He also sent Kaka Baria to Nasik to stay with Naval and Dina. Burjor Sarkari (the young thief from Poona who had been living with the mandali for the past three years) was instructed to go to Bombay. Rustom also left by car for Nasik, as directed, and Vithal's bus was returned to him in Poona. Thus, no motor vehicles remained in Panchgani for Baba's transportation. Preparations for Baba's seclusion in Tiger Valley were now complete.
By Baba's directive, Upasni Maharaj's birthday was celebrated that year in Poona at Sadashiv's house. After the celebration, several of Baba's devotees, including Gulmai, came to Panchgani to meet Baba and see the cave.
Meanwhile, selected ones in Nasik, Poona and Ahmednagar were also ordered to remain in seclusion and fast on milk. In Ahmednagar, the entire Satha family stayed secluded; in Poona, the Kasba Peth mandali did so; and in Nasik, Kaka Baria and a few others participated in the seclusion.
Baba entered the cave in Tiger Valley for his seclusion at ten o'clock at night on Thursday, 15 May 1930, and the mandali at Meherabad entered their separate rooms at the same time, according to his previous instructions. During the seclusion, Baba was not totally aloof, for he would come out of the cave occasionally and visit the grass huts of the mandali and boys nearby.
On more than one occasion, Baba expressed much concern about bringing Aga Ali from Persia. He sent Raosaheb several times to Bombay to confer with Ali's father, Haji, about when the boy might be returning to India.
On the 17th, there was a discussion about the April issue of The Meher Message . Dastur had published a notice that some devotees of the Master were participating in the agitation by the Congress Party, "and I am also going to take part in it."
Baba did not wish to be associated with politics and remarked, "I have warned Dastur so many times to stay away from politics but, in spite of his promise to me, he is going against my wish. Let him do as he likes; I have no concern with him. He will repent for this."
On the morning of Tuesday, 20 May 1930, Baba rose early at four o'clock.
After awakening the mandali, he stated, "From today, I have to keep myself in strict seclusion and not come out of the cave. So, before daybreak, all of you should proceed to the cave with your belongings."