Baba turned his face away when Ghani approached, then soon after told him in a harsh tone, "Throw that basket of fruits into a well and immediately return to Bombay. Why did you come here without my permission?"

Ghani tried to placate him, but Baba demanded that he obey. Ghani left, but from this he learned that by not following Baba's orders, he would be unwelcome in his Master's darbar (royal court). This was the first time that Ghani had been given a cold reception and the incident revealed to him the inner link of communication between the two Perfect Ones — Hazrat Babajan and Meher Baba.

During March 1922, Gulmai returned from Ahmednagar for Baba's darshan. Outside the hut, Baba presented her with a photograph of himself and declared in the presence of all,

"Gulmai's connection with me is very old. She is my spiritual mother." Tears of joy welled up in Gulmai's eyes. Then he asked her, "I want a promise from you today. Will you give it?"

Gulmai replied, "I would offer my very life to you."

Pleased, Baba then said, "Give me your son, Adi, and your daughter, Dolly. I want them free for my own purposes. Fulfill your parental responsibility by arranging [your other son] Rustom's marriage soon. Later arrange [your daughter] Piroja's marriage." Gulmai accepted his wish and, without consulting her husband, Kaikhushru, she gave her promise that Adi and Dolly belonged to him. She could not deny his request. The spiritual mother is she who does not care what others do or say, and never hesitates in fulfilling the Beloved's slightest wish. Because of her love for Baba, Gulmai's relatives were to harass her terribly, but she always remained staunch in her faith in Baba.

Upon leaving, Gulmai presented Baba with a pair of sandals specially stitched by a cobbler in Ahmednagar named Kanhoba Rao Gadekar. Baba accepted them with deep appreciation, immediately putting them on. From that day on, he wore no other sandals for years. If any repairs were needed he would call Kanhoba to do them. These chappals along with Yeshwant Rao's kamli coat were the two chief articles of Baba's attire. He would not stop using them despite the mandali's efforts to persuade him to accept new ones. He would care for them as if they were the most precious items in his possession. 

Similar to the kamli coat, which served as a link to keep Yeshwant Rao in Baba's contact, these sandals were the means that brought Kanhoba Rao and his entire family into Meher Baba's love-orbit.