Mehera-Meher Volume 2 by David Fenster (Page 438)
Source: Tina Holmes
Once, Baba asked Mehera to tell an amusing story, and she said, “I don’t know any amusing stories, but I read a story I can tell you.” She could only tell half of it, as that was all she could remember, but Meheru had read the same story, so she finished for her. Mani often told Baba jokes or a funny story, and once when Baba asked her to sing, she sang a short song.
But what is best remembered of the nightly entertainment at Belgaum was when Goher learned a song that Mani taught her, and sang it for Baba. After Mani’s work in the kitchen, she urged Goher, “Come on, now. You must learn this song and sing it for Baba. It is very short and easy.”
“Teach it to the others,” Goher pleaded. “I dont’t have a good voice.”
The women used the familiar arguments, saying, “No, Goher, you must. Baba will especially like it when you do it. Baba will enjoy it more; he knows how shy you are and that you don’t like to do things. Last time when you danced, how much he appreciated it!”
“You all learn it.”
They argued about it until Mani finally said, “You have to! See how easy it is. Now sing after me.”
So Goher gave in and learned the song. It was a Gujarati song for school children, meant to impart some moral lesson, and it had just two short verses. When Baba came that evening, he sat on a mat and asked for a story, but Mani said, “Goher knows a nice song. She would like to sing it for you.”
Goher tried to get out of it by playing dumb. “What song?”
But the women pushed her forward. “SING!”
She shook her hands nervously. “I’m feeling scared. I won’t be able to sing it properly.”
“Nevermind,” Baba said sweetly. “However you know it, sing it.”
So Goher sang in Gujarati:
Have patience, patience, patience.
The reward of patience will be received in God’s presence. (Parvardigar ni hajur.)
The song was supposed to be serious and beautiful, but as Goher sang, Baba repeated the words, making fun of her pronunciation and giving the words a humorous twist.
For instance, Goher said ajur, instead of hajur.
“What?” Baba asked, “Ju?… Lice in God’s head?” On and on it went.
Goher was mortified. “Don’t you ever teach me a song again!” she said to Mani. “I won’t sing it to Baba. He is making fun of me!”
And he was, but the women told her, “Baba likes it. He’s enjoying it.”
Baba told her to start again, promising, “Now I won’t interrupt you.”
So Goher began; but again Baba teased her. “Baba was so naughty,” Mehera observed. “Goher was shy to begin with, and Baba made her more shy. He made it even more difficult for her. He wanted to have some fun – and he made a lot of fun of Goher.”