The next day, the bazaarman rushed into their bungalow when Baba was having his hair combed, which further upset Baba. For hours he began asking the mandali whether his identity would be disclosed.
“”"Will they tell others?"
The servants could not help but wonder at this strange group of men: two were dumb and did not speak; one had long hair; they did all the cooking and cleaning themselves behind closed doors; they did not mix with anyone else?!
During this seclusion, the health of Baba and the mandali had not been good also. Baba suffered headaches, chest pains, a cold and cough. (His nose watered continuously and became red from so much rubbing with a handkerchief.) He was irritated and seemed uncomfortable in every way. The weather was chilly, damp and misty, and this added to his reasons for wanting to leave. He had planned to stay at Nandi Hill for a fortnight and had directed Aiyangar to find a suitable place for him to stay afterward. However, on 25 April 1934, Aiyangar was sent a telegram that Baba would be back in Bangalore in two days.
Baba and the mandali accordingly rose at 4:00 A.M. on the 27th and left Nandi Hill at 2:00 P.M. Eighteen coolies were hired to carry the loads of luggage. No sooner had they left the house than rain began to pour down. By the time Baba and the men descended the hill, all were soaking wet.
Lakshmi had brought a special taxi with a carrier on top, in which they rode to Bangalore to stay with the Aiyangars. The taxi had no windows and the mandali had to hold flimsy curtains in place. But despite this, rain blew inside and the going was slow, and they didn't reach the Aiyangars until 6:00 P.M. Their clothes were dried and they ate a meal, though again the three grandchildren would not leave Baba alone. Baba lovingly put up with them (feeding them himself with his own hands before he ate), though he preferred to be left alone during meals. Then Baba and the men rested.
Later that evening, Baba and the mandali proceeded to the village of Kengeri, where Aiyangar had rented a dharamshala. But the situation here proved to be much worse than that on Nandi Hill! The dharamshala was crowded, with a hundred people lodging there — and there was no toilet!
