June 23 was drawing close at Naini Tal at the hotel. Priya Nath had thought of a small celebration in the large drawing room of the hotel on the day. But the room was booked by big businessmen for the evening and night. Wine was flowing freely and people were drunk with stark materialism.
Priya Nath learnt that a famous qawwaal had come to the hotel, and he asked the qawwaal to come and meet Shri Nathji in his room. Priya Nath wanted him to sing a qawwaalli for Shri Nathji on the 23rd of June.
The qawwaal, a young man by the name of Aslam Sabri, came to Shri Nathji. He was struck by the Divine Glory, noor, on Shri Nathji’s face. As he listened to Shri Nathji’s words, tears came into his eyes, and he bowed before Shri Nathji and kissed his hands.
He said to Shri Nathji: “Hazrat! I would have loved to sing for you on the 23rd of June, but, unfortunately, I have been booked to sing for these businessmen. But when I sing my qawwaalis for them on the 23rd, my words shall be meant only for thee!”
Shri Nathji was immensely pleased with the man’s devotion and blessed him. Unknown to the man, it was a measure of Shri Nathji’s blessings that the man became a very famous qawwaali singer afterwards.
Shri Nathji decided not to celebrate his birthday at Naini Tal. The devotees in Delhi and Nagpur, Allahabad etc., would celebrate it in their homes.