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

360 THE GOD-MANThe approach to Bombay from the airport is through extensive areas covered with overcrowded shacks,the people living in conditions that shock the visitor and reduce his feelings to the lowest degree; for herethe evils hit one in the face, and one forgets the hidden destitution and misery of the great cities of theWestern world. Extensive building reconstruction is going on, the storm-blasted houses are repainted, andthe familiar international matchbox-type architecture is well in evidence. In the city itself the populationoverflows in contrasted destitution and opulence, and though the atmosphere was oppressive even in lateOctober, there was enormous energy displayed in terrific disorder. On this occasion I remained only a fewhours, for my destination was Poona, which was reached in a little over three hours by train through somemagnificent scenery, but the impression remained with me there.I arrived with others in heavy rain on Sunday evening, 28 October. I was once more in crowded, dustyPoona in the midst of a wide crumbling land. It was the time of Divali, the festival of lights in honour ofLakshmi, goddess of prosperity. Houses and streets were brightly illuminated, the loudest possiblefireworks were exploded day and night, for Indians joy in noise. How loudly they talk to each other!What was more significant, this darshan was to be held at the height of the Cuban crisis between Russiaand the United States, and when the Chinese armies' attack upon India was in progress. In the town therewere signs of India's hasty war effort and an acute sense of the Chinese danger, but little evidence ofmilitary activity or any interference with ordinary life, apart from the suspension of internal air servicesand warnings that it might be inadvisable to travel north.Guruprasad is an ornate bungalow in a garden of many acres belonging to the Maharanee of Baroda, onthe outskirts of the city. Baba and some of his mandali, with the women mandali, were already there. Inthe garden a large platform and canopy for Baba had been erected, and a large area covered for protectionfrom the sun for the thousands to attend the darshan; there was a large covered space at the front of thehouse where visitors could wait; also a medical tent. It had been intended that the Easterners shouldmostly sit on the ground, but, owing to the monsoon continuing, chairs for all had to be provided at thelast moment. Indeed, the persistence of the monsoon presented a serious problem and caused muchconcern to those responsible for so large a gathering. Baba said, 'I am omnipotent but helpless; if the rainis to stop, you must stop it!' After the first day, however, the rain did stop.