Shri Nathji and Mateshwari decided to have the outhouses renovated so that they would have the shape of a respectable cottage in which the devotees could come and stay whenever they came for Shri Nathji’s darshan. A few workmen and one carpenter were called for the work. Shri Nathji would spend long hours in the cottage seeing it being made.
Mahabir Prasad Agarwal, one of the leading civil engineers of the country, who was a chief engineer by rank, and had been given the title of O.B.E., Order of the British Empire, by the British Government–an award of the highest order given to eminent people in India–personally supervised the construction of the cottage.
He advised Shri Nathji: “Please do not cover the open courtyard inside the cottage. The place will experience great sunshine throughout the day, besides the fresh air. It will be the only house in Mussoorie which has an open courtyard inside.”
In the years to come, whenever Shri Nathji went to the Cottage and looked upon the open courtyard inside, he would always be reminded of his great admirer, Mahabir Prasad Agrawal, Chief Engineer.
And whenever anyone would advise Shri Nathji to get the courtyard covered so that it would become a hall, Shri Nathji would say:
“I was advised by Mahabir Prasad Agrawal, a leading civil engineer of the country, to never get the courtyard covered.”
Unknown to Mahabir Prasad Agrawal, the open courtyard of the Cottage had been turned into a tribute to him by Shri Nathji.
Shri Nathji never forgot anything that anyone did for him, even if it consisted in the giving of advice, and he would extol the man’s services long after the person was gone.