4/6/12
The sequel to visiting Baba's childhood home is that in the morning while visiting the house when it was open to the public, there was no one to greet me at the door. I unwittingly trespassed into a part of the house never seen by the public (not even by Baba lovers I learned later), only to be greeted by a very angry woman cleaner who shooed me out in no uncertain terms. Though the Hindi was uncertain to me the tone and gestures and continuing ranting long after I had found the proper room were very clear. I don't know how many four letter Hindi words were used but I think I was well plastered with them! I was actually quite shaken up. Its been a while since I experienced such a tirade directed at me. Anyway Baba and I found some gentle humor in it. I was reminded of his work with the mandali both in harsh words and the kindest of gestures. Then I felt his warmth and humor as I looked at some photos in the room and captured this one with the perfect caption for me in the moment and my own image in the glass.
A little bit of light relief after shaking in my shoes!
Residential quarters in upper Meherabad
Above and Below: a meeting with Bhauji - last living of the male mandali of Avatar Meher Baba and chair of the Trust who lives at the Trust Compound in Nagar.
Below: with Debjani
A photo of Baba in Marge's home (touched by Baba!) which she took a liking to because of resemblance with some artists' imaginings of how Jesus looked.
With Paul and his mother Marge in Marge' home in Meherabad
I seem to have carried my honoring of the "no photography" at the Samadhi to an extreme. I have very few photographs from the two day visit, but the images are strong in my mind. I think I was very engaged in being present to the conversations and places without using my camera ... learning more about his message and focus and what it is that so many Baba lovers have found in him over the years, both in his company as Mandali and as those who have come to love him since he dropped his body in 1969.
On Holy Thursday, very appropriately and thoughtfully, Debjani arranged for me to watch a moving piece of film footage, called "Beyond Words" in which Baba's use of hand gestures to communicate [he was silent from 1925 till he dropped his body in 1969] and their skilled interpretation by Eruch are depicted together with Baba's frequent washing of the feet of lepers and providing them with blankets and food.
Had I not had a bus to catch early on Good Friday morning, Debjani had hoped I might have been able to attend for a second time the early morning Artis (prayer service) at Baba's Samadhi which she felt would have been appropriate to Good Friday. As it turned out my attempts to find both the church and Good Friday service times here in Aurangabad failed and so I marked Good Friday with my own private prayers and readings, which proved to be a very special time for me.
The sequel to visiting Baba's childhood home is that in the morning while visiting the house when it was open to the public, there was no one to greet me at the door. I unwittingly trespassed into a part of the house never seen by the public (not even by Baba lovers I learned later), only to be greeted by a very angry woman cleaner who shooed me out in no uncertain terms. Though the Hindi was uncertain to me the tone and gestures and continuing ranting long after I had found the proper room were very clear. I don't know how many four letter Hindi words were used but I think I was well plastered with them! I was actually quite shaken up. Its been a while since I experienced such a tirade directed at me. Anyway Baba and I found some gentle humor in it. I was reminded of his work with the mandali both in harsh words and the kindest of gestures. Then I felt his warmth and humor as I looked at some photos in the room and captured this one with the perfect caption for me in the moment and my own image in the glass.
Below: with Debjani
With Paul and his mother Marge in Marge' home in Meherabad
I seem to have carried my honoring of the "no photography" at the Samadhi to an extreme. I have very few photographs from the two day visit, but the images are strong in my mind. I think I was very engaged in being present to the conversations and places without using my camera ... learning more about his message and focus and what it is that so many Baba lovers have found in him over the years, both in his company as Mandali and as those who have come to love him since he dropped his body in 1969.
On Holy Thursday, very appropriately and thoughtfully, Debjani arranged for me to watch a moving piece of film footage, called "Beyond Words" in which Baba's use of hand gestures to communicate [he was silent from 1925 till he dropped his body in 1969] and their skilled interpretation by Eruch are depicted together with Baba's frequent washing of the feet of lepers and providing them with blankets and food.
Had I not had a bus to catch early on Good Friday morning, Debjani had hoped I might have been able to attend for a second time the early morning Artis (prayer service) at Baba's Samadhi which she felt would have been appropriate to Good Friday. As it turned out my attempts to find both the church and Good Friday service times here in Aurangabad failed and so I marked Good Friday with my own private prayers and readings, which proved to be a very special time for me.
I don;t know who Baba is, but he sounds fascinating. If you come across a good English bio would you pick it up for me? I will even pay you back for it (if I can afford those steep Indian prices). Sounds like a great couple of days.
ReplyDeleteYes, Phil. A special two days. I have a two page bio of him that I can share. I feel sure there must be some more substantial bio, but I have left the place now so I can simply ask about it.
Delete