For the gathering, Pendu, being the manager of Meherabad, was expert in arranging for the pandal and looking after the necessities of such a program. Padri was experienced in engineering and was in charge of the water supply and lighting arrangements. Masaji and Chhagan were the cooks. Adi Sr. was to look after the guests' arrival and departure transportation and to read Baba's dictation on the alphabet board during the program.
From all over India, 125 men gathered in Meherabad on Friday, 14 May 1943, including 28 from Pophali Pleader's Saoner group and 15 from the Jap Mandal of Bombay, led by their president, Manek Mehta. Don was also able to get leave and come (but he arrived on the evening of the 15th, and missed the first day's proceedings). Only those who had sworn complete obedience and who were ready to work in the Master's cause attended the meeting.
As the men arrived on the 14th, Baba began seeing them individually. As Age recorded, "Baba was in his happiest mood, his features blooming like a rose! His eyes emitted sparks of light, gladdening the hearts of all who had come. Before this happiness, the joy of heaven is nothing. Heaven's delight is circumscribed by chains of gold, and the suffering of hell with chains of iron. From the spiritual standpoint, heaven and hell's bondage are both imaginary and can never open the doors to emancipation. But at Meherabad, this happiness was leading men on the path to the Beyond, detaching them from all types of happiness and pain, for their Beloved."
The lovers were housed in lower Meherabad, and Baba spent the nights on Meherabad Hill, sleeping in his crypt (or the Tin Cabin). The heat at Meherabad was intense during May, and the lovers were to observe a partial fast of one meal a day with tea during their five-day stay.
On Saturday, 15 May 1943, Baba addressed all collectively. They gathered on the platform outside the Tomb at 7:30 P.M. At times, Baba would crack jokes, give discourses, or listen to ghazals and funny stories from those assembled.
In the Saoner group was a man named Ragho Patel.
Baba asked him, "Would you offer your neck to me? Would you sacrifice your life for me?"
Ragho was dumbfounded by the question and gazed at his leader, Pophali. He said to him, "Pophali Saheb, you have brought me here for darshan, and Baba wants my throat! What will happen to my wife and children?"