Gustadji was still maintaining silence. Baba kept Masaji and Sidhu occupied, as well as Kalemama, who had come with his family to reside at the Family Quarters. Kalemama's brother Annasaheb Kale also came sometime later to stay permanently. Padri had studied homeopathy and was treating poor people from Arangaon and surrounding villages. Raosaheb was preoccupied with his writings in Persian about Baba, while Chanji took care of Baba's correspondence. Jalbhai was given the duty of searching for the perfect boy and brought one or two boys each day to Baba, who inevitably sent each one back. About 70 persons were staying at Meherabad at this time.
For a time, Baba slept in a small room on Meherabad Hill next to the women's kitchen. Later, he began sleeping in the underground crypt, the place where he stayed in seclusion in 1927.1 Routinely, Baba would come down to lower Meherabad from 8:00 to 11:00 A.M. and again from 4:00 to 7:00 P.M. to supervise the mandali and attend to correspondence and other matters. Rustom and Adi Sr., along with Ramjoo, stayed in Nasik, but they would come to Meherabad occasionally to see Baba regarding various matters.
The women mandali now in Meherabad were Mehera, Mani, Naja, Soonamasi, Small Khorshed, Walu and Kakubai (Vishnu's mother). Pilamai and her daughter Silla would come and go. Soonamasi and Kakubai would keep watch by the gate, Naja would cook and Mehera would attend to Baba's food, clothing and other personal needs.
Adi Sr. arrived on Sunday, 3 December 1933 with Pilamai, Gulmai and Dolly. Gulmai stayed on the hill with Baba and the other women, while Dolly was accommodated in Baba's Jhopdi. Adi looked after her that night and then Dolly joined the other women on the hill.
During this period, Big Khorshed (the wife of Baba's deceased elder brother Jamshed) left the ashram and moved to Bombay, preferring a more independent life, as compared to the strict secluded life of the women mandali in the ashram, Big Khorshed had joined the ashram in 1926 after Jamshed's death and was also among the women staying at Toka during 1928. She later re-married and eventually moved to Karachi, though she kept in touch with Baba's family.
On the evening of the 6th, Naoroji Dadachanji arrived from Bombay. A building contractor, Naoroji had been called to discuss plans for the development of a larger colony in Meherabad.
Footnotes
- 1.This crypt-room is where Meher Baba's Tomb is now located.