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

78 THE GOD-MANdevotees, several hundred taking part. Afterwards Baba took a bath and was garlanded, when alecture was given by a Hindu devotee. In the afternoon there was music and singing, and in theevening, bhajan, acting, and fireworks.On 21 February Baba announced that he would not receive any visitors. The ashram wasformally reopened on the following day. A few days later, during a visit to the Happy Valley,five of the disciples climbed the hill named Manjer Subha. They went, without asking Baba,by the most difficult way and on returning got into difficulties; but remembering Baba theyasked for his help and got safely down. The incident would not be worth recording except asan illustration of Baba's methods. When the five returned they were asked by the others whatthey had been doing, for Baba had been reprimanding them severely. When a disciple is indanger Baba sometimes rebukes him in his absence, and at the same time sends internal help.In April 1929 Baba was invited to Panchgani, a town in the hills about a hundred and fiftymiles from Meherabad and a favourite resort of Bombay. He went with a few mandali as theguest of the principal of the Hindu High School, who was an ardent devotee. During his stayalmost all the boys came to see him. He liked the school and its surroundings, and inquired if itwere possible for a cave to be constructed on one of the hills of the Western Ghat mountainrange, since he desired to retire in seclusion for a certain period. Instructions were given to dig acave fifteen feet deep within a month. One of Baba's close disciples who lived there got towork, and with the help of some of the mandali and some paid labourers a cave was dug on thespot selected by Baba overlooking the Tiger Valley, at nearly 4,000 feet.This retirement, Baba explained, was important for his future working, and he selected twelveto take a particular part in it. One was to sit in a hut near the cave, in seclusion, and four otherswere kept with him in two huts, one above, the other below, to keep strict watch night and dayby turns, to allow nobody to come within a radius of about two hundred yards. The other sevenwere sent to Meherabad to remain there in seclusion in places detailed to them. All the twelvehad to fast, taking only a glass of milk twice a day, while Baba remained on water and veryweak tea, which was taken to him by Chhagan, who was specially appointed to this duty. Noneof those on watch duty had to go near him except Chhagan, the one who had to take tea andwater to Baba, and that too only when called by him, which he did by clapping his hands. Thoseon watch duty had to keep at a distance of about fifty feet on the right side, where a hut waserected for two of