Volume 4 Number 2 Page 6

A few months in advance of Baba's one-month cyclonic tour round the globe, preparations were made in India, Europe, America and Australia for plane reservations, days of stay at different places, darshan and interviews. The bulk of the correspondence with the West to outline the programs was done by Mani, Baba's sister, from Satara and later, Pimpalgaon, India.

Baba went by car to Pimpalgaon from Satara on June 10 and stayed there until July 6th. During these 26 days, He dictated a set of Messages of varying length on different subjects to be used for the world tour. They were read out at various points on the trip and will be published in a separate volume. During Baba's stay at Pimpalgaon, Beatrice Vigo, a Negro leader from America, was allowed a half-hour interview, and she expressed having felt richly blessed by Baba. Baba's brother Jal was also permitted to see Baba at Pimpalgaon.

Being repeatedly requested by the women mandali, Baba agreed to have some new clothes made and a pink and a green coat were made for Him by a local tailor at Ahmednagar.

On June 18, Baba motored to Bombay and returned to Pimpalgaon the same evening. On June 21st, He paid a visit to Meherabad Hill. He returned to Satara by car on July 7th.

Before Baba's departure to the West, there were hundreds of requests received from Indian devotees from all over India to be present at the Bombay airport to give a send-off to Baba. But Baba, because of His seclusion, did not allow any one to do so. This was made known through the press and circular letters. Similarly, prior to Baba's return landing in Bombay, Baba did not allow any one to meet Him at the Bombay airport. This was made known to the Indian devotees through a cable sent after Baba's departure from Australia. It was because Baba had given one month's special break to His one year seclusion ending February 15, 1957. While in India and on His return from the West on 17th August, 1956, Baba has been maintaining unbroken seclusion.