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The plan for bringing Bābā to Jamshedpur during Swamiji’s Jñāna Yajña was there for about a couple of years, and finally the wonderful event occurred in 1970 February, almost suddenly.

[Here is a letter Smt. Ammini Madhavan had written to Swami Nirviseshananda Tirtha (fondly called Nutan Swamiji). Smt. Ammini’s reminiscences of the five ‘divine days’ in the company of Swamiji and Bābā reveal to us some additional aspects of the picture of Bābā’s first visit to Jamshedpur during the 1970 Jñāna Yajña, about which Swamiji himself has written in Chapter 16.

The two pictures showing Bābā and Swamiji sitting together on a couch were taken at that time in the residence of Smt. Ammini & Sri Madhavan, where Swamiji used to stay during the Jñāna Yajñas.]

28 September 1996.

Respected & very dear Nutan Swamiji,

… Swamiji, I have an urge to write to you since I got back from the Ashram. There we had been talking about Bābā quite often, and the conversations always seemed to remain incomplete. I feel like sharing some personal anecdotes with you. The endearing picture of Bābā and Swamiji in Vicharasetu (August 1995) stirred up many, many memories.

Bābā’s first visit to Jamshedpur is so vivid in my memory despite two and a half decades rolling past, that sometimes I feel, time has no meaning at all! The plan for bringing Bābā to Jamshedpur during Swamiji’s Jñāna Yajña was there for about a couple of years, and finally the wonderful event occurred in 1970 February, almost suddenly.

Swamiji had already arrived for the Annual Jñāna Yajña and the main series of discourses in Madrasi Sammelani was to start after two days. Suddenly a telephone call was received at 7 PM that Bābā was arriving by train that night at 11 PM. Satsang was going on in the house and the electric effect of the telephone message was to be seen! I am seeing Swamiji’s face lighting up in full divinity and joy. His body sprang up from the couch and started instructing some of us what all was to be done, while his eyes reflected his mind being already immersed in Bābā.

We rushed through Swamiji’s dinner and Swamiji along with a number of devotees in two cars went to the station. The train was late by a couple of hours. It was one of those cold February nights. We were unaware of the external discomfort as we were with Swamiji and were waiting for the rare meeting of the two saints – the great Guru and his great Shishya. Swamiji’s mood was alternating between ecstasy and serenity. Bābā was frail and weak. Swamiji envisaged that he would not be able to walk to the car. So we had kept a cane armchair ready.

Finally the train came and we witnessed the blessed meeting. Swamiji touched Bābā’s feet as Bābā embraced Swamiji. Time stood still for us. Bābā greeted each of us as we were introduced. His toothless smile and childlike innocence touched the core of our heart in the very first meeting. Bābā was going on talking as he was made to sit on the armchair.

As Swamiji and some other devotees carried the armchair, Bābā was amused and he started shouting “Hari bol Hari bol”– as it is done in Bengal, but while carrying a dead body! The few railway staff present in the deserted station at that unearthly hour watched curiously the strange procession. Did they know that the reminder about mortality of the body was coming from an Immortal Soul while being carried by another Immortal Soul? But the rare radiation of ānanda had visibly touched and engulfed everybody around.

Bābā was taken to the residence of his disciple Aurobindo Ganguly at Sonari, where he was to stay. Swamiji and the rest of us took leave of Bābā. One or two hours were left before the beginning of the next day’s busy schedule.

Next morning, after dropping Madhavan at his office, I went straight to Bābā to take him to Swamiji. Bābā was waiting ready and was surprised to see this driver. He started shouting delightedly, “Onu, O Onu, dekho dekho ke eseche āmāke niye jete Bhoomār kāche! (Onu, O Onu, see who has come to take me to Bhooma)” – Onu is Ganguli’s wife Anjali.

Bābā was in a big hurry to sit in the car. We made him comfortable in the rear seat. As I drove, Bābā went on talking and laughing. Amidst all this ‘hulla’ (noise) Bābā suddenly asked me: “How do you like my Bhooma?”

For a moment I was nonplussed, and then said slowly, “He is my God”. Bābā’s joy and ‘chatter’ increased and suddenly he leaned upon the backrest of my seat and kissed me on my left cheek. The magical effect is locked up in my heart! All this, in the midst of driving!

Swamiji was staying on the first floor. Bābā climbed up fast, I holding on his hand. Swamiji was sitting on the couch, having Satsang with devotees. Swamiji and the devotees welcomed Bābā and led him to the chair kept for him. But Bābā would not sit on the chair; he went and sat near Swamiji on the couch. That is the scene you see in the photographs.

This scene continued throughout the five days of Bābā’s stay in Jamshedpur. It is not in my power, Swamiji, to describe all that happened during these days. During the Satsangs in the house, while Swamiji talked, Bābā would sometimes close Swamiji’s mouth with his hands and start singing or talking. Soon Swamiji would interrupt and try to continue the subject, but Bābā would do the same thing again and again with laughter and jokes. Oh, those were scenes the Gods must have envied!

Bābā was brought every morning and taken back to Ganguly’s residence at night. He enjoyed the South Indian food very much and fondly asked for all his favourite dishes. In the afternoons, Bābā used to retire in Swamiji’s room itself. It was just wonderful!

During the discourses at Madrasi Sammelani, Bābā was taken to the hall and was seated in front on a side from where he could see and hear Swamiji clearly and see the audience as well. On the first day, the book “Brahma-vidyā Abhyāsa” was released by Bābā. His radiant face revealed great joy and fulfillment – he was releasing the unique book written by his Shishya Bhooma!

Unlike the satsangs in the house, here Bābā was listening to the lectures in rapt attention. I still wonder who would have enjoyed more! Swamiji or Bābā? …

28th Sep 1996

– Ammini Madhavan

– From the book “My Beloved Baba”