THE GOD-MAN The Life, Journeys and Work of Meher Baba with an ...

44 THE GOD-MANmade another decision, to start to walk from Ahmedabad instead. He allowed some of theparty to go to Gujarat and to start their walk from there. On the 26th Baba left by train forAhmedabad, arriving there on the 29th.The walk from Ahmedabad started at 2.30 a.m. on 1 July. The instructions to all were torepeat in a low voice the name of God in their respective religions whilst walking throughoutthe journey. Baba was at the head of the party, carrying his blanket, etc., across his shouldersin the same way as the rest. They reached Bareja by sunset the first day, putting up at thedharamashala.At 4 a.m. the next morning they started off again, but by that afternoon most of the partywere exhausted, partly through the burdens they had to carry and partly because their food anddrink were strictly rationed, and Baba agreed that they could take the train for Broach, whichwas reached early in the morning of 3 July. Continuing the journey on foot, thirty-eight mileswas walked that day, Ankleshwar being reached in the evening. During the day, which wasvery hot, Baba instructed all the members of the party to throw the Mogul cape which each onewas wearing into the river, where they stuck in the mud; soon afterwards they had to cross theriver, when some of the party got caught in the mud and were much alarmed, for they haddifficulty in extracting themselves; but none suffered any injury. Early next morning the partyleft by train for Surat, arriving there at 6 a.m., and walked again for the rest of the day anotherthirty-eight miles. The following day twenty-four miles were covered, arriving at Navsari in theearly evening. All this seems incredible but I am assured that it is true. It was remarked on thejourney that when the rest of the party was exhausted and on the point of breaking down, Babawas fresh and in the best of spirits, but when only a short distance had been done and the partywas not overtired, he did not look up to the mark. Baba decided next day to go on to Nasik andto stay there for three months. Nasik was reached on the 7th, and next day, after a bungalowhad been secured, Baba changed his plans again and settled to return to Arangaon the followingday. Two days later he said that instead of occupying themselves with duties at the camp itwould be better for members of the party to return to Bombay and to get work there. Indeed, helaid it down as a condition that each of them must find some work: if nothing else offered, toengage himself as an ordinary coolie. That day, the first for a long period, Baba took a meal ofgrains.During this time the disciples in Bombay had been living at the