Chhagan also wrote "Yes," but his wife started weeping when she found out. When he informed Baba, he was also freed. Baba, however, ordered Chhagan to eat food obtained by begging. Later Baba amended the order, telling Chhagan to move back to Meherabad. He would be given a small stipend, which he was to supplement from outside employment.
Kishan Singh had come to Meherabad on 15 August, the first day of the meetings. Baba met with him the next day, and to Kishan's surprise, after just five minutes with him, Baba sent him back to Delhi. Kishan was called to attend the meeting of the 31st. He also wrote "Yes," but when he returned home, he found so many difficulties confronting him that he could not go. He had to appear in court as a witness, and he informed Baba.
Baba sent him this telegram: "In view of your letter, I forgive you and free you from your 'Yes' promise, and want you definitely to stay at home. Rest assured your spiritual connection with me will remain as before."
When all the replies were scrutinized, the assembly was divided into three groups:
Yeswalas — those who wrote "Yes" and were to accompany Baba on his New Life.
Nowalas — those who wrote "No" and were not to accompany Baba but were to remain in his Old Life. Baba's general instruction was that they should continue living their lives as they had.1
Arrangementwalas — they were five men appointed by Baba to see primarily to the practical arrangements which had been made for those financially dependent upon Baba. However, later Baba kept issuing instructions for other work, which they carried out faithfully also. The committee consisted of Sarosh, Nariman, Meherjee, Ramjoo and Jal Kerawalla, with Savak Damania serving as an assistant.
The Yeswalas were informed that they should be present at Meherabad between 1 to 5 October, fully prepared to completely turn their backs on their previous lives, families and affairs.
A few individuals received specific instructions from Baba. One of them was Baba's former night watchman Krishna Nair. Krishna had been living in South India since November 1947. He came to Meherabad desiring to stay with Baba again.
Footnotes
- 1.Manek Mehta was a Nowala, but he was to join Baba on 1 January 1950, in Benares, after he had wound up his affairs with the Meher Jap Mandal (group) in Bombay. (Later, the date was postponed until May 1950.)