Baba continued to take the women to films at Sarosh Cinema. They saw one film on 3 June, two films on the 5th (beginning at 5:45 A.M.!) and another film on the 6th.1
On Monday, 7 June 1948, Adi Sr. drove Baba to Poona and Bombay, where he boarded a train for Baroda. He was accompanied by Baidul, Chhagan, Eruch and Gustadji. On the 8th, he again contacted the fifth-plane mast Chambu Shah and the mast Sayyed Badruddin . From Baroda, Baba proceeded to Nadiad, where on the 9th he communed with Jankidas Maharaj , the chief of an ashram, and also contacted three sadhus.
On 10 June, Baba traveled from Nadiad to Ahmedabad, where he worked with Jagannath Maharaj Mast , a fifth-plane mast who lived in a temple and was the figurehead of an ashram. His ashram was a thriving place, daily giving free meals to wandering fakirs, sadhus and poor people. Jagannath was over 90 years old, and despite the lavish meals at the ashram, he continued to eat only two bhakris and one onion every day for many years. This saintly man inwardly recognized Baba's spiritual greatness, for he garlanded him, although Baba's identity again was not divulged. He then gave a yellow shawl to Baba, and also one to each of the mandali. He handed Baba a puri and sweets, and Baba was highly gratified by the contact, commenting that Jagannath was an exceptionally humble, pure salik.
During that day, Baba worked with nine masts and two advanced souls in Ahmedabad. Among those, the most memorable was Muhammad Hussein , who had been sitting by one of the most repulsive places imaginable — a public latrine. He had been there for several years. The stench of the latrine was so overwhelming and offensive that no one could remain near it for even a few minutes. Yet Baba worked with the mast in the latrine.
Baitulla Shah , an advanced soul, was staying in a suburb of Ahmedabad. On the evening of the 10th, Baba went to contact him, but as he was surrounded by many devotees, Baba decided to see him first thing in the morning, which he did. Baitulla Shah prayed ten hours a day — five times for two straight hours — and every Thursday night at eleven o'clock, the mast read the Koran aloud for sixteen straight hours until three in the afternoon of the following day.
At this time, a group of militant Muslims separatists, under the fanatic leadership of Kasim Razvi, were causing turmoil throughout the area.2 Many atrocities had been perpetuated, with looting, burning down buildings, raping women and kidnapping children.
Footnotes
- 1.For the titles of these films and others seen by Baba, see David Fenster, Mehera-Meher: A Divine Romance, (Meher Nazar Publications), Vol. II, p. 569.
- 2.Kasim (Qasim) Razvi was a Muslim extremist and close advisor to the Nizam of Hyderabad. He organized thousands into an armed brigade and openly propagated that Muslims had the religious obligation to dominate over Hindus and establish Muslim sovereignty in the country. He later fled to Pakistan, where he was granted asylum.