Highlights from Beloved Archives
Meher Baba’s Sandals
In 1937, when His Western lovers witnessed the Indian custom of washing the Master’s feet for the first time, Meher Baba explained:
“The feet, which are physically the lowest part of the body, are spiritually the highest. Physically, the feet go through everything — good and bad, beautiful and ugly, clean and dirty — yet they are above everything. Spiritually, the feet of a Perfect Master are above everything in the universe, which is like dust to him.”
These sandals, used by Meher Baba in the twenties, were given to Naosherwan by Mehera in 1981 before he left for the United States. She told him they were a symbol of protection for him, his wife, and his son.
A Coconut Gift from Upasni Maharaj
The Perfect Master Upasni Maharaj gave this coconut to Meher Baba’s secretary Chanji, who gave it to his niece Nergish, who gave it to Naosherwan.
A Garland for the Beloved
Regarding the meaning behind the Indian custom of offering a coconut to saints, Meher Baba explained:
“The coconut can be divided into four parts: three outer coverings and the water inside. Each represents something different. The outermost fibrous hair symbolizes the gross body. The hard husk or shell symbolizes the subtle body. The kernel or white portion inside symbolizes the mind. The water inside symbolizes God-realization.
…So, the offering of a coconut signifies the absolute surrender of body and soul by the one who offers. Let all who offer these realize this significance and annihilate maya and the mind.”
Meher Baba and Upasni Maharaj
As told by Eruch, a man stood in the crowd gazing at Meher Baba lovingly and thinking, “How lucky those garlands are. How fortunate that they get to adorn His neck, even if only for a few moments. Their petals get to caress His cheeks. They are able to embrace His form.”
On a visit to Hyderabad, Meher Baba was welcomed with these gold thread garlands. Such garlands were often woven by His devotees. One of these has the Union Jack as part of its design.
These garlands were given to Naosherwan’s father Keki in 1954 when he was invited to Andhra Pradesh along with a large gathering of Baba lovers.
The Master’s Prayer
“When anyone repeats the prayers, I am there with them. My presence is there.”
After Meher Baba dictated the Master's Prayer to Eruch, he went looking for a typist. Naosherwan's father Keki volunteered to type the prayer. Eruch then read it back to Baba, He made some changes that Eruch incorporated in the Prayer and finalized it. Eruch gave the corrected copy of the Prayer to Keki to keep. A few minor additional corrections were made by Baba at a later time.
Meher Baba’s Kamli Coat
June 1927, Aurangabad
“This is the most sacred of my possessions. What it has in it will be revealed after I drop my body.”
The coat was given to Meher Baba by Yeshwant Rao, one of the early close disciples of Upasni Maharaj. The word “kamli” refers to a type of coarse woolen blanket often used by shepherds in those days and it was from such a blanket that the coat was fashioned. Baba wore this coat practically continuously for eight years beginning in 1921, even in the summer.
In September 1954, during the “Three Incredible Weeks” sahavas, Meher Baba had the kamli coat shown to the visiting Western men and commented, "...thousands and thousands of men and women will come to worship it.”
On another occasion Meher Baba said that He had done so much work in the Kamli Coat that the coat could continue His work without Him. He also described the coat as spiritually connected with India and stated that it should never leave the country’s borders. It now resides in the Avatar Meher Baba Trust Archives at Upper Meherabad.
Khorshed Irani had this piece of the coat since Meher Baba wore it. She gave it to Naosherwan in 1969.
Other Garments Worn by Meher Baba
Meher Baba’s Blue Coat
Meher Baba wore blue coats like this one during His travels in India and to the West. This coat was given by Mehera to Naosherwan’s mother in 1950, during the New Life.
Meherazad, 1948
Meher Baba’s White Coat
Consuelo Sides with Meher Baba, Cannes, 1937
Meher Baba wore this white coat during the Prem Ashram days in Toka in 1927 and 1928. He may have also worn this coat in Cannes during His visit in 1937. It was given by Mehera to Naosherwan’s mother Freiny in 1950.
Toka, 1928
Meher Baba’s Sadra
Meher Baba always wanted to wear the same, well-worn sadras, as they were soft; He did not like a new one, which would be stiff.
One of His women disciples, Meheru Irani, washed Baba’s sadras, and she had to be careful when washing them, as they were so sheer from wear.
She hung the sadra up to dry and often thought, “This is Baba’s daaman [the hem of His sadra]. Baba says for us to hold on to His daaman, but the threads are so thin. I don’t know if it will hold even one of us!”
But then Meheru reasoned, “The threads are His and All-powerful.”
“Hold fast to My ‘daaman,’ whatever the trials and difficulties you may be passing through. Think of Me more and more and all your worries will dwindle into nothing, for they really are nothing…”
A sadra is a thin muslin shirt traditionally worn by Zoroastrians. Meher Baba adapted the sadra into an ankle-length garment.
This sadra was worn by Him in Dehra Dun during the New Life travels of 1950. It was presented to Naosherwan's mother by Mehera.
Meher Baba’s Cotton Striped Shirt
“Are not these souls helpless? To serve them is real service. To feed them is real philanthropy. To look after them is real humanity, and to keep them pleased is really pleasing God!"
Meher Baba often wore this style of western shirt when He worked with masts.
Masts are spiritually advanced souls who are deeply absorbed in Divine Love to such an extent that they lose normal awareness of the world around them. They are intoxicated by their connection with God, often unable to function in ordinary ways, and their behavior may appear erratic or even similar to that of a mad or insane person. Meher Baba had a unique relationship with masts and sought them out during His lifetime. He contacted countless masts across India and beyond, recognizing their spiritual significance and the role they play in the divine plan. He personally cared for them, establishing seven mast ashrams in India where He would bathe, clean, and feed these God-intoxicated souls with His own hands.
This striped shirt was worn by Baba in 1950 during His mast tour to Motichur. He had Naosherwan's father Keki and Keki Desai build a hut in Motichur where He stayed overnight and made forays in search of masts.
Meher Baba’s Alphabet Board
Baba’s Pink Coat
Story of Pink Coat
This Alphabet Board in Braille was used by Meher Baba only once during His visit to the St. Dunstan’s School for Blind Adults in Dehra Dun in 1953. It is housed in Beloved Archives.
Meher Baba’s Silence
From July 10, 1925 until His death, Meher Baba was silent. Initially, when He wished to express Himself, He would pick up a newspaper and point to the appropriate letters or words. But, as this method proved to be cumbersome and time consuming, Chanji typed the English alphabet in capital letters on a piece of paper which Baba began using. Finding this too small, a larger chart of the alphabet was made, first in block letters on paper, then later on cardboard, and eventually the alphabet was painted on a small wooden board.
Baba's fingers would move speedily over the letters. It was most often Eruch who interpreted and spoke the words.
"His fingers danced to a divine tune, and the flow of words was like the flow of a crystal current."