The Sadguru refused, but when her husband Khansaheb himself came to Sakori and entreated Maharaj to come, he relented.
Baba and Gustadji were in Sakori at the time. Three days later, Maharaj sent word with Gustadji that he intended to come in two weeks. "Before I come," he ordered, "keep a room clean, put a pot of fresh water there and place a coconut on it. Keep a light burning inside at all times. The water should be changed daily."
Gulmai did as instructed. Gustadji came two days in advance of the opening ceremony to instruct and assist her in preparing for Upasni Maharaj's arti and puja. A car was hired to bring Maharaj. Rustom and Adi drove in it to Sakori. Durgabai accompanied Maharaj. The automobile stopped in front of the Iranis' new house and Upasni descended. He was garlanded with flowers, offered a coconut, and welcomed inside. Everyone present took his darshan. Only Khansaheb's brother-in-law (Sarosh's father) remained staunchly opposed and refused to enter the house.
Maharaj inspected every room of Sarosh Manzil and selected the room downstairs where they had kept the water pot and a small kerosene lamp. A new seat had been prepared there for the Master and he was requested to occupy it. He declined and asked for some gunny sacks. The only sackcloth in the house was some empty, discarded cement bags. These were brought and Upasni sat on them in a corner.
Baba came from Poona the following day, and occupied a small room at the top of the house on the third floor, which overlooked the city. As Maharaj himself was staying downstairs, Baba did not allow any of his followers to sleep upstairs, so they were accommodated at the Parsi dharamshala next door.
The Irani family was wealthy and the housewarming ceremony was elaborately planned; many from the town were invited. Before the ceremony took place on Tuesday, 26 July 1921, the orthodox Zoroastrians and some of Gulmai's own relatives again strongly objected to a Hindu guru cutting the welcome ribbon. Gulmai, however, refused to relent and insisted Upasni Maharaj be given the honor. The ceremony proceeded as Gulmai had planned.
Some of Maharaj's devotees had come from Poona. His Hindu devotees were accommodated in a Hindu neighbor's home where Maharaj had his meals with Durgabai. The others ate with Khansaheb and his family. Maharaj and Baba stayed at Sarosh Manzil for seven days as honored guests of the family.1 Baba guided them in the performance of Upasni's arti in the morning and evening.
Footnotes
- 1.Gulmai had invited Maharaj to stay for a month, but because of the severe opposition from her joint family, she was only able to accommodate him for a week.