If she expressed an interest in meeting Baba, she would be permitted to see him for five minutes — even at night ! — but only if she first visits Sakori. Considering Baba's strict seclusion, this was surprising. Indira Gandhi never came to Meherazad then or ever met Meher Baba, but she did become Prime Minister of India.1
Baba ordered all the men living at Meherabad to assemble there at 9:30 P.M. that night. Don was to recite the Master's and Repentance prayers before them.
At 6:00 P.M. at Meherazad, Baba called all to his house. English records were played and the prayers recited by Kenmore.2 Baba then gestured for the mandali to leave, and he embraced and kissed Kenmore.
From the 19th, Baba's work intensified.
He said, "The next 40 days will be the most important period of my Avataric work. The present work is of unparalleled magnitude, with more than you can ever dream of in the balance."
Baba fasted without food or water from 7:30 A.M. until 4:30 P.M. that afternoon. He washed and bowed down at the feet of a poor man and gave him ten rupees as prasad. (Eight days later a typhoon swept through Japan, killing 5,000 and leaving a million people homeless.)
From the 19th, Baba ordered every one of the men and women mandali to repeat God's name for half an hour daily. For fifteen minutes they were to repeat: "O Beloved God, let Baba break his silence before the end of December."
No one was permitted to leave Meherazad and no outsider was to be called. Also, for the next 40 days, Baba did not allow any of the men mandali to get a haircut.
Baba continued to work with Kaikobad every morning. As soon as Baba entered Kaikobad's room, he would clap, which meant there was to be absolute silence for half an hour. Kaikobad later told the others that during this time Baba would hold his hand and both would sit silently facing each other. When Baba was finished at 9:00 A.M., the men gathered in mandali hall. One poor man was brought. While the man stood on a stool, Baba, sitting before him, would wash his feet, wipe them dry, put his head on them and give him prasad. As soon as this was done and the floor cleaned, the doors of the hall would be closed. All would stand with Baba, who held Kaikobad's hand. Kenmore would recite the Parvardigar and Repentance prayers. Baba would then usually bow down to Baidul and Meherdas, but, at times, to others or to all of the men.
Footnotes
- 1.Indira Gandhi did pay her respects at Shirdi, but not at this time.
- 2.One of the songs played was Barnaby the Juggler from an album titled "The Christmas Gift" (probably brought by Kenmore).