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

86 THE GOD-MANAnother incident is worth recording. As is the rule in every country, visitors to Persia arerequired to furnish particulars as to their name, occupation, relations, position in life, etc. Amilitary police officer of high rank came one evening, in full dress with numerous marks ofdistinction on his uniform, to inquire for the particulars of the party. He was given the requiredinformation, but with Baba's identity concealed under his family name, Merwan SheheriarjiIrani. After his inquiries had been answered the officer asked to see Arbab Merwan (MrMerwan), the leader of the party, formally. He was told that it could not be done, since thegentleman (meaning Baba) did not wish to see visitors. But the officer insisted, pretending thatit was in his official capacity that he wanted to see the gentleman. With equal insistence he wasrefused. The member of the party who was talking with the officer felt all the while that therewas something behind the request of the officer. He was therefore not surprised when the lattergave up his official attitude and said, 'I want to see Hazrat Meher Baba!' He further explained,by way of apology, that he had to assume an official attitude against his will, and because hewas told that Baba would see no one. He was allowed to see Baba, and left happy.In the street opposite to the place in which Baba put up in Bam there was the seat of abuzoorg, whom the local people followed and held in great reverence. When Baba came out ofthe gate to go for an evening walk with the mandali the buzoorg got up from his seat as a markof respect for Baba, whom he seemed to know. He told all who came to him thereafter thatthere was in their midst 'the Emperor of all fakirs', so that the people were amazed, and therewas again a rush to have a glance at Baba.Among those to whom the buzoorg spoke about Baba and asked to visit him was a dervish,who came to ask for his grace. Baba explained something to him, at which he said, 'In the thirtyyears of my dervish I could not understand what renunciation really meant; but you haveexplained it to me now, I understand!' and without further discussion he paid his respects andwent away.The main outlets of Persia to India are by sea, by its three ports of Bushire, Bandar Abbas,and Mohamerah. The only one by land is via Duzdab, but very few who visit Persia go by thatroute, since it is difficult to get across the desert between Bam and Duzdab. Many a caravanhas perished there, buried in the sands. Therefore some members of Baba's party wonderedwhy he took the land route to Bam and Duzdab when there were easier and safer routes bysea. Even the manager of the bus service, which on rare occasions operated through