Similar conditions prevailed in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, where thousands were awaiting Baba's darshan. Dr. Dhanapathy Rao, who had met Baba in 1947, played a major role in "arson" activities there! Thus in Hamirpur and Andhra, the seed of expectation was sown. While flowering, it would create a tumultuous gathering of lovers.
A final meeting to present the New Life conditions had been arranged at Meherabad for Saturday, 31 August 1949. Thirty-two close disciples were called, sixteen of them from out of town. They were Meherjee, Nariman, Jal Kerawalla, Pappa Jessawala, Minoo Kharas, Bal Natu, Sadashiv Patil, Daulat Singh, Keki Desai, Kishan Singh, Vithal Bhokre, Dr. Deshmukh and Baba's brothers Jalbhai, Beheram and Adi Jr. They and the mandali were instructed to be present in the hall at 8:00 A.M. The hall was swept and cleaned, but no one was allowed to enter it before the fixed time. Baba had also ordered that every man should take a bath and put on clean clothes before the meeting. Special arrangements had been provided for outside visitors to bathe, and by early morning only Raosaheb Afseri had not yet arrived. When the train passed Meherabad, he was seen, and a car was sent to the station to bring him. When Raosaheb came, he was somewhat shocked to be so unceremoniously taken to the nearest bathhouse before any greetings were proffered — but he was present on time.
Baba's order was not to permit entrance to anyone after eight o'clock, and hence the mandali had to be extra particular that day. (For instance, Beheram was late arriving from Poona and had to sit outside the hall on the verandah.) In addition, those gathered had been strictly ordered not to shout Jai; not to make obeisance with folded hands to Baba; not to praise him; and not to stare at his feet reverently.
At exactly eight o'clock, Baba entered the hall, followed by the mandali. He stood for a minute in the corner behind his chair, and directed Padri to walk in front of him from one side of the hall to the other seven times.
Baba joked, "Suppose a cat has crossed my path, Padri's pacing will ward off any evil."
Then Baba took his chair. Seeing that all were present and that there would be no disturbance or intrusion from anyone, as Padri was shutting all the doors and windows, Baba explained the purpose of the gathering, particularly to the visitors, who were expressly reminded that they were the selected ones out of a list of 102 persons.