They arrived in Colombo on Thursday, 12 January 1933, staying (ironically) at the White Horse Hotel for three days.1
On Sunday, 15 January Baba traveled into the interior of Ceylon. He spent one night at the Hotel Bandarawela before moving into a bungalow called Villa Valencia on a hill between the towns of Bandarawela and Diyatalawa, an area said to have the most equable climate in Ceylon. It was picturesque, though a river of raging torrents ran through the deep ravine behind Baba's bungalow, causing a ceaseless roar.
After settling in, Baba directed Kaka to find a spot where Baba could sit in seclusion for 24 hours, as he had done in Assisi. Searching through the small town of Bandarawela on 19 January, Quentin and Kaka found a Buddhist temple at the end of a narrow lane. It looked like a suitable place and they showed it to Baba. A priest would not permit them to enter the temple, so they descended a few steps and came upon an open courtyard.
A door of an adjoining house opened and a very old man, who looked at least 100 years old, came out. He seemed to immediately recognize Baba and he started talking to him through hand signs.
Baba gestured back, "I want a room where I can be in seclusion without being disturbed for 24 hours."
The old man instantly understood and asked the Buddhist priest to open the temple and make a room available to Baba. Baba, however, changed his mind.
Later, Baba remarked, "That old man was on the fourth plane. I will push him to the fifth plane when I leave Ceylon. He is my agent in charge of Central Ceylon."
Baba's wish to sit in seclusion was perhaps only a pretext for contacting this advanced soul.
In the interim, Adi Sr. came to Ceylon on 19 January 1933 and returned to India after staying two days with Baba.
Villa Valencia belonged to Mr. & Mrs. Salomon, who lived there with their two children, Mrs. Salomon's sister and their mother Mrs. Buttery. The family was very interested in learning about Baba, especially Mrs. Buttery and one of the children named Brenda. On the 26 th , Baba proposed taking her and Mrs. Buttery with him to America.
In Bandarawela on 26 January, Baba met a reporter from the Ceylon Observer who questioned him about Mahatma Gandhi and India, religion, the purpose of his silence and why he had gone to America. The following was Baba's response:
Look at Gandhi's passive resistance movement. From the spiritual point of view it is wonderful because it embraces sincerity, truth and non-violence. Don't ask me its value as a political weapon. I have nothing to do with politics ...
Footnotes
- 1.The Kalki (present-age) Avatar is symbolized by a white horse.