434 IN THE VISION OF GOD
ing a small wayside village called Yavli. "Remaining here for
the night the party, early in the following morning, prose-
cuted their journey towards TTplo-Duniala. The reception
which the people of Uple-Dumala accorded to him \vas
simply beyond description. Men, women and children
of all castes, creeds and races had with one mind
joined hands in making the reception a grand success. He
was led through the streets of the village in the midst of a
huge procession to the accompaniment of fire-works, bhajan
and the Indian band. The devout mothers, the front-yard
of whose huts along the path wore swept and besmeared
with cow-dung and ornamented with rangoli, stood on
their door-step with lights and offerings. The scones all
around manifested the signs of a gala day. Festoons decora-
ted the houses and the roadways. Tho procession after
passing through all the streets of the village at last halted
in front of Babarao Kulkarni's house, and Uamdaswas taken,
inside the house where preparations luid heon made for his
stay. The house was filled with the enthusiastic crowd to
overflow. The continuous refrain of the divine Huw-muntram
rang forth from every one in the assembly. Soon it was
followed by dancing. The Muslims of fcho place also took
whole-hearted part in the reception. To the surprise and
delight of the Hindu devotees a pious Muslim joined the*
dancers singing aloud the Kam-mantram. Singing
and dancing continued the whole night. The devotees
appeared to have forgotten themselves in the ecstasy
produced by the melody of the divine Name.
His stay in this village prolonged for about eighteen
days. People from the neighbouring villages also came in
hundreds to swell the concourse. The divine Name " Ram"
issuing from the lips of every one in the village sxxrcharged
the atmosphere with a tense spiritiial fervour,
The programme of bhajan, kirtan, feasts and discourses
"by Ramdas was worked out in a regular rotation. The
devotees poured on him their pure and glorious love iu