Chavan said that he would do so, and Baba was pleased by his sincerity of purpose.
Baba listened to Adi Sr. and Rustom Kaka sing. He had his dinner on the hill and returned to Ahmednagar with the women at 8:30 P.M.
Meanwhile Gadekar had been actively carrying out Baba's work in Poona, and through his influence, several people devoted their lives to Baba and surrendered at the Master's feet. Among them was Laxmikant Balwantrao Thade, 25, whose entire family would eventually surrender to Baba. Thade was working in a college under Gadekar's supervision. After Baba's return from Uttar Kashi, Thade wrote to him seeking permission for darshan, which Baba granted for 15 May. But at first, Thade could not get leave from his office. On the day he was supposed to be in Ahmednagar, Thade fell sick with high fever. A few days later, he learned that the date for darshan had been changed to 1 June. Strangely enough, Thade's boss had given him the day off because he was ill, and also because his boss indicated that anyone visiting a saint should be granted leave.
Thade kept his appointment and saw Baba in Meherabad on 1 June. He was enamored at once and thought: "It would have been so much better if my parents had also come."
As soon as this thought came into his mind, Baba remarked to him with a smile, "Don't worry. Your parents too will come and also your whole family."
Baba asked, "What are you doing?"
"I am a hostel superintendent," Thade replied.
"Remain on good terms with others; treat all equally. And remember, I am always with you."
There were 80 students in Thade's hostel — all of different castes; but, as Baba had advised, he treated all of them with love and rendered help to each one. He was popular with his students, and realized the full significance of Baba's admonition.
As mentioned, during the stay in Ahmednagar in 1948, Baba would visit Meherabad occasionally, and also go to the Family Quarters near Arangaon to see those close ones residing there. There were four families staying at the Family Quarters: Savak Kotwal's, Chhagan's, Sidhu's and Jangle's. Whenever Baba returned from a tour, these families would sweep and clean the compound and keep everything in order, waiting for him. On this occasion, when Baba visited them after his tour to the Himalayas, Nergiz Kotwal remarked, "Baba, so long we have been waiting for you. We daily clean the house and compound in anticipation of your arrival."