"I am never born, I never die."
In 1954, Avatar Meher Baba celebrated His birthday in Tadepalligudem in Andhra Pradesh in southeastern India.
At 4:45 a.m. on the morning of February 25th, Meher Baba went to the bungalow of Dr. Dhanapathy Rao in Tadepalligudem. He entered a hall where no one was allowed except the mandali (close disciples), K.D.R.M.[1} and Dhanapathy's family. The doors were closed and exactly at 5:00 A.M., the hour of Meher Baba's birth, Eruch Jessawala[2] read out the Prayer of Repentance[3] in English. Then, the prayer was read by Ramjoo Abdulla[4] in Urdu and by Dhakephalkar Ramchandra (Dhake)[5] in Marathi.
At 7:00 a.m., after a brief rest, Meher Baba was taken through the town in a long procession. His car was decorated with flowers, and a band led the way playing lively music. There were shouts of "Avatar Meher Baba Ki Jai!" and "Bhagwan [God] Meher Baba Ki Jai!" Men and women hurried out of their homes to garland Meher Baba.
AVATAR MEHER BABA
The procession returned to Dr. Rao’s residence, and Meher Baba took His seat in the pandal (temporary awning) that had been erected in front of Dhanapathy’s residence. At 9:30 a.m., Meher Baba had Ramjoo read the following message[6]:
Footnotes
[1] K.D.R.M. represents the four members of a committee appointed by Meher Baba in 1953 who were responsible for His work in Andhra Pradesh. The members were: Kutumba Sastri, Dhanapathy Rao, Ranga Rao and Mallikarjuna.
[2] Eruch Behramsaw Jessawala (Eruch), was a primary interpreter of Meher Baba’s signs and gestures. As the “Tongue of God,” he was well known for his deep understanding of Meher Baba’s life and work. Hundreds of seekers came to hear him speak of Meher Baba.
[3] Prayer of Repentance was given by Meher Baba on November 8, 1952, and is one of three prayers recited twice a day at Meher Baba’s Tomb Shrine in Meherabad, India, as part of the morning and evening arti.
[4] Abdul Karim Ramjoo Abdulla (Ramjoo) traveled widely with Meher Baba on His mast tours and during the New Life. Very often Meher Baba asked him to read His messages and prayers in darshan programs.
[5] Dhakephalkar Moreshwar Ramchandra (Dhake) was a teacher in the Hazrat Babajan School in Meherabad, India, organized by Meher Baba.
[6] Bhau Kalchuri, Lord Meher: The Biography of the Avatar of the Age Meher Baba, Online Edition, pp. 3475-3477, accessed February 18, 2019. ©Avatar Meher Baba Perpetual Public Charitable Trust.