This is the third of five memoir-in-essays dictated by Guest Writer and International Journalist, Ramarao Malladi (1948 - 2026), and recorded by Prema Camp. Ramarao wrote for the South Asian Tribune.
My admission to college education heralded my arrival in Meher Baba’s fold, but I was not prepared. Not anyone of my family members, my father including, was prepared for accepting Meher Baba. We heard about Baba for the first time I was admitted to the college after completing the formalities at the college. We, I and my father, walked into the chamber of a college functionary. The moment he saw us, he greeted us with a loud, “Jai Baba.” We didn’t know what to do or to say but took our seats in the chair opposite him. As we were sitting, he again said, “Jai Baba.” He didn’t talk about any other subjects. After a few moments of deafening silence, we got up to take leave of him, and he again said, with folded hands, “Jai Baba.” That evening my father went to a program of devotional music where this very college functionary also turned up and introduced my father to the world of Meher Baba. Father returned home with prasad1 and vibhuti2 and distributed to all of us. That night, mother had stomach ache. There were no medicines at home. There was no telephone either to contact a doctor or a pharmacy. So, I told my father that I would cycle my way to the doctor’s house and would come back with some medicine. But father asked my mother to take prasad and vibhuti3 and sleep with Baba’s name on her lips. I was upset, but father had his way, and my mother listened to him well. Their baptism in Baba was complete. Shortly afterwards, mother became completely devoted to Meher Baba, composed songs in his praise and sang bhajans3 at all Baba gatherings. From seven Gods a week she got a new God for all the days of the week, and created by my father, she organized a woman’s group which used to meet once a week and sing Baba bhajans. And the air at home was filled with Baba. And bookshelves started displaying all books on and about Baba. Soon, I also became a regular speaker at Baba gatherings.
1 prasad. It is typically food or other offerings presented to a deity during rituals or worship, which is then distributed among devotees.
2 vibhuti. A sacred ash.
3 bhajans. Devotional music.