The next day the Swamy narrated a vision of Baba he had seen during the night. He saw an assembly of devas in the heavens standing in honor of some high divine official, who turned out to be Baba. Chanji noted in his diary that the mandali had found Gopal "to be very sincere, silent, obedient, and uncomplaining. This vision which he had seen of Shri Baba in the heavenly assembly on the eve of his departure from Meherabad indicated his love and faith in Baba, who indicated he would bestow his grace on such a sincere devotee as he."
Baba commented that there is another, higher form of seeing called sakar darshan or "darshan of the Master in form."
He revealed, "There is a member of my outer circle in America, who at this time is seeing me every day in this way. This American sees me in my usual pose and dress. He can also see me in this way whenever he likes."
Although all were busy packing on Thursday, 25 November 1926, the usual tea was held at Kaka Shahane's house in the Family Quarters near Arangaon. Chanji, Masaji, and Afseri went to the train station in advance with the luggage. Although precautions had been taken to keep this journey a secret, people in Ahmednagar came to know about it and there was a huge crowd waiting on the station platform for Baba's darshan. Baba avoided the crowd by going directly to Lonavla with the mandali in two large buses, deeply disappointing his devotees.
There were more than 20 men and women with Baba at this time. Among those accompanying him were Behramji, Bhau Cheema, Chhagan, Dhake, Gulabsha, Gustadji, Jalbhai, Mohan, Padri, Pandoba, Pendu, Sailor, Shankarnath, Sidhu, Vishnu and Nadirsha. The women's group consisted of Daulatmai, Mehera, Freiny, Naja, Small Khorshed and Big Khorshed. Before leaving Meherabad, Baba instructed Rustom to come to Lonavla once they were settled and bring the remaining few schoolchildren.
Ramjoo and Ghani had hired a bungalow owned by a Bohra Muslim named Ibrahim two miles from Lonavla in the village of Walvan.1 The arrangements for Baba and the mandali were somehow not to Baba's liking and he ordered everyone to leave immediately for Bombay. He himself, along with the women mandali, walked the distance to the railway station, but Ramjoo and Ghani prevailed upon him to return.
Chanji, Masaji and Afseri arrived in the evening with the baggage and the first thing Baba asked them was whether they had eaten on the way.
Footnotes
- 1.This bungalow at Walvan may have been the same one Baba occupied briefly at the end of November 1923.