“He has got only one aim for you”
In this brief snippet from a talk given at Meher Center in 1970, Adi K. Irani talks about how the spiritual planes are just another part of illusion—and how our only and constant aspiration should be Reality.
Audio, 2:46
Meher Center, March 1970
Courtesy of Mandali Hall Talks
Full talk at MandaliHall.org, number KG-017B
Uploaded 5/5/2023
“Just to see Baba’s enjoyment”
In this recording from Mandali Hall, Baba’s sister Mani share stories of making Baba laugh. With all her usual enthusiasm and charisma, Mani talks about how much Baba loved humor, and the great delight everyone got from witnessing Baba’s own enjoyment and silent laughter. Toward the end of the recording, Baba’s nephew Sohrab jumps in to help Mani tell the tale of when he impersonated Baba at a darshan program in Guruprasad, a story shared in the Twins’ talk from a recent offering with a splendid new perspective offered by Mani.
Audio, 4:54
Meherazad, India, August 15, 1987
Courtesy of Mandali Hall Talks
Uploaded on 4/21/2023
“Live in the world but don’t be of the world”
Ali Akbar Shapurzaman, known as Aloba, first met Baba at the Prem Ashram spiritual school in 1927. The only student from the school to become a resident Mandali member, Aloba spent his life in service to Baba. In this recording, Aloba discusses the importance of remembering Baba, and offers us metaphors and concrete examples of how to keep Him at the front of our hearts and minds.
Audio, 9:58
Mandali Hall, Meherazad, India, August 4, 1987
Courtesy of Mandali Hall Talks
“Do you know when you all go what the cushions look like?”
A pilgrim asks Meher Baba’s mandali member Katie Irani what the mandali do when the pilgrim season at Meherazad is over. In her amusing style, Katie responds, “What do you think? Who runs this place here, who keeps it in order?” Katie then gives a poetic itemized account of the exhaustive “Spring Cleaning” that ensues when pilgrim season is over.
Audio, 5:37
August 5, 1989, Mandali Hall, Meherazad, India
Courtesy of Mandali Hall Talks
Uploaded 3/17/2023
“Baba’s love, that’s all there is, nothing more”
In this light-hearted interview conducted at Meherabad in 1971, Mansari, Padri and Nana Kher share stories of their lives with Baba. Close ones in Baba’s orbit, they offer us a glimpse into the humor, joy and hardships of serving the Master.
Note: The audio was recorded on a cassette separately from the video. Due to the age and damage caused by exposure to the tape, there are syncing issues between the audio and video.
Video, 18:56
Meherabad, India, 1971
Courtesy of the Irwin Luck Interview Project
Uploaded 3/10/2023
“The froth comes to the surface”
This is the second part of the talk by Rano Gayley shared in last week’s offering. In it, she focuses on the late 1930’s and how Baba helped her learn to control her moods—from waking her up night after night with seemingly irrelevant instructions in Cannes to crowded and hungry moments on the Blue Bus Tour.
Audio, 47:14
Meherazad, India, October 1972
Courtesy of Mandali Hall Talks
Uploaded 3/10/2023
“Everything that was beautiful was there”
Rano Gayley was an American artist who first met Meher Baba in 1933 along with her mother, Nonny. Although she wouldn’t have considered herself a seeker prior to meeting Baba, she spent the rest of her life in service to Him. She joined His ashram in 1937, and remained a close Mandali member until her passing in 1986. In this talk, Rano shares her story of coming to Baba and the early years that followed.
Audio, 47:14
Mandali Hall, Meherazad, India, October 1972
Courtesy of Mandali Hall Talks
Uploaded 3/3/2023
“Trying my very best”
During a chat in Mandali Hall, Katie describes how she started cooking for Baba during the Blue Bus tours. She had “never been in the kitchen in [her] life” when Baba called her to Him along with Eruch’s sister Manu and asked them to cook for all 35 of the women on the journey. Despite their apprehension, both said yes. Katie would find joy in the kitchen for the rest of her life.
Audio, 5:34
November 30, 1999, Mandali Hall, Meherazad, India
Courtesy of Mandali Hall Talks
Uploaded 2/17/2023
“Baba gives us the condition, but also helps us to abide by it”
Bal Natu first had Baba’s darshan on a train platform in Nagpur in 1944. He was granted Baba’s permission to visit the ashram anytime, and thus, in the later years, spent his time off from work staying with Baba at Guruprasad and Meherazad. He came to live in Meherazad permanently in 1977, delighting pilgrims with his stories of life with Baba. In this lighthearted recording, Bal shares a few anecdotes about Baba’s message on worry, wrapping up with a humorous story of a time he shared his own worry with Baba.
Audio, 12:37
Mandali Hall, Meherazad, August 11, 1987
Courtesy of Mandali Hall Talks
Uploaded 2/10/2023