and he thought it wise not to waste the day by being with me the whole day near Baba. In fact on one of the previous visits, like me he had promised that he would be near Baba the whole day every Sunday. I reminded him of the promise, but to no effect.

In spite of Baba's admonitions, I had failed to study during the whole year and during the fortnight preceding the examination, I set myself diligently to the task. I had little hope of passing. When the result was declared, my fellow student came running to me and said that my name was listed with those who had passed. I asked him about himself and he said that he had failed. I could not believe it, until I verified his statement. In fact he had studied much more than I did but I remembered now that he had broken his promise to Baba.

Sudden Call

One early morning, I was surprised to find the presence of Baily in the college compound. Apparently he had come to see me but I knew not why at that hour, when he was supposed to be near Baba. Baily said that he stayed near Baba all the time and served him, and he was surprised to find that the first thing on early rising, Baba remembered me and asked him to call me. Overjoyed at this I quickly went with him to Baba and stayed with him the whole day, though it was not Sunday.

Baidul's Initiation

Gustadji and Beheramji, later called Buasaheb (not Baba's brother) were old companions of Baba. Gustadji was often in the company of Baba in the Sadashiv Patel's house and also in Arjun's house. Beheramji was a very frequent visitor. Dr. Ghani and Ramjoo paid occasional visits and so also Sayyedsab. Sayyedsab also was an equally old associate of Baba. However, one who joined the group as a result of his meeting Baba for the first time in Sadashiv Patel's house in 1922.

I could play the sitar and used to accompany Baba when he sang and played the drum. One morning Baba was busy talking to someone on the second floor of Sadashiv's house. I was sitting on the first floor, leaning against a pillar and playing the sitar. Baidul came in search of Baba, moving up and down in Kasba Peth, trying to locate the house where Baba stayed. He spotted the house and slowly climbing the stairs, approached me mistaking me for Baba. Before I could ask him any questions, he bowed to me. I became very nervous and raised his head with my hands and informed him to wait till Baba came down from the second floor. On Baba's arrival, Baidul took Baba’s darshan by bowing down on his feet and since then began paying frequent visits and later became a very hard and strenuous worker to trace down, look after and bring to and fro the Masts or God-intoxicated men during most of the period of this special phase of Baba's work.

Journey on Foot

Baba had nearly 40 of his devotees collected at Poona. They were asked to visit Babajan's open abode which she always occupied under a tree in the Poona Cantonment, at one end of the street that joins Main Street and Connaught Market Road in front of the Anglo-Urdu High School where, after her passing away, her tomb was built. Some of them in turns and some together sat near Hazrat Babajan for quite a while till past midnight. After this, all were asked to meet at Sadashiv Patel's house on the first floor before launching on the memorable journey on foot from Poona to Bombay in May 1922.