Waman, nineteen, would do errands for Adi and deliver messages to Meherazad. In Adi's absence, both Waman and Dattu remained strong links in Baba's cause in Ahmednagar.
Nariman had hired Madho Gavhane as caretaker at Meherazad. As a boy Madho had served in Baba's Poona toddyshop during the Kasba Peth days, and had also been in Manzil-e-Meem.
Remaining at Meherabad were Sidhu and his wife Radha, Kalemama, Vishnu's mother Kakubai, Bala Tambat, Savak Kotwal, Jangle and their families. They were staying in lower Meherabad with the masts Ali Shah and Mohammed. Jamadar and his wife Bhagubai were residing in the Family Quarters near Arangaon Village. Maruti Patil's daughter Tara had been working for the women mandali on the hill, but she now went back to the village to stay with her father. On the hill, as mentioned, were Kaikobad's family and Mansari.
Baba had not permitted Padri to remain at Meherabad, nor left him any money to live on. Padri therefore borrowed an amount from Sarosh and purchased a small plot of land adjacent to Meherabad. The Meherabad flour mill had been built there in 1947, and Padri used the income from the mill to support himself during the New Life.1
Ordering all the Nowalas and Arrangementwalas to leave Meherabad by that night, the 15th of October, Baba himself returned to Meherazad in the afternoon.
Before departing, he told the men, "Don't worry about anything. So long as you all really love me, you are all the very, very lucky few in the present human generation. Love me always and be sure of me and eternal happiness."
On the 15th, in Nariman and Meherjee's cars, Baba sent Rano, Kitty, Khorshed and Soonamasi, along with Minoo Kharas, to Poona, from where they departed for Bombay. Katie and Naja also left at this time. Baba walked down the hill with them.
"Everything is finished," he remarked with a broad smile. "I feel so happy today; I feel so free. A new life starts."
Before returning to Karachi, Minoo also saw to it that Baidul's family was safely settled in Bindra House. When Baba was bidding farewell to everyone in Meherabad, the sky clouded and it began to rain. "It was as if the heavens heard their cries of pain," Age noted, "and, as an expression of sympathy for their anguish, burst out in lament, shedding tears. The heavens could not bear the sight. Baba's lovers were facing physical separation from their Beloved, and their hearts wept in sorrow. This physical separation, according to Baba, was for all time, and each one felt as if his heart were breaking." Baba had left orders that all Yeswalas were to retire at seven o'clock that evening. Before doing so, they were to deliver their trunks to be loaded on the luggage truck. They were also informed to wake up at 2:00 A.M., take a bath and dress in ordinary clothes, rather than the kafnis (which would have drawn undue attention to the group). Their normal attire would be discarded on reaching Belgaum.
Footnotes
- 1.Later, in 1959, when the Avatar Meher Baba Trust deed was executed, Padri donated the land and the flour mill to the trust.