Mt. Abu, he started his "Great Seclusion" of 40 days from June 21st to July 31st, 1949, at Meherabad, Pimpalgaon. His disciples and devotees all over the world observed silence and partial fast for one month from July 1st. Quoting from “Meher Baba in the Great Seclusion" by Ramjoo Abdulla: “ . . . Baba selected a small open space surrounded on three sides by walls of the adjoining ashram buildings at Lower Meherabad. The fourth side was closed temporarily with tattas (bamboo matting). Inside this enclosure, under the shade of a nearby Neem tree, a special cabin was constructed of what was once known as Baba's blue bus, the motor vehicle in which he had toured extensively, December, 1938, to June, 1941. The bus-body was mounted on empty oil drums fixed in brick and lime and it was in this bus-body and enclosure that he spent the greater part of this seclusion." A short period was spent in Poona.

Recitations from the four great religions were recited at the commencement of the seclusion, Baba explaining to those present that "These are all but different approaches to the same one Truth, i.e., God, and therefore the real purport of each book is just the same." Baba also explained a very significant point in regards to this seclusion and fast: “It was not just meditation and so forth . . . I am free in every way, but I am going to get myself bound voluntarily. I have hundred percent reasons of my own to retire from tomorrow for 40 days."

Yet Baba was still immersed in outward activity during this seclusion. On 16th June, twenty-one poor people (not beggars) of various castes and creeds were carefully chosen and brought to Baba. One by one they entered the enclosure where Baba washed their feet and gave to each ten rupees. I recall Baba telling us that the mandali had no easy task to bring these twenty-one to him, for none felt themselves worthy to have Baba wash their feet. On the 29th, seven mad and mast types were brought to Baba when he clipped their hair, bathed them, dressed them and sent them back, each with a present of a packet of sweets. For a fuller account of these forty days, all should read William Donkin'sThe Work of Meher Baba with Advanced Souls, Sadhus, the Mad and the Poor.

Baba is very conscious of the least sound during seclusion. This is strange in one sense, for when Baba would be sitting with us, especially in the earlier days at home or while traveling, and decided suddenly to work, presumably on other planes, and covered his head with a scarf, towel or