Baba selected a spot under a tree to rest and told the men, "Lay the flower jali [sheet] we have brought here, in the name of Malang Shah, and bow down as if you are present before his tomb."
All did accordingly and Baba vowed that they would surely visit Malang Shah's tomb sometime in the future. Before God, in the name of Allah, he then forgave himself and the others for their inability to ascend the mountain. And he told the mandali not to think about it any further.
On their return they again lost their way, and went a mile ahead of where the cars were parked. But this mistake was lucky, as they met their driver on the road on his way to the village, thinking the group would not come back until evening.
Reaching Manzil-e-Meem at 5:30 in the evening, Baba remarked, "Today's pilgrimage could not be said to be incomplete, as on the notice board it was written '... to go to Kalyan,' instead of: '... to go to the tomb of Malang Shah.' Next time we will take care to write Malangarh [Malang Hill]."
The men understood what he meant. Because of this oversight they had not been able to reach Malang Shah's tomb, and realized that, for some other reason, it was by the Master's wish that they had missed the way.
During this period, a flour mill on Elphinstone Road (near the railway bridge) was purchased by Behramji, Rustom, and Asthma to provide employment to those men at the Manzil who needed jobs.1 The mill, however, was located in an undesirable area at Parel — a thickly-populated place with stinking sewage flowing in gutters nearby. The building was dreary inside and in a dilapidated condition. To operate the mill there were three engines and about six grinding machines.
Despite the unwholesome atmosphere, Faredoon (Padri), Abdur Rehman, Ramjoo and Slamson began working there each day as ordered by the Master. Faredoon was the mechanic; Ramjoo and Abdur Rehman the cashiers; and Slamson the manager. The mill machines would frequently break down, and at the end of the month the cash returns showed more of a loss than a profit. Ghani, in his own sarcastic manner, referred to the mill as the "White Elephant Mill on Elphinstone Road." Soon after, the mill was closed down.
By Baba's order, during October 1922, final preparations for publishing Upasni Maharaj's biography in Urdu were intensified.
Footnotes
- 1.Elphinstone Road is now called Jagannath Bhatnagar Marg.