Mani replied, "A pilgrimage should be undertaken on foot. What sort of pilgrimage would it be if it were made in comfort?"
So the cartman drove off, but after traveling some distance, he came to a halt. Meanwhile, Baba came back from the men, and directed the women to sit in the caravan. They took their seats, and Mani and Meheru pulled back the curtains to peer outside. After a little while, the caravan passed the cartman resting. When he saw the women sitting comfortably inside, he threw such a contemptuous look at Mani and Meheru that they could only slump down and hide their embarrassed faces. Only then did they realize why Baba had made them sit in the caravan! Baba returned and directed the women to resume their walk. It was a lesson for both women that, as usual, nothing was hidden from him.
The group continued for seven miles and arrived in Babatpur at midday. They camped a mile and a half beyond the village under a grove of trees of a Mahadev temple and dharamshala. Baba distributed chikki (Indian peanut brittle) and sent Ghani and Babadas out to beg. Kaka was to prepare tea at 5 P.M. and dinner of rice and dal at six. Assisting Kaka, Murli was so tired that he was peeling and cutting onions while reclining. Kaka was exasperated by this (probably because he thought Murli could do a better job while seated), but he could not say anything in criticism under the conditions of the New Life.
Although they had enough provisions with them to last until the end of December, at every stop Baba would send the companions out to beg.
He observed, "If we find a good place to stay in Jaunpur, we will remain there for four or five days; and there I will think of a plan for providing good food, within the conditions and oaths of the New Life."
On 14 December, everyone rose at 3:30 A.M. in the darkness of the middle of the night, amidst the bitter cold. After Pendu, Don, Sadashiv and Baidul had fed and hitched the animals, and the group had tea and breakfast, they left Babatpur at 7:30. This time Baba and the women walked behind the entire procession.
The horse, cows and donkeys continued to be the cause of much trouble. For this reason, Baba sent Adi and Babadas ahead to Jaunpur by bus to make arrangements to send the animals by freight train from there to Hardwar. They were also to locate a suitable place to stay in Jaunpur.
Wherever they went, the caravan presented a curious sight to those who passed it. Near one village, a group of women were drawing water from a well.