After the Poona workers meeting, K. K. Ramakrishnan sent Baba a letter expressing his discouragement, and asked to be relieved of his responsibilities as secretary of the Poona Center.
On 16 October, Baba sent him this reply: "A true lover has not only to face such situations of storm and stress, thick and thin, but has also to wade through them neck-deep to have the embrace of the Beloved of his heart."
Begum Akhtar was scheduled to perform in Poona that October. Since she was so nearby, she wrote Baba, pleading with him to allow her to come to Meherazad to sing before him. Despite his seclusion, Baba agreed. Akhtar arrived with Meherjee in his car at 10:00 A.M. on Tuesday, 15 October, 1963, along with her tabla player, Muhammad Ahmed, and a sarangi player. She presented Baba with a huge garland before singing three ghazals, and Baba appeared most happy. He gave her and Ahmed shawls he had used, and the other musician was given one of his handkerchiefs. In her love, Akhtar beseeched Baba to allow her to stay at Meherazad for a month, so that she could sing before him every day. (Baba was pleased with her request, but it never transpired.) Akhtar was establishing a new music school in Lucknow, for which she sought Baba's blessings, and she departed at 11:15 with a large photograph of him to be hung in the institute.
Another musical program was held in Meherazad three days later, on 18 October, from 1:00 until 4 P.M. Kishinchand Gajwani brought Jaipuri Qawaal and his musicians. This time, 100 men from Ahmednagar, Poona, Bombay and Navsari were invited. It was an "all-male" affair, except for Maharani Shantadevi, who was especially invited.1 Baba enjoyed the singing immensely.
At one point, he remarked to those seated before him, "Make the most of this opportunity. The time will soon come when you will find it difficult to obtain a close glimpse of me. You will be jostled to the rear by the crowds of new ones who will be flocking to me."
Although Kishinchand Gajwani was well into his sixties, Baba used to refer to him as his "child" and, on that occasion, remarked, "Today my child has given me a brief respite from my Universal work, which good qawaali singing always gives me."
Footnotes
- 1.Savak Kotwal was among those who attended.