In the bitter cold of the winter night, the companions remained in the open. Since their extra clothes had been sold, they were miserable, despite the newly acquired woolen pants. The four women slept inside the caravan. Kaka and Murli prepared food, and Pendu, Don, Nilu, Aloba, Sadashiv and Baidul looked after the feeding and watering of the animals.
Because of the extreme cold, none of the companions could sleep. Feeling unduly troubled, Dr. Ghani devised a plan, declaring, "Now is the time we should go on strike! From tomorrow, none of us should do any work. We must sit in protest. When we have to die, why not die here? What's the use of going further? No one will be able to survive this cold." The men appeared to side with Ghani, and he was very pleased with himself. But early the next morning, when Baba approached them, the men deserted Ghani and resumed their duties. Ghani stood alone looking foolish.
Taking into consideration Ghani's age and physical condition, Baba permitted him to take a seat next to Kaka and Pendu at the front of the caravan, on condition that he go out begging with Babadas wherever they halted.
The group left Shivpur at eight o'clock on the morning of Tuesday, 13 December 1949. From there, the she-donkeys were put under the women's charge. While walking, the women would pick up small branches and sticks that they needed for the cooking fire and load them on the donkeys. One day, as Mehera, Mani, Meheru and Goher were preoccupied with picking up sticks and twigs as they walked, a bullock cart came alongside them. Awestruck at the scene before him, the cartman asked where they were going. They replied that they were proceeding to Hardwar. Respectfully, the driver invited them to sit in his cart, but Meheru solemnly answered, "We are on a pilgrimage to Hardwar, so we must go on foot. I'm sorry, but we cannot ride on the cart."
Humbly, the cartman said, "But please, sit for a while, sister. The sacred purpose of your journey will not be affected by your occupying seats in my cart."