Finding these historical photos is the story of two coincidences and one answered wish. The first coincidence is the serendipity of discovering precious historical photographs of Meher Mount on a trip to Avatar Meher Baba’s ashram in India in 2014.

The second is the quick identification of the photos by Joan Dimpfl Harland. We had gotten to know Joan earlier when she was the special 2013 Anniversary Sahavas guest at Meher Mount, just months prior to discovering the photos.

The answered wish is the photos themselves.

By Margaret Magnus

Photos from the early days of Meher Mount are few and precious. So, when my husband Sam Ervin and I stumbled onto these Meher Mount photographs during a trip to Meher Baba’s ashram in India in 2014, we were thrilled.

The photos were taken in November 1956 — just months after Avatar Meher Baba’s visit on August 2, 1956.

From the photos, you can see how the property looked when Meher Baba visited. They are particularly helpful since all the buildings burned in the The New Life (Ferndale) Fire on October 14, 1985.

The Discovery Started Over Lunch

The discovery started over lunch in Meherabad, India, with David Bowling and Gusi Carpenter, Australians who spend six months a year living and volunteering in Meherabad.

David mentioned that he had been talking to the Meherabad Archives Committee about their work in preserving items related to the Advent of Meher Baba. We wanted to know more about their preservation and cataloging work.

Sam and I contacted the Archives Committee and set up a meeting with Meredith Klein for Saturday, February 22, 2014, for 11:30 a.m. in the Archives Building. That meeting was later rescheduled to a day earlier and a different time on Friday, February 21, 2014, at 10:00 a.m..

A Box of Photos Is Opened Just as We Arrive

At the appointed time, Sam and I were at the Archives Building. As we walked in, volunteers Gusi Carpenter and Jessica Mednick were opening a box containing photographs that had just arrived from Meherazad, the last home of Meher Baba about 20 kilometers away.

The items in the box had belonged to Meher Baba’s Beloved disciple, Mehera J. Irani (1907-1989), and contained letters and photographs that had been sent to her by various people.

“We had just opened the box and pulled out an envelope of photos and looked inside when Sam and Margaret walked in,” Gusi Carpenter recalled. In the envelope, there were photographs of Meher Mount. We all marveled at the timing.

The archives volunteers scanned both sides of the photos and the envelope and put them on a disc for us to add to Meher Mount’s archives.

No One Knew Who Sent the Photos to Mehera

At the time, none of us knew who took the photos, who the children in the photos were, or who had sent them to Mehera.

We did recognize the Meher Mount buildings and Agnes Baron (1907-1994), Meher Mount co-founder and lifetime caretaker.

Later, after returning to the U.S. and starting to write this story, I looked at the identifications written on the back of one of the photographs. It said, "Bill, Agnes, Claudia, BBB, Joan."

We knew “BBB” meant Baba’s Beloved Baby (3B), Meher Baba’s nickname for artist Diane Dimpfl Cobb.

Coincidentally, we had gotten to know Joan Dimpfl Harland, Diane Cobb’s sister, when Joan was the special guest for the 2013 Anniversary Sahavas at Meher Mount, months earlier.

The Photos Are Identified

Joan confirmed that the handwriting on the envelope was her father’s, Lud Dimpfl (1920-1988), a close follower of Meher Baba. Lud had also been part of the group that visited Meher Mount with Meher Baba in 1956.

Joan’s Memories of Her Father & Agnes Baron

When asked about that visit with her father, Joan responded, “I do remember visiting Agnes a few times when we were children, although the details are very fuzzy. The only time I really remember is when I visited with just my Dad when I was about 10 or 11 years old.

“I remember sleeping (on a window seat?) in a beautiful little room with flowered chintz and a fireplace (it may have been the room in the photo). The strongest memory of that trip is Dad and Agnes gabbing enthusiastically till the wee hours!”

Years later, Joan sent Meher Mount a few more photos from this visit for the photo archives.

A Reminder that Meher Baba Is with Us Always

As communications director, I am always looking for photos of Meher Mount. Periodically, I bemoan the fact there are so few historical photograhs.

For me, these images were a gift that reminded me that Meher Baba is always there and hears all of our prayers.

Related Stories

• The Gift of a Touched and Blessed Photograph of Meher Baba

To Donate an Artifact to Meher Mount

As you consider the future of your collectibles and artifacts related to Avatar Meher Baba and/or Meher Mount, please consider what might be appropriate for Meher Mount.

To discuss potential gifts, their care and their use, please contact Treasurer Robert Turnage or President Sam L. Ervin.

For more information, please see:

• Meher Mount’s Treasures

• A Gift of Your Collectibles

• The 700-Year Angels