Rustom, Adi Sr., Padri, and Naval may come, but
strictly on business. I will give darshan to all on the 17th of February.
Although at first Baba had said no one would be allowed
upstairs for darshan, he did permit Maneck and Edke his darshan on the 5th. Baba
then closed the door of his cabin. When he opened the door the next morning at
8:00 A.M. only the ashram boys were permitted near him, but they were not to
enter his room unless called. From inside the cage for two hours each night,
Baba would attend to correspondence and dictate points to Ramjoo for the
birthday issue of The Meher Message .
On the 6th, he closeted himself inside with the door shut
from 3:00 P.M. until night. At 5:00 P.M. he called Buasaheb upstairs and told
him to tell a man sitting on the verandah of the school opposite Gyas Manzil to
stop looking up at Baba. The man had been able to see Baba as Baba paced back
and forth inside the cage. Baba sent the man his blessings and said to inform
him that he was fortunate to have seen Baba during this period when none were
permitted inside.
Despite the ban, visitors would arrive at Gyas Manzil
daily. Some (mostly Parsis) were staying at a "health-rejuvenating
sanatorium" at Deolali, where they heard that there was an Irani saint
living nearby in Nasik. Others were sincere followers and it was a difficult
and, at times, a painful task for Buasaheb and the other mandali to turn them
away. Many waited for hours in hopes that Baba might agree to call them, and
left disappointed and weeping.
Correspondence continued about making arrangements to
bring Aga Ali from Persia. Aga Ali's mother offered to bring the boy if
Baba paid their traveling expenses. Raosaheb was dispatched to Bombay on the 7th
to discuss the matter with Ali's father.
On Sunday, 9 February 1930, Baba sat in a tub of warm
water to alleviate bodyache, but he complained of feeling weak afterwards and
rested inside his cage. Minoo Pohowala of Bijapur was called upstairs the next
day. He was making arrangements for a trip to South India after Baba's
birthday. Minoo (along with Pudumjee and Chanji's brother Naoroji) was very
generous and instrumental in contributing and raising funds for Meher Baba's
work.
After one week of being in seclusion, on the morning of
11 February, Baba gathered the mandali before him.