Dealing with Ismail was a long lesson in tolerance for Bhau. Had he not been so mischievous, how else would Bhau have the chance to control his temper and learn to keep quiet? Baba had arranged matters with this end in mind, and Ismail played his part to perfection. Occasionally, he would taunt Bhau with such words: "You'd better learn how to teach better! You don't know how to do it. How far have you yourself studied?"
Or, at times, he would say, "Your pulse is in my hands! If I mention one word of complaint to Baba, you will find yourself in an awful plight!"
Thus, during the stay at Satara, Bhau found himself saddled with this "worthy" pupil.
On Tuesday, 6 March 1956, Baba shifted to the Judge's Bungalow for his seclusion work. Although Judge's Bungalow was also an old structure, it was in a less dilapidated condition than Jal Villa, bigger and cooler, and in a much quieter locality. As instructed, Sidhu brought the fifth-plane mast Ali Shah from Meherabad to Satara the following day by train. Kumar's mother Mataji arrived with the sixth-plane mast Nilkanthwala from Hardwar on the 8th. Nilkanthwala had been totally silent on the long two-day train ride from Dehra Dun, but when he saw Baba, he kneeled before him weeping copiously and uttered a single word: "Mukti [liberation]." Baba placed his hand on his head.
Both masts were kept in Judge's Bungalow. Kaikobad was also staying there. For twelve days, from 9th to 20th of March, Baba fasted on two cups of milkless tea taken twice a day and worked with the two masts and Kaikobad for nearly seven hours daily. During the same period, the men and women mandali were asked to fast for 24 hours in turns (whereas Baba was on a continuous fast).
Ali Shah would refer to Baba as the "Big Boss." He could not tolerate being separated from him, and even at nights, would get out of bed and walk about, asking for his beloved Boss. Once at Meherabad, Padri saw him waving his arms at Baba's picture, crying out: "But you have so much — oh so much ! Why then don't you give me more?"
Nilkanthwala would sometimes appear very active, and at other times completely immobile. For example, he would lie in his bed without moving, his eyes closed. When Baba would suggest something, such as taking a bath, Nilkanthwala would leap out of bed and stride to the bathroom, where Baba would bathe him. When it was finished, back he would go to his bed and in an instant become immobile. At suggestions for food, he would rush to the kitchen. The mast would usually cook his own food, except for those days when he refused to ingest anything.