Today another Mast has been brought by Jal and Pendu from Mangalore, a fellow with bright eyes and a huge mop of hair piled on his head.

Baba today had a new coat, rather like the one Stalin wears in his pictures. The opening of the Centre has again been postponed to Dec. 17th because of the extra good crop on the land Baba has bought, and the past owners, although the land no longer belongs to them, have asked Baba whether they can be allowed to take the crop, in spite of the delay it causes; Baba is allowing this, and He says, it will create a good impression, as being a generous gesture. In two days I go to Mysore with others and Baba to see the Dassera Festival procession. It should be interesting.

25/10/1939   We left for Mysore last Thursday afternoon, in three cars with Elizabeth, Jal and myself driving. The bus which I was driving was loaded with the usual complement of women and luggage. We stopped at the road leading off the centre site; it is really a very beautiful position, with expansive view of hills, and well covered with trees and bushes.

Mysore State is really very beautiful indeed and very healthy too compared to most places. Near the site it is a little reminiscent of Scotland in fine weather and the skies are now very fine, with scattered showers like a Turner picture.

We stayed in the Yelval* Bungalow, about ten miles northwest of Mysore City, a huge place apparently about a hundred years old, and originally the British or French Residency. It is built on a low hill, with views of the Nilgiri hills some seventy miles off, very fine indeed. Baba and us men slept in the servant's house, separate from the main bungalow, and the women in the main house.

Mysore is really a fine city, properly Indian, which Bangalore is not. We saw the Palace by day, and when lit up at night, fairly encrusted with bulbs (electric). We went up Chamundi Hill, and Baba showed how the Temple there was built in seven layers to represent the seven planes. We went to Bandavan Gardens with illuminated fountains, lying under the huge Krisnavasagar Dam across the Kanvir River, nothing like them in the world I should imagine.

On Sunday we went to see the Dasera procession. It was an amazing show, gold and colour. Baba said that the Maharajah was very lucky for Baba to be watching his Dasera. His heir, a nephew, had a good heart.......

We returned on Monday and now Baba says He will begin to work as hard as He has ever done before, and will only come over to the Mandali in the afternoons instead of mornings and afternoons.

28/10/1939   Baba said yesterday that from November 11 for six months there would be chaos among His followers with lots of ups and downs, illnesses and doubts even amongst the staunchest of them. He says He then has got to be bound by time, to free those who are bound by time. He says He will have to do something to create opposition. There is a lot of diarrhea in the "Links" and today the Health Officer called to examine the drains.

3/11/1939   Margaret and Falu arrived from England two days ago, both looking very fit, but they must have had a pretty awful voyage out. Baba was discovered to be ticklish, but when He told me to tickle Him in the ribs, He isn't ticklish at all . . . Baba's condition fluctuates a lot; sometimes he looks very pale and tired, and at others radiant and gay. I often dry the masts after Baba has washed them, and enjoy it too. Norina, Nadia and Deshmukh have been lecturing in Mysore about Baba, a success apparently. Last night,

* "Yelwal" according to Lord Meher online.-JK webmaster.