Deshmukh became extremely nervous — elaborate arrangements and publicity had been going on for weeks for the darshan program — and he repented for his mistake. From then on he obeyed Baba faithfully, to the letter.
About his work with the poor, Baba remarked to Deshmukh, "Although I am the richest of the rich, I am also the poorest of the poor, and I like contacting the really poor and needy, the masts and the masses."
A large pandal had been erected in front of Vinoo Kher's house, and Baba arrived there at eight o'clock on Sunday morning, 21 December 1952. The morning darshan began with a kirtan performed by Jairam Bua Sant, in the course of which he obliquely questioned Baba's silence.
No one had taken notice of Jairam's inquiry, but Baba did and he stated, "In spite of my silence, I speak through all the tongues in the world."
On Sunday afternoon, a public darshan program was held in Joshi Hall. The chairman of the reception committee, a retired Collector named Shriyutus M. D. Sagane, delivered a welcome address, and made a fervent appeal to Baba to break his silence and speak. Part of Sagane's speech was as follows:
... Meher Baba, we, the unhappy people of this disturbed world, have waited long for peace, joy and light. We are now weary and have grown impatient. Our last hope lies in you.
Meher Baba, we are eager to receive the enduring treasure that you would give us, and also to render whatever humble service we can in the Divine Drama for the dawn of the golden age. We therefore pray to you to break your silence and manifest yourself publicly. We wish Amraoti is fortunate enough to have this unique favor ...
As Baba had already bowed down to the packed hall before the speech started, he dictated the following response:
Our dear Sagane has asked with deepest love that I should manifest and break my silence. His loving appeal has tempted me to declare that, God willing, by the end of April, God will make me manifest the Infinite, Who alone is real and Whom we all should find in ourselves. God willing, the manifestation will make the world feel that the real, eternal heritage of bliss is ours.
I myself am fed up with my silence and am looking forward to that time. And when I speak, the whole world will listen.