight in May he gave upone hour each afternoon for people to visit him. They were not to bring any offerings, or garland him, orbow down to him, or seek private interviews, or advice, or ask questions, or to expect anything. Neitherwere they to repeat their visit.The announcement of this opportunity tempted a number of friends in America and one in Australia tocome for the one hour. Also many came from distant parts of India who knew of Baba but had not set eyeson him before.He asked 'all who love and obey him' to keep the 36th anniversary of his silence on 10 July by observingcomplete silence for twenty-four hours from 8 o'clock on the morning of Sunday the 9th to 8 0' clock onthe morning of the 10th, in accordance with local time.During this visit to Poona a flood disaster fell upon the town on 12 July when the swollen Mutha riverwashed away a dam twenty-five miles away and made a breach in the dam that provided the town's watersupply. The flood was the worst in living memory; half the town was under water and thousands lost theirhomes. Baba had been in the town near the mangotree where Babajan used to sit a couple of hours beforethe flood overwhelmed the spot. The waters reached close to Guruprasad.