This would cover Baba's identity as desired.
The food was cooked and kept ready; all were ushered inside the hall. Putravali [large leaf-plates], salt, et cetera, were already served. All the outside workers were asked to go out, and all the doors were closed. Then Baba was brought from the hotel room quietly and ushered into the library room to serve all.
Baba left Lucknow later that same day by train. Eruch was sent to Nagpur, Raipur and Bombay in connection with a new circular that Baba had issued postponing the calling of the signatories to Meherabad until May 1944.
Baba and his group arrived in Jullundur the following afternoon, Sunday, 24 October 1943, at 2:00 P.M. and stayed at the Punjab Hotel near the station. At dawn the next morning, Baba began his mast work, and Gulmai, Adi Sr., Baidul and Chanji accompanied him. They went first a few miles away to the village of Jamsher, where, in the house of a weaver, Baba contacted a childlike mastani with a sweet, enchanting smile, who was called Munni Bai .
In Jullundur, Baba contacted another mastani, who was held in much esteem by the local people and was called Budhia Mastani . She lived in a Harijan colony.
Later the same day, Baba, the mandali, Deshmukh and Babadas took a train to Kapurthala, where he contacted a 25-year old mast. The young man was always naked, and his parents, who were gardeners, cared for him. Baba contacted two other masts and, after working with them, returned to Jullundur at 5:00 P.M.
At 7:00 A.M. on the 26th, Baba, accompanied by Chanji and Baidul, left Jullundur and arrived in Phagwara 45 minutes later. He took a tonga to the village of Sangatpur, where he contacted Nekishah Baba , a high mast who for 25 years had sat outside his hut, but never went inside it! Nearby the mast kept a pile of seven sacks filled with rubbish, and also kept a dhuni burning day and night. The mast made fuel cakes from cowdung, and villagers would bring wood for his dhuni. He usually sat near the fire, but with a blanket pulled over his head, so people seldom saw what he looked like. Nekishah, who was held in high esteem by the villagers, had a small ashram where disciples lived.1
Footnotes
- 1.When Baba contacted this mast again ten years later, he was called Nuriya Baba.