Thus in one way or another — through games, discussions, or story-telling — Baba would keep the mandali in his presence each evening.
Almost every night Baba would go to Meher Ashram in the Water Tank building to see that the boys were well covered with blankets, covering any youngster who may have kicked off his blanket in his sleep. Two watchmen were kept in the boys' dormitory with strict instructions to be attentive to the children's needs. Snakes were occasionally still found on the property, and if a boy rose during the night to relieve himself, one of the watchmen was to escort him outside.
Besides supervising the school activities, the Master's daily routine of giving public darshan and attending the bhajan and kirtan music programs continued. Age noted how Meherabad had blossomed into an animated garden buzzing with the activity of its several hundred occupants. "Divine breezes were blowing throughout Meherabad, gently caressing the hearts of those living there, whose smiling tears spread beauty's fragrance everywhere."
The boys' schedule at the Meher Ashram was as follows:
5:00 A.M. — Rise from bed. After washing, they were to chant the Seven Names of God prayer.
(This prayer was also sung in the dining hall before each meal.)
6:30 A.M. — Breakfast of chapatis, tea, and milk.
7:15 A.M. — After making their beds in the dormitory and picking up their schoolbags and books, they started school.
12:00 P.M. — Lunch of rice and dal. (Each boy had his own plate, spoon, and mug with a number on it.) Sometimes, if the weather was nice, the boys would help with the dishes.
Afternoon — In the dormitory to do their homework.
Every other day the boys took a bath and their clothes were laundered. (Each boy's clothes were numbered.)
2:00 to 5:00 P.M. — Classes again for a few hours and games of field hockey, cricket, Ping-Pong, gilli-danda and atya-patya. (From 3 September 1927, the boys were allowed to play on the tennis court which was officially inaugurated that day at 4:00 P.M. Baba played a game with the boys and then watched them and the mandali play.)
5:30 to 6:30 P.M. — Dinner of bread and vegetables.
7:00 to 8:00 P.M. — Spiritual discourse or discussion headed by the Master.
8:00 P.M. — Bedtime.
Baba treated each of the 170 boys in the ashram school the same, whether rich or poor.