Three days later, on the 23rd, a strange incident occurred outside Judge's Bungalow. All of a sudden, and from no apparent natural cause, a very large tree in the compound burst into flames and fell burning to the ground.
Baba commented, "It is significant and has to do with my work."
For three consecutive evenings after his seclusion, Baba quoted to the women these lines from Jigar:
Understand well, this love is not easy.
It is an ocean of fire, in which you must drown!
On Thursday, 29 March 1956, at 8:00 a.m., Baba, accompanied by Eruch, Pendu and Nilu, set out in Meherjee's car for a ten-day tour to bow down at 56 shrines and to 56 poor people, and to contact 21 good masts. From Satara, they went first to Meherazad, arriving at 12 p.m. Adi Sr. brought their lunch from Akbar Press and was given certain instructions about the financial accounts and about publicizing God Speaks . Chhagan was called from Bhingar to do nightwatch during the trip.
Baba rested at Meherazad for the night, and left with the four mandali for Aurangabad at 6:00 a.m. on the 30th. They arrived in Khuldabad at 11:00 a.m., where Baba did his work with 56 poor, washing their feet and paying each ten rupees as his love-gift. Then he paid his obeisance to the dargahs (tombs) there, bowing 56 times at each shrine. He also visited different shrines in Aurangabad at 5:00 p.m., and went on to contact a few masts in Hyderabad as well. By searching day and night, Baba found different tombs and shrines in different localities, thereby completing the desired number of 56. It was summer and very hot, but Baba finished the work much sooner than expected. Driving continuously, they returned to Satara on the night of 2 April.
Baba rested at Meherazad for the night, and left with the four mandali for Aurangabad at 6:00 A.M., on the 30th. At 11:00 A.M., they arrived in Khuldabad, where Baba did his work with 56 poor, washing their feet and paying each ten rupees as his love-gift. Then he paid his obeisance to the dargahs (tombs) there, bowing 56 times at each shrine. He also visited different shrines in Aurangabad at 5:00 P.M., and contacted a few masts. By searching day and night, Baba found different tombs and shrines in different localities, thereby completing the desired number of 56. It was summer and very hot, but Baba finished the work much sooner than expected. Driving continuously, they returned to Satara on the night of 2 April.
Baba appeared his usual self the next morning and spent the 4th relaxing with the mandali. Mani wrote to Adi Sr. on the 3rd:
Baba returned late last night. It was terribly hot there [Khuldabad], and he hurriedly finished the mast work and returned as soon as possible, driving nonstop for 42 hours on the way here. He and the men hadn't slept or rested for two consecutive nights. No wonder they were exhausted. He looks rested this morning, but still feels tired.
Jalbhai and Beheram met Baba on the 9th of April and then returned to Poona.
One day, after his return to Satara, Baba informed Bhau, "Two important letters from America are expected, but they have not yet come. Perhaps the postman has wrongly delivered them to someone else. Go and ask the postmaster."