Naoroji Dadachanji, being a contractor, had arrived from Bombay on the 1st of December to supervise the day-to-day building work. He had been staying in Bangalore, but now he, Padri and Murli (who were helping him) began living at Byramangala. Masaji was cooking for them there and Pendu was also assisting in the project. They would come to Bangalore on Sundays to meet Baba and receive his instructions. Baba first ordered two structures to be built on the property and, on Tuesday, 19 December 1939, the work began.
Before the ceremony in Byramangala, Baba was not meeting the public and was keeping himself secluded, engaged in mast work; very few outsiders had been allowed to come for his darshan. But as a result of all the recent publicity (for and against) people became more and more interested to see him. So Baba graciously set specific times to see new people every day at the Links. From the 18th, he began giving darshan and interviews each morning from eight to nine o'clock, and from three to four in the afternoon.
On Friday, 22 December, while discussing the trend of recent events, Baba observed:
In the matter of spirituality and sincere search for the Truth, the mentality of the West seems better nowadays than that in India. Indian people's attitude and mentality, these days, is very peculiar. India, as a whole, now wants material powers, political awakening and wealth. Yet remember, it is India, more than anywhere else, that produces masts. But, on the whole, the situation here is deplorable. As far as the Path is concerned, India's spiritual faith cannot be questioned, but the intellectual gymnastics by its scholars are disgusting. In the future, you will see.
When people began coming for Baba's darshan, they naturally asked questions about the war.
After a few days, Baba told Ghani, "You should write down all my statements about the war and have them printed and distributed."
Smiling, Ghani remarked, "What effect will a booklet have? It doesn't look proper to publish and distribute booklets when you are the Avatar!"
Baba replied:
If the Avatar has to resort to distributing leaflets, it shows the shocking condition people have come to! Yet, I have to do it. It is the preliminary preparation. This is the beginning. I am preparing the ground.
You are fools. This war was preceded by correspondence; meetings were held. Thereafter, there were protests and opposition. Then when the war started and all these were of no avail, the bombs came!