For the next fifteen days he would eat only vegetable soup or drink buttermilk. For the following twelve days he would drink orange juice, and for the last three days he would remain on only water.
Baba entered Kaikobad's cottage on Thursday, 3 January 1946. Two days later, the mast Ali Shah was brought to Meherabad from Ahmednagar. For the next week, Baba worked with Ali Shah from nine in the morning until noon, and sometimes in the afternoon also. He worked with him until the 12th of January, and then sent him back to Ahmednagar.
Baba then sent Baidul to bring masts from Bombay and surrounding suburbs. He brought three masts from Bhayandar, Kurla and Mahim, and Baba sat with each for four days.1 For Baba, to fast and work with masts was his "spiritual rest" after all the hectic days of touring and working in seclusion.
On the evening of the 19th, qawaals sang ghazals in front of Baba's cabin from six to nine o'clock. Only the mandali were invited. Sidhu also sang and performed several humorous songs which amused Baba.
On 24 January, Baba informed the mandali:
"Today is the twentieth day of my seclusion. I have been greatly inconvenienced in my work owing to the continual passing traffic on the road and the noise created by it. Therefore, I have decided that the remaining 20 days of my seclusion should be spent at Pimpalgaon, which is a natural noise-proof abode. From tomorrow, until I shift to Pimpalgaon for my work, it will be a partial seclusion. I will continue to stay where I am now, coming out only for necessary work and to see necessary people."
The next afternoon at four o'clock, Sarosh drove Baba to Pimpalgaon, where Baba encouraged Kalemama to finish the construction work as soon as possible. Baba went again to Pimpalgaon with Sarosh on the 26th, at 9:00 A.M., and again on the morning of the 29th. Adi Sr. was purchasing and sending all the construction material from Ahmednagar to Pimpalgaon.
From Kashmir, without any prior intimation, Habibullah Baig arrived at Meherabad to see Baba.
Baba asked him, "Why did you come here? If your father dies in Kashmir I will be blamed."
Habibullah replied, "My father's health is quite all right now."
Baba ordered him, "Go back and remain there in Kashmir."
Baba paid his traveling expenses and gave him a letter for Daulat Singh.
Footnotes
- 1.Regarding these three subtle conscious masts, refer to The Wayfarers, pp. 301–302.