THE CHOCOLATE STORY ― Hollywood, l934

From a talk by Adi K. Irani

So far as women were concerned, we were given very strict instructions by Baba. Our behaviour with women in India is always very different anyway to that in the West. And so Baba said we had to be very careful with any young Baba lovers — women. We should not go too near and we should not go too far. It was a very precarious situation, you — see not going too near and not too far. I said to Baba. "Be far and be damned with it — why should we go near at all — we don't want it!"

"No, no," said Baba. "That's not it at all; not too far and not too near but hanging between the two. You see, it's a state of suspense!" He said. It was always very difficult.

Now where we were staying all the food was vegetarian.  Ruano Bogislav was in charge of the kitchen. Bread, butter, cream, tomatoes, and vegetables which we didn't like, no masala, no spices. So we were very young and very hungry. We used to stuff ourselves on breakfast and never liked lunch or dinner. But a bowl of fruit was brought and kept on Baba's table. All of the mandali were staying in different rooms — it was only I and Kaka Baria, his personal attendants, who were close by his room; we had to be very near to look after him all the time.