The next day when Sarosh arrived, Baba called him. Although he was reluctant, he came near the hut. On seeing Baba, a wondrous change swept over Sarosh and he bowed at the Master's feet, repenting for his antagonistic thoughts.
Baba rubbed his head and patted his back, while Sarosh told him about his recent troubles and his doubts about him as a guru.
Baba then remarked, "If you do as I say, I will make you a king!"
Sarosh was taken aback.
Baba instructed Sarosh to study in Poona to be an electrician. Baba himself later arranged his admission to the school, and even his boarding and lodging at Khodu's home with Sarosh's cousin Adi, who was also studying in Poona. Sarosh informed his parents, but left out Meher Baba's part in it. Although his father was pleased with this news, he would have protested if he had known of his son's involvement with Baba. After returning to Poona, Sarosh would visit Baba at the hut or Sadashiv Patil's home and was profoundly affected by the Master's loving kindness and concern. From that time on, Sarosh became one of Baba's close circle members.
On 11 March 1922, the Hindu festival of Holi was celebrated with a game of atya-patya and later with the burning of a fire in an earthen pit. Baba himself had earlier brought a large branch of a felled tree in a small bullock cart from Kasba Peth. The wood was placed in the pit and lit, along with twigs and dry leaves.
He explained, "The holi is symbolic of the fire of divine love and the wood represents the lower self which is to be burned in that fire."
The group of fishermen devotees from Kasba Peth were present and entertained the Master with bhajans until midnight. Since it was so late, Gulmai and Adi were told by Baba to sleep inside his hut.
Early the next morning, Baba suddenly threw Khodu's sitar, Arjun's tambura and a tabla into the dying fire.
When asked for an explanation, he replied, "It is an offering."
Later he had the ashes buried and small clay models of the musical instruments erected over their "graves." From that time on, the holi was transformed into the Master's dhuni (sacred fire), and the fire was kept burning continuously for many days.
Lateef presented a new bicycle to Baba, which he rode once around the compound.