The storm's fury made a shambles of the well-laid plans. The tent was completely soaked. But one pleasing consequence was that the unseasonal rain had a cooling effect on the simmering hot summer. Baba had, in fact, brought this about so that his lovers might be saved from the ill effects of the intense heat and be able to fully concentrate on him.
Almost 1,000 devotees came to Poona from Hamirpur, 2,000 from Andhra, and 3,000 from other parts of India, Pakistan and Iran. Thus, 6,000 lovers streamed into Poona to take advantage of this rare opportunity the Beloved was giving them.
Devotees began assembling at the Poona Center long before dawn on Saturday, 1 May 1965. Like bees swarming to a hive, they lined both sides of the lane leading to the center, anxiously awaiting Baba's arrival. The hall of the center could seat only 700 persons, so a pandal had been raised which was also quickly full to overflowing. Consequently, the crowd of people flowed out into the lane and for a few hundred yards along the main road. As usual, the thousands included men and women, children and the elderly of diverse religions, castes and languages and from all walks of life. When Baba's car arrived at 7:55 A.M., with one voice and heart, there was a spontaneous repeated outcry of "Avatar Meher Baba ki jai!"
Baba's DeSoto, driven by Shaikh, stopped at the entrance to the Poona Center, and Baba got out and sat in a lift-chair. From Guruprasad, Shantadevi rode in the back seat with Baba and Adi, and Eruch and Francis were in the front seat. Meherjee and Adi took hold of the front handles of the chair and Eruch alone lifted from the rear. Baba was carried to the dais, and the cheers of the crowd rose to a loud roar when Baba stood on the stage folding his hands in greeting to the gathering. When the cheering subsided, he sat down. Lovers were seated in every inch of space in the hall, and the remaining crowd of thousands pressed against the doors and windows to have a glimpse of their beloved Baba.
On behalf of the Poona Center, Sadashiv Patil garlanded Baba with a garland of sandalwood and expressed their gratitude to him for coming. Boxes containing prasad were brought onto the dais by Shinde and Kamble, which Baba blessed by touching them. The prasad was distributed to the lovers at the exit after they had taken darshan. On the dais, Eruch stood on Baba's right, and Maharani Shantadevi was seated on his left. Adi was standing behind Baba, as were others such as Meherjee and Hoshang Bharucha.