On October 25th, (1923) at 2:30 A.M., all had to rise unusually early and get ready to depart. They had hardly drifted off to sleep when they were awakened; those who had to keep nightwatch had virtually no sleep at all. Soon after leaving Kasara, however, they came to another steep hill. The bullock was not strong enough to pull the heavy cart, so for two miles everyone had to shoulder his bedding and help push the cart up the hill. After covering thirteen miles, at 8:45 A.M., they came to the restaurant at Igatpuri where Rustom had arranged for their breakfast of rice and dal. Despite Rustom’s instructions for the food to be kept ready, the owner had not done so, and Baba decided to forgo breakfast. However, he told the mandali to eat sweets and drink tea; but no one took pleasure in it when Baba was going without food.
After breakfast they went to the dak bungalow at Igatpuri, and in the afternoon rice and dal was brought from an Irani restaurant. Baba then instructed them to rest. At 4 P.M. he told them to get ready to see the beautiful lake. Although all prepared for the outing, no one was very eager to go sightseeing, and Baba clearly saw this on their faces. He then asked who wanted to accompany him to the lake. Since not one man said he wanted to go, Baba changed his mind and proposed to play cards. But as the game went on he remarked that they played half-heartedly and he became quite upset. As a consequence, he ordered that no one should speak to him. And he declared that he would not speak to any of them!
The mandali thought this was only a threat, but Baba immediately began keeping silence and did not speak with anyone, except Behramji. This day in October 1923, was the first time that Meher Baba kept silence with the mandali.
Lord Meher, Bhau Kalchuri, Original Publication, Vol. 2, p. 564.