For the Master's sake, however — so as not to
give cause for the public to speak ill of him — they were in favor of
reestablishing the previous restrictions.
In response to this, Baba
sarcastically replied, "You can be anxious about me when I make you all Kajijis [Judges] — not now."
The Hindu group was not in favor of the current sports
and games programs, which took place instead of performing Baba's arti. Baba
then directed that since they were so devout and pious, his arti should be
performed three times a day, starting at 4:00 A.M.
Baba canceled games and
sports activities for them, declaring, "Now be like yogis! Awaken early in
the morning and perform my arti. I will sit in front of you, so that you will be
doing it in front of me — not to my photograph."
By this time it was
ten at night, but Baba insisted that they sing his arti, which they did.
The Diwali holidays were scheduled for the 5th and 6th of
November. Munshiji arrived with the latest news of Bombay on the morning of the
5th. In the afternoon sweets were distributed to the mandali and boys in the
Makan, and a special program was held for the children. To conclude the first
day of celebration, there were fireworks in the school compound.
The festivities continued the next day. That night, three
or four of the Hindu mandali complained to Baba about the early morning arti. Baba was upset by their attitude and directed them to dispense with the arti,
but to awaken at four o'clock anyway and observe two hours of absolute
silence. Then Baba decided to apply this new schedule to all the mandali. They
were instructed to retire at nine and rise at four o'clock, and anyone found
dozing in the morning would be drenched with cold water. No one was to take
darshan, including outsiders. Otherwise, Baba would beat himself.
At four the next morning, all were awakened by Sayyed
Saheb loudly ringing the bell. The next two hours were passed in an uninspiring
silence. The majority of the mandali stayed inside the Makan — freezing! It looked like a conclave of the deaf and dumb, the men communicating through
crude signs in the semi-darkness. All were sitting on their beds with blankets
wrapped around them. Chanji later told Baba, "We looked like the day of
judgment when the dead are resurrected."