Habibullah explained, "Goods can be got on credit." Baba permitted him to go ahead with his venture and gave him a sum of money as prasad also. Habibullah opened a small shop of Kashmir wares in Poona and began doing well.
On Thursday, 14 June 1956, Baba instructed Adi Sr. to issue a circular to all concerned, stating that, although at first he had said he would permit his devotees to be present at the airport when he left Bombay for the West, Baba now decided that because he was still in seclusion, he did not wish anyone present when he left.
Nariman and Meherjee arrived on the 17th, and early the next morning Baba left Meherazad for Bombay in Nariman's car, Eruch driving, with Nariman, Meherjee and Adi to apply for visas for their trip to the United States. Nilu joined them in Poona. They obtained the visas at the American Consulate, and after lunch at Ashiana and a quick drive to Juhu beach, returned to Ahmednagar, arriving there at 9 P.M. that night.
Baba and the women visited Meherabad on the 21st, and saw all the residents there, such as Padri, Mansari, and Kaikobad's daughters. Baba then took all to a special showing of a Hindi film at Asha Talkies, Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje.
Eruch had asked his brother Meherwan to select certain passages from old discourses of Baba's to be read out on Baba's forthcoming trip to America, if required. Mani edited the messages, which had originally been compiled, edited and typed by Deshmukh, and then Meherwan re-typed them. Deshmukh was called to Meherazad to do the final editing and provide titles to each message. On 26 June, Deshmukh came to Ahmednagar with his family; but since families were not permitted to stay at Meherazad, his wife and children stayed in Ahmednagar at Dhake's while Deshmukh was at Meherazad. Meherwan typed the new titles above each edited message. Several times, Baba rehearsed giving one of these messages, which was to be filmed for television in New York City.1
During this period, Chhagan was also called to do nightwatch from six in the evening. After treating patients at his home in Bhingar, where he ran an ayurvedic clinic, Chhagan would bicycle every day to Meherazad and return in the morning.
Baba visited Khushru Quarters on 28 June, where he met Gulmai and Deshmukh's family.
During his seclusion in Meherazad, Baba dictated this message on 2 July 1956. Three days later, it was sent to all concerned in the form of a Life Circular :
Footnotes
- 1.The compilation of these messages was later published by Sufism Reoriented as Life At Its Best.