During the first few days of their visit, Baba kept asking Alain if something was worrying him. He would abruptly stop the conversation in the middle and ask, "Is something bothering you?" to which Alain would always say, "No, Baba."
Finally, Alain said, "Yes, Baba, there is something that is worrying me. I am terrified I am going to encounter a snake. I am petrified of snakes! When I was a young boy I had a horrendous experience with one."
Baba nodded gently and assured him, "If you see a snake think of me and say my name."
Alain was doubtful the ploy would work and soon forgot about it. Their last night at Meherabad, he awoke in the middle of the night to urinate. When he went outside, as he was looking up at the brilliant stars, all of a sudden he glanced down and saw a snake at his feet. He began saying Baba's name internally, and he was surprised at how calm he felt.
The next day, when they went to Meherazad, Baba asked how he had slept.
"Is anything bothering you?" he inquired.
Alain had forgotten the incident, but he now remembered it. When he was asked to describe the snake, he was told, "That was a krait, one of the deadliest snakes in India. It strikes without any warning or provocation whatsoever."
Meanwhile, Hoshang Bharucha and Cowas Vesuna came to Meherazad on the 28th, and Bal Natu arrived two days later. On 1 and 2 January 1960, Baba allowed Don and Alain to spend the night at Meherazad in the cottage opposite mandali hall, where Hoshang and Cowas had recently stayed.
A. C. S. Chari saw Baba at Meherazad on the 1st. Jalbhai arrived also. That day, Baba sent word to Padri that he would give darshan in Arangaon the following day. The villagers were overjoyed to receive this news and started preparations for Baba's first darshan after his seclusion. The rough dirt roads of the village were full of dust, and to try to mitigate its effect, the villagers sprinkled water over them. They prayed that the dust would remain settled during Baba's visit, so that every particle could be stamped with Baba's footprints. The time at their disposal being short, the Arangaon villagers labored day and night to clean their homes and village.