I pleaded, "Your Mohammedan followers will never permit the band!"
He replied, "Yes, I know that. So you will have to drive them away to do as I tell you. Tell them that I had no caste or creed!"
Then he concluded: "Meher Baba will soon come here, and before he does, you should have my tomb erected. All that will happen will be exactly as I am telling you." I promised him accordingly.
Baba was glad to hear this story and did not object to Gulmai carrying out the saint's wishes.
Gulmai then inquired when he would come to Arangaon. Baba grinned and replied, "I may or may not come!"
"You will have to come!" said Gulmai.
"We'll see. Meanwhile, construct Gilori Shah's tomb as he wishes," Baba instructed.
Externally, this was how Meher Baba worked. His inner work was continual and manifested in a natural sequence of events. No one knew that, while residing in the Manzil, he was preparing the ground for his next abode. It only came to light during this conversation with Gulmai. What impact the Avatar has in world affairs, who can know? It is literally true that not a leaf moves without his will!
Baba sent the guests away the day after his birthday celebration.
He remarked to the mandali, "Yesterday I watched all of you eat too much. The rich food should be properly digested, or else you will fall sick."
All cringed at the thought of another march, and Ahmed Khan was anxiously waiting for the Master to signal the order.
Instead, Baba said, "There is only one cure that will help. Today we must all laugh a lot! Hearty laughter will digest the food."
All were delighted at this novel suggestion, and many humorous anecdotes were told. Baba, too, shared in the jokes and made the mandali laugh.
During the afternoon of 20 February, the following appeared on the notice board:
From 12:00 noon to 2:00 P.M. daily is the time now fixed for my eating and drinking. In this way the fast of 24 hours will continue for days and days together.
— Merwan
But the very next day, Baba changed the time from the afternoon to the evening hours, from 7:00 to 9:00 P.M. He stated that he would only eat and drink water between these two hours, and that from 9:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. of the following day he would not drink or eat anything.