"In the same way, I feel for Vasant who is made to stay at home with his parents when his heart only longs to be by my side. I don't feel for anyone else like this, and this pain is my gift to Vasant and Ali."
Later that day, Jalbhai and Nusserwan arrived in Nasik. They reported the recent news of Poona and Ahmednagar. Sailor Mama was living in Nasik and had opened a canteen named the Brahmanand Hotel . Baba visited it and the mandali had cold drinks there.
The women mandali living in Nasik were Mehera, Daulatmai, Naja, Big Khorshed, Soonamasi and Small Khorshed. Gulmai's daughter, Dolly, had returned to Ahmednagar before Baba left for Kashmir. (She later rejoined the group.) Masaji was staying in Nasik to look after the women, do their shopping, and help in any way he could.
Whenever Baba was traveling, the women mandali would prepare a play or skit to be performed upon his return. Besides their specific duties, Baba would request that they produce a funny play. To please him they would rehearse it well, and Baba was always much amused when he saw it.
Baba left Nasik for Meherabad with the men mandali on 27 August. After driving about 77 miles, Baba asked the bus to be stopped a few miles from Rahuri. The group got out and Baba sat down under a tree to discuss their future plans. As the sun was setting, Baba suddenly requested that his arti be sung. This was done and the mandali bowed to him and took his darshan. The discussion continued for another five minutes, and Baba surprisingly wanted the arti performed again. Thus, after a lapse of several months, Baba had the whim for arti, which was sung to him twice.
They reached Ahmednagar by early evening. The local lovers had gathered at Akbar Press to welcome Baba. Baba spent the night there and left for Meherabad the following morning.
From 28 August to 2 September 1929, Baba held long discussions for finalizing plans for another trip to Persia.1 Baba decided that the following eleven men should accompany him: Buasaheb, Chanji, Chhagan, Gustadji, Jalbhai, Kalingad, Karim, Maruti Patil, Masaji, Sidhu and Vishnu. Meanwhile, Raosaheb, Chhota Baba, Aga Ali and Ali Akbar, who were in Quetta, were sent a cable to meet them in Persia.
Footnotes
- 1.Baba had traveled to Persia five years before, in 1924, but had only stayed for a few days.