That night, I couldn’t stop thinking of the rainbow. Why didn’t it curve like a rain-bow usually does? .... A gentleman came to the room, and informed us that Sai Baba would be seeing us, the entire family, along with some other westerners, at 9 in the morning.

Time flew by, very fast, that morning. It was 9o' clock, before I knew where I was. We entered a room inside the temple; it was nearly ten feet square. One corner had a huge piece of furniture, a large wardrobe closet, covered in cardboard and tied with a string; next to it was a silver, painted chair with velvet cushion and a handkerchief draped over each arm. Along one wall was a sofa covered with a white dust cloth. Next to that, bags were stacked to the ceiling.

I was told to sit by the chair, near the archway, that had a circular cement staircase that would allow one person to ascend or descend at one time. As 8 or I0 of us crowded into this little room, all sitting in Yogi style, I glanced about and seeing the bags gave me the feeling of Christ’s Manger.

The silence in the room was broken only by some one clearing the throat. I glanced to my right, and, there, coming down the steps was the Inimitable Figure. I stood up with the rest of the gentlemen; I was first by the archway, as he entered.

He stopped, and looked at me. The gentleness of his eyes and the warmth of his smile drew out the well-trained and controlled emotions in me. "Well, CHARACTER! How did you like the RAINBOW?"

The, expression on my face, of stun-ness must have made him laugh, for, he chuckled, as he walked over to the chair. As he glanced at the group, he said, "He wanted a rainbow," pointing towards me. The tone indicated that he wanted to add, "Why didn’t you ask for something difficult?” He motioned us to sit down. I noticed that the movements of his hands had the gentleness and manners of politeness which are beyond description. No verbal etiquette or diplomacy could do as well. As he leaned back in his chair, he turned his head and glanced at me with a smile. "Rainbow,” he chuckled. He then turned and faced the group.

For the next one hour, my mind was in confusion.

There were many questions asked, too many to mention. He turned towards a woman and asked, "How are your knees? Is it hurting?" She said, "Yes". .... Like a child pouring sand from the palm of its hand, he poured ashes into her palm. The woman placed the ashes into her mouth. He looked over to my daughter and said, "What is your name?" Diana replied "Christiana." "Oh," he said, a very pretty name, and father likes it very much. Come, Christiana, come to me." Christiana took one look at him and screamed. Sai Baba laughed. "This hair scares most children.” Diana, in her embarrassment, pushed Christiana on, but, Sai Baba motioned with his index finger upright, to Diana, a definite NO, not to push the child. Sai Baba pulled his sleeve up again, and repeating the rotary motion, (I leaned forward to watch beneath the palm; there was nothing there), fingers closed and opened in a split second, and dangling from his fingers was a gold chain, with a locket on it. He gave it "That is for Christiana," he said.

I wasn’t impressed, as much as I was with the rainbow. After all, there have been some persons who could materialise watches, rings etc. But, the Rainbow did disturb me as only God can make a Tree or a Rainbow, or a Fruit or ............

Sai Baba interrupted my thoughts as he turned towards a women and said, "You had a bad fight with your husband last night; he wanted to take you home to America, because you are not feeling well. "He slowly placed his hands on the husbands' shoulder and chuckled. "Why go home? Am I not your mother, father and doctor?" As he spoke, the movement of the hand started its silent musical flow; as he flipped his hand upward, a FIG appeared!

He tore the fig apart and gave one half to Christiana who was ill then and another half to the woman. Now, he turned and directly looked at me and smiled. Later, I came to know that figs were out of season at that time, in India.

I have been here for many weeks now, and in all this time, I have never seen him stop. He is constantly seeing people and constantly giving of himself. I have only this to say to Baba now: "Thank you for the seed. It is now up to me, to prove worthy: The seed requires the water of faith. I must cherish the Seed (God) with love and nurture it, with faith."

(Concluded)

Maharashtra Visit