In Satara, Baba began discussing plans to hold a meeting in Meherabad at the end of September, exclusively for males above the age of sixteen. According to his instructions on 10 June, Adi Sr. issued a circular informing Baba's lovers in the East and the West. Part of the circular read as follows:
... In the meeting or meetings that will be held at Meherabad as above, Meher Baba wants to make absolutely clear certain most important points regarding his present incarnation and his work in this life. Just as the Rajahmundry meeting in Andhra State that called for his work and workers was the first and the last of its kind, so also this Meherabad meeting will be the first and last of its kind before he gives up his present physical body.
With the exception of a mass darshan program that will be held on the 12th of September 1954 at Ahmednagar proper, when he may give a message or messages, the above Meherabad meeting occasion will be the last for him to give any message or messages.
Among the many phases of Meher Baba's work, the one that signifies the act of giving messages will be discontinued from the beginning of October 1954 onwards. They will veritably and literally be stopped.
Adi, Padri and Sarosh were called to Satara on 15 June to discuss the meeting. The first issue of the Hindi magazine Meher Pukar (Meher's Call) was about to be published in Hamirpur, and — before Baba stopped giving messages — Keshav Nigam wrote to Baba, asking for a message.1
On the 19th, Baba cabled back: "The silent pukar [voice] of Baba speaks infinitely more than all the words of the world."
On 26 June 1954, Baba, along with Eruch, Pendu, Baidul, Nilu and Gustadji, left for Hubli to do mast work. On the way, Baba contacted masts in Islampur and Kolhapur. In Kolhapur, imagine who they found pulling a handcart? None other than his follower from Kashmir, Habibullah Baig.
Baba stopped him and reassured him, "You are really fortunate! Don't worry, I have my nazar on you!"
Baba then left for Hubli. After contacting several masts in Hubli, on the 29th he traveled with Meherjee, Eruch and Jalbhai in Meherjee's car to Ahmednagar. Going to Meherabad Hill alone, he stayed on the hill for a few hours, but no one was allowed to see him. At lower Meherabad, he met Padri, Kalemama, the Kotwals, Sidhu and others.
Footnotes
- 1.As of 2009, the magazine Meher Pukar is still being published in Hamirpur.