ensuing discussions was that this stranger directed one of his subordinates to take Baba and his men by bullock cart to three of the worst afflicted villages. This subordinate, although in a position of influence in his own village, was a man of meek and selfless character, and it was only later discovered by a chance remark from a stranger that his own house and field had been completely destroyed by the floods, although he had not spoken of this to anyone of our party, and only agreed after much persuasion to accept money from Baba.

"Then followed a long day's work of going from village to village in this ravaged district. I should tell you, lest the picture in your minds be a false one, that the flood waters had receded several weeks earlier, exposing a countryside scarred and shattered by water that had now drained back into the Kosi riverbed or evaporated in the powerful October sum.

"During the day's work, and a long and tiring day it was, nearly two hundred peasants were given five rupees each, and the heads of eleven families which had suffered more than others were given much larger sums, varying between five hundred rupees and fifty rupees, the sum being proportionate to the need.

"This would seem to be as good a moment as any to tell you that Baba had decided that his work with the poor would consist in giving fairly large sums of money (generally Rs 500) to the heads of families which, having once known days of prosperity, were now living in real poverty. All those who received substantial sums in this way had their feet washed by Baba, and he also bowed down before them, touching their feet with his head, a practice that was followed throughout the tour. When the money itself was handed over, one of the men with Baba would explain the reason for the gift in the following way, and you will notice that Baba's name was never mentioned—he was simply referred to as 'my brother.' The words used, or rather a translation of them in English, were these: 'My brother says that this money has been given to you by loving hearts who wanted it to go to deserving and needy people. You should not feel that it is formal charity or that you are under any obligation to anyone for it, you should consider it as a gift of love.'

"Two hundred flood victims who received five rupees each from Baba did not have their feet washed by him, perhaps, because this work was, in a sense, supplementary to his planned work with the poor, and perhaps also because to have done so would have taken up too much time. Baba