Life Sketch of Avatar Meher Baba
Meher Baba (meaning “Compassionate Father”) was born Merwan Sheriar Irani on 25th February 1894 in Poona (Pune), India, to Irani-Zoroastrian parents.
Early Life
Merwan was an exceptionally gifted student at Deccan College, Poona. At the age of 19, he came into contact with the great woman Perfect Master Hazrat Babajan of Poona, who with a kiss on the forehead plunged him into a state of God-consciousness. After this experience, Merwan lost all outer consciousness for months.
The Five Perfect Masters
Merwan then came under the spiritual guidance of five Perfect Masters of the age:
- Hazrat Babajan (Poona) — who gave him divine bliss
- Upasni Maharaj (Sakori, near Shirdi) — who gave him full gnosis (divine knowledge) and confirmed his Avatarhood with a stone thrown at his forehead
- Sai Baba (Shirdi)
- Tajuddin Baba (Nagpur)
- Narayan Maharaj (Kedgaon)
His Name & Mandali
Around 1921, Merwan began attracting disciples. It was one of his earliest disciples, Behramji, who gave him the name Meher Baba. He gathered around him a group of close disciples known as the Mandali who lived and worked with him throughout his life.
Silence — 10th July 1925
On 10th July 1925, Meher Baba began observing Silence. He did not speak again for the remaining 44 years of his life. He communicated first through an alphabet board and later through hand gestures uniquely understood by his close ones.
He explained: “What I want to give you, I give you in Silence.”
Universal Work
Throughout his life, Meher Baba travelled extensively across India, the Middle East, Europe, Australia and the Americas. He personally contacted and served thousands of the poor, the sick, and those whom he called the “masts” — those God-intoxicated souls who are absorbed in their inner spiritual states.
He established schools, hospitals, and spiritual centres. He held several large public gatherings — the East-West Gatherings and the Sahavas (divine companionship programmes).
His Declarations
Meher Baba declared himself to be the Avatar — the God-Man, the Ancient One who comes again and again in different forms. He said: “I am the same Ancient One whose past is worshipped and remembered, whose present is ignored and forgotten, and whose future (Advent) is anticipated with great fervour and longing.”
Mahasamadhi — 31st January 1969
Meher Baba dropped his physical body on 31st January 1969 at Meherazad, Ahmednagar. His tomb-shrine (Samadhi) is at Meherabad, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, where thousands of pilgrims come every year — particularly on Amartithi (31st January).
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