ChaptersChapter 21Page 2,938

Chapter 21: Manonash

1950Page 2,938 of 5,444
Baba concluded by stating that he felt that from 16 October 1950, God would give him the courage and strength to live his New Life as he wants.
Receiving the circulars made his lovers and disciples throughout India ecstatic at the prospect of seeing their Beloved Master once more!
During Baba's stay in Bombay, on his instruction, Eruch and Pendu visited Aloba. Aloba had left Satara under Plan One-B, and was working as a cashier in an Irani restaurant. At the upcoming meeting in Mahabaleshwar, the three plans were to be nullified; but finding Aloba inclined to continue living in Bombay, Baba permitted him to remain there. Baba also exempted him from attending the October meeting, and Aloba was relieved to have "escaped the net." But how could Aloba escape when his heart was captured, even though his mind urged freedom? In the end, the heart was victorious, and it will be seen how Aloba came back to Baba to stay with him permanently.
After all the plans for the meeting were finalized, Baba returned to Satara on 14 September with the women and men companions, and stayed there for the next two weeks.
Adi Sr. was called to Satara on 25 September and had an interview with Baba at 1:00 P.M. He was told to return on the 29th with Adi Jr., who was to give Baba some homeopathic medicine, as Baba wasn't feeling well.
On Sunday, 1 October 1950, Baba, the women, men and the pet horse, Begum, moved to Mahabaleshwar, where they stayed at the Aga Khan's bungalow.
Those men who were invited were eagerly looking forward to the October meeting, and Baba was engaged in inner and outer preparations for it. Nearly 200 lovers and devotees from throughout India arrived in Mahabaleshwar on the evening of the 15th to attend the meeting.
By 6:45 A.M., on Monday morning, 16 October, everyone had gathered outside the men's quarters of Florence Hall on the Aga Khan's estate. Sidhu, Jangle, Savak Kotwal, Kalemama, Bala Tambat and Padri had come from Meherabad. Keshav Nigam, Gaya Prasad Khare, Babu Ramprasad, Bhavani Prasad Nigam, Raisaheb Ramashankar, Laxmichand Paliwal and Parmeshwari Nigam (Pukar) were present from Hamirpur. (Pukar had at last accepted Baba.) Rano and Kitty were also called from Bombay for the meeting.
Gadekar and Ghani brought a few newcomers from Poona. Their group included the singer Madhusudan, Krishna Bundellu, V. R. Bade, Laxman Thade, Rangole and an orphan named Pratap Gangannath Ahir (whose 15th birthday was that day). Cowas Vesuna, who had had Baba's darshan three years before in Surat, was also present.
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