"I can prepare vegetable pulao in an hour and bring that," Kumar said. Baba agreed and Kumar rushed out, jumped on his motorcycle and drove full speed four miles to Manjri Mafi. He told his wife Subhadra to prepare pulao for ten people within half an hour. Subhadra was a loving woman, innocent and open-hearted, and though it was late she immediately started cooking. But Kumar was in such a rush he made her nervous. He stayed in the kitchen with a watch in his hand, urging her to hurry.
"Be patient," Subhadra said. "Otherwise, the rice will be spoiled."
"Turn up the stove. There's no time to wait!" he snapped.
Kumar was worried, though Subhadra was cooking as fast as she could. She kept the rice boiling at an even temperature so as not to burn it, but Kumar was only thinking of being on time.
The pulao was finally ready. Keeping it in a pot, Kumar raced to the station, making it back within the hour. Baba was very pleased, but Kumar found there were more people with him. Burjor Chacha and others had come, and the total was now more than 20 people. Confused, Kumar was wondering how the food would feed so many, but he kept quiet. The pot was taken and kept on a table, and plates were taken out of the trunk. Baba began serving everyone. The more Baba dished out on every plate, the more anxious Kumar became.
"Take as much as you want; eat your fill," Baba remarked. "You may not get anything later."
When all had been served and were satisfied, there was still pulao left in the pot! Kumar was amazed at this miracle.
Since the well and the Manjri Mafi hut for Baba and his men were not ready, Baba and the companions stayed in Mrs. Pratt's bungalow at No. 4 New Cantonment Road, Dehra Dun. Baba and the women occupied the main house and the men stayed in three small rooms in the compound meant for servants and stores.
Todi Singh, a prominent cream manufacturer in Aligarh, had found out about Baba from Kishan Singh and had had a brief glimpse of Baba at Sarosh Motor Works at the time of the New Life meetings in August 1949.
Later, he had also seen Baba in a dream, in which he had been asked, "Would you serve me? Would you feed me and my companions?"