Alamai would come upstairs daily to cook for Baba. One day Banubai got upset with Alamai and made her leave the kitchen. Baba saw her quietly shedding tears in the corner.
He approached her and remarked, "You have a very big heart and a good head, while Banubai, unfortunately, has a small one of both. She has no sense! So don't let her affect you in any way. Even by sitting here, you are feeding me in a way in which Banubai could never do, even if she cooks for me. Do you know why? Because I am hungry for love, and you feed me with it!"
Alamai Katrak's husband Manchershaw's initials were M. B., and Baba would tease him about it and remark to Alamai, "He and I are one and the same, as we both have the same initials."
Finding out that Meher Baba was giving private interviews and darshan, a crowd gradually formed outside on the street. In fact, so many visitors came to see Baba at Banubai and Manekji's apartment that the landlord began objecting that the floors of his building might collapse with the weight of so many people! Not the quiet type, Alamai retorted that since they paid the rent, they could have as many guests as they liked.
During those twelve days in Bombay, the Master made several visits around the city to his followers' homes. Baba and the mandali returned to Meherabad on Sunday, 1 November.
The men mandali had returned to Meherabad from Bijapur ten days ahead of Baba, on 20 October 1930. Pleader too returned and was ordered to stay in seclusion in the Post Office building and to continue his fast on milk. He was not to move out of his room, and Sidhu was appointed to bring him milk and water, clean his commode and see to his needs. Pleader was also prohibited from reading, writing or speaking with anyone; he would spend his days silently repeating Baba's name.
In Bijapur, Baba had expressed his wish to enter seclusion.
Since no suitable spot was located, Baba instructed that a cave be dug at Meherabad: "I will sit there in seclusion and it would be most desirable if the mandali themselves dig the cave."
All the men were ready to share in the labor, but Baba selected Pendu, Chhagan, Sailor and Vishnu for the work, making Jalbhai the supervisor.