Love on Tour: 1970

On February 11th, 1970, Adi K. Irani and Meherjee Karkaria, two of Meher Baba’s Indian men mandali, departed Bombay for a tour of the West, with visits planned in Zurich, London, and ten cities across the United States. Adi met Baba in 1921 at the age of eighteen and became one of His first mandali members. He frequently acted as Baba’s spokesman, became His secretary in 1944, and spent his life in service to Baba. Meherjee met Meher Baba in 1927 while studying for his college exams. At Baba’s request, he taught for two years, at the Baba’s Hazrat Babajan School for Boys in Ahmednagar. He later entered the business world, always guided by his Beloved Meher Baba.

Throughout their tour of America, the two men spread Meher Baba’s message of love and truth to old and new devotees as well as those who were hearing Baba’s name for the first time – from a Meher Baba birthday celebration held in New York at the Brabazon Hotel to a talk in Miami on Meher Baba’s Universal Message as an alternative to drugs. At a gathering in Chapel Hill, NC, Meherjee remarked, “Anyone who met him felt his love for humanity. His face was always radiant. Anyone who could approach him—whether to question, criticize, or learn—seeing the love on his face would sit dumb.” He went on to say, “Baba was love personified. Even the smallest children to the oldest old people experience his love in their own way.” [1]

They arrived at the Meher Spiritual Center on March 7th. Almost twelve years had passed since Adi accompanied Baba to the Center; he was with Baba for all three visits,1952,1956 and 1958. Meherjee was in service to Baba for two visits, 1956 and 1958. When Meherjee and Adi arrived, they were welcomed at Meher Abode – Baba’s House, reuniting with their old friends, Elizabeth Patterson, Kitty Davy, and Jane Haynes and a small handful of followers. During Meher Baba’s 1952 visit, Adi, Meherjee, and Dr. Nilu had taken turns being the night watchman at Baba’s House. Upon their return to Meher Center in 1970, they slept in the mandali bedroom, where they had kept watch – the last bedroom on the left across from Baba’s room. Housekeeping duties for the two men were carried out by Jim Meyer, who had been employed by Elizabeth as a caretaker for about one year.

Jim recalls that many mornings Adi would stroll into the Original Kitchen where people would spontaneously gather around to listen and ask questions. Twenty three year old Tim Garvin, had questions for Adi – so many questions. As Tim says, he was “trying to get a handle on this love business” sitting next to an extremely patient Adi. Click here to listen to one of Adi’s morning talks in the Original Kitchen.

In February 1970, Elizabeth Patterson wrote to Charles Haynes, “I don’t want you to be disappointed too much that the schedule of Adi and Meherjee does not include Emory in Atlanta, but as I wrote to your mother, there are two chances for you and those of the Emory group to meet and be with the one weekend at Savannah, then Chapel Hill and Myrtle Beach.”[2]

Clearly, Charles was not disappointed, as he recalls: “I took a number of the newly-formed Atlanta group to the Center in 1970 to meet with Adi and Meherjee during their visit. I recall being very excited: this would be the group’s first contact with Baba’s close Indian mandali. At the same time, I was a bit anxious. Would everything go well? Would the new ones draw closer to Baba through this visit? Of course, I need not have worried. Sessions with Adi and Meherjee were filled with Baba’s Presence. As Adi and Meherjee shared beautiful moments from their many years with Baba, they brought Baba alive. Speaking with great conviction and humor, Adi touched our hearts with his deep understanding of Baba’s ways. Meherjee, who served Baba as a businessman, used fewer words to quietly, effectively convey what Baba means when He says be in the world, but not of it. Leaving the Center renewed and inspired, we were filled with gratitude for all that Baba gave us in those precious days.”

At one point, Meherjee walked around the Center with a small group of people, answering questions and sharing some of his memories. He said that Baba took great interest in the Center and everything that happened at the Center. Baba said it would become a place of pilgrimage for all. He commented on how peaceful the Center is. He remembered that Baba  said the trails that weave through the Center should be kept as they were to preserve the natural state of the property. Meherjee also remembered Baba chasing the mandali through the woods and how Baba would stride across the lagoon bridge, stopping at the halfway point, like so any of us do, to gaze at the view and look for alligators.

He reminisced about being at Baba’s side when He greeted His lovers, who had gathered in the Barn for darshan programs or the Lagoon Cabin for private interviews. When asked what transpired in the Lagoon Cabin, he recalled that many of the Sahavas attendees came to their short five-to-ten minute interview with Baba with love in their hearts. Some came with their problems, and others with questions that they could not ask because they were overcome with love and emotion upon meeting Meher Baba.

When asked about expansion of the Center, Meherjee noted that at that time Elizabeth was considering enlarging the Library, expanding the Original Kitchen, and eventually adding more cabins; any development plans resided in Elizabeth’s hands. It should be noted that in the fifty-four years since Meherjee’s visit all development has been thoughtfully planned, at first by Elizabeth, and later by the Meher Spiritual Center Board, to ensure that the natural retreat state of the Center prevails [Click here to listen to Meherjee give a tour of the Center in 1970].

During Adi and Meherjee’s week-long stay, talks were given at the library, Jane Haynes’ home, and the large cypress wood barn where Meher Baba had met with many of His lovers during His three visits. They departed Myrtle Beach for stops in Virginia, Chicago, several stops in California, including Mehermount, and finally Honolulu, where they spoke of Meher Baba and the Spiritual Path at the Princess Kaiulani Hotel.

Dominick Toto, writing for The Way and the Goal, seems to capture the essence of this 1970 tour: “The most important message which the Mandali brought is that Baba never dies. He is always with us, loving us and guiding us. Baba never dies. He is with us so much more because He lives in our hearts as He always has and always will.” [3] [1] “Meher Baba Followers Faithful A Year After His Death,” by Ken Ripley, The Daily Tar Hill, March 19, 1970

[2] Letters of Love, by Jane Haynes, p. 463

[3] “An Account of Adi and Meherjee’s Visit to Myrtle Beach,” by Dominick Toto, The Way and the Goal, Vol I March 25, 1970