"We don't feel Baba's absence, but we surely miss Him" - Eruch Jessawala
The following was written by Eruch Jessawala in the months after Avatar Meher Baba dropped His physical form on January 31, 1969. Eruch Jessawala was one of Meher Baba’s closest disciples and primary translator of Meher Baba’s gestures and use of the alphabet board.
AVATAR MEHER BABA at Guruprasad, Pune, India, in May 1965, during a Darshan program where Meher Baba is greeting His followers. Close disciple Eruch Jessawala (left) is attending to Meher Baba. Photographer: Meelan Studio. (Source: (c)Meher Nazar Publications. Used with permission.)
By Eruch Jessawala
Meherazad [Meher Baba’s home] is pleasant and peaceful, but we feel that everything is vacant. It is like feeling some presence in a vacuum, feeling ourselves, so to say, in a vacuum.
Our daily routine continues to be as it would be when Meher Baba was with us in His physical presence. The mandali [close disciples] continue to stay at Meherazad. The women, they do their duties; and the men perform their duties.
THE FRONT PORCH of Meher Baba’s home in Meherazad, India, in 1976. After Meher Baba dropped His body on January 31, 1969, the men and women mandali (close disciples) continued to live in the compound. In the doorway is Dr. Goher Irani and speaking with her is Adi K. Irani (also known as Adi Sr.). Meherazad is now a major Meher Baba place of pilgrimage. Photographer: Meelan Studio. (Source: (c)Meher Nazar Publications. Used with permission.)
In the midst of our duties we sadly miss the familiar phrases ‘Baba wants you’, ‘Baba said so’, ‘Baba wants you to do this’. These phrases are no longer heard nor are they said.
We don’t feel Baba’s absence, but we surely miss Him. And we miss His silence too, because we found His silence wherever Baba was. Baba and His silence were inseparable for the last 44 years.
In the midst of all His activities, Baba’s silent gestures, Baba’s very silence gave forth words – vibrant words, the words that went deep into the heart of His lovers, that made His lovers fall at his feet, that made His lovers ready to give their lives at a signal from Him. That Silence we miss now. The Silence that spoke is no longer with us.
Manifestation
The lovers of Baba too believe that Baba is in their midst, although His physical presence is out of sight. He seems to have come into their hearts more forcefully than ever before.
They feel His presence without seeing Him, and I can quite believe that because I too feel it the same way. I feel His presence without seeing Him.
THE WOMEN MANDALI in 1976 posing for pilgrim Goody Harding (who took this picture) on what became known as ‘Mehera’s Porch’ in Meherazad, India. From left to right: Dr. Goher R. Irani, Mehera J. Irani (holding Baba’s photo), Meheru R. Irani, Rano Gayley, Naja R. Irani, and Mani S. Irani (standing). Both the women and men Mandali were generous with their time, their stories and their welcoming hugs for the hundreds of pilgrims who came to learn more of Meher Baba after He dropped His body. (Source: (c)Meher Nazar Publications)
We, the Mandali, feel that there will come a day when the world will know about the Avatar of the age, about His silence, about the Word of all words, that will be released and felt by the world.
We still believe that He will manifest to the world, so that the world can know that the much anticipated Avatar lived amongst them, suffered for them and dropped His body and left them.
Some came to know of Him while He was still in the flesh, some came to know Him when He rested in the Tomb giving darshan [the grace of seeing the Divine] in silence, and the rest will know Him when He will manifest in their hearts.
And I believe that the time for that manifestation will not be far, it must happen soon; and I would not be at all surprised if Baba were to appear in His body, at different places to His lovers, at one and the same time, or at different times, giving them His darshan. This I will consider as His world-wide manifestation.
A Vision of Baba
During the days of The Great Event when Meher Baba dropped his body, a Zoroastrian priest, dressed in priestly robes, came for Baba’s darshan at the Tomb. He was the Parsi high priest of Ahmednagar.
THE INTERMENT of Avatar Meher Baba’s body on February 7, 1969. During the period between January 31st (when Meher Baba dropped His physical form) and February 7th (the interment), thousands of followers from around the world came to pay their respects. This period is known as the Last Darshan. Photographer: Meelan Studio. (Source: (c)Meher Nazar Publications. Used with permission.)
On January 31 he got up for his early morning prayers at about 4 o’clock and after completion of the prayers went back to bed. Before long he saw a vision – Baba sitting on a white horse rode past him and told him that he was going to his Manzil (destination).
He saw that Baba was bathed in a bright halo. He immediately jumped out of his bed and resolved to find out about Meher Baba.
In the years of his priesthood, he respected Baba but had no love for him. Later, he was shocked to learn of Baba’s dropping His body. He rushed to the Tomb to pay his last respects. He was so overpowered by the vision that he even went down into the crypt and touched Baba’s feet.
This is an unusual act. Members of the Parsi priestly class never touch a corpse. But for him Baba still lived.
This is how Baba, even at the last minute obliged one, took care of one’s feelings as He did all along while He was with us. He was so patient with us, so kind, so loving, so compassionate; because of all this we felt Him, knew Him, to be the Ancient One.
Story of Mecca
Muslims from all over the world go to Mecca to pay their respects at the Kaaba, the most sacred place of pilgrimage for members of the Islamic faith. For the past fourteen hundred years, Muslims from all over the world visit the Kaaba to pay their respects.
THE SAMADHI (Tomb Shrine) of Avatar Meher Baba as seen in May 1972. Meher Baba’s Samadhi in Meherabad, India, is a place of world pilgrimage where people of all faiths come to bow down to Him, receiving His Darshan. Photographer: Faredoon (Padri) N. Driver. (Source: (c)Meher Nazar Publications. Used with permission.)
Coincidentally, it was reported in the newspapers, that from January 31, 1969 to February 7, 1969, the Hajees were not able to round the Kaaba, their usual seven rounds, because it was submerged in six and a half feet of water. Such a thing had never happened, even once, during the last fourteen hundred years.
From this piece of reportage, I felt, that Meher Baba, in this Avataric form, gave a sign to all the followers of His Advent that the Tomb at Meherabad was now the Kaaba of the Age.
Source
Eruch Jessawala, “The Great Event,” The Glow, February 1970, (vol. V, no. 1), pg.5, published by Beloved Archives, Hamilton, NJ.