Meherabad

Meherabad
town
Faredoon Driver shows the grounds of Upper Meherabad.
Meherabad
Meherabad
Coordinates: 19°01′46″N 74°43′09″E / 19.029539°N 74.719042°E / 19.029539; 74.719042Coordinates: 19°01′46″N 74°43′09″E / 19.029539°N 74.719042°E / 19.029539; 74.719042
Country India
State Maharashtra
District Ahmednagar
Elevation 672 m (2,205 ft)
Time zone UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN 414001
Website ambppct.org

Meherabad (meher meaning "friend" from Iranian "Mihir", ultimately from Sanskrit "Mithira"; abad meaning a prosperous settlement, or a flourishing colony) was originally an ashram established by Meher Baba near Arangaon Village, India in 1923 about 9 kilometres (6 mi) south of Ahmednagar. It is now the site of Meher Baba's samadhi (shrine/tomb) as well as facilities and accommodations for pilgrims. A large number of buildings mostly associated with the earlier decades of Baba’s work, the graves of disciples, and a range of pilgrim accommodation and charitable establishments are also there. Many Baba-lovers work or live in the vicinity.[1]

Meherabad is a popular place of pilgrimage for both Eastern and Western followers of Meher Baba, with reported numbers of around 30,000 annual pilgrims at Amartithi (the commemoration of his death each January 31).[2] There is also a free dispensary and school.

Established in May 1923, Meherabad was the first permanent residence of Meher Baba and his disciples in Ahmednagar district.[3] In 1944, Meher Baba moved his residence north to Meherazad, located 24 kilometres (15 mi) away on the other side of Ahmedagar.[4]

Meher Pilgrim Center (also spelled "Centre") is the central administrative facility for the Meher Baba pilgrim retreat.The Pilgrim Center and Pilgrim Retreat are closed during the hot Indian summer from 15 March to 15 June of each year.On 15 June 2006, new pilgrim facilities were established with the construction of Meher Pilgrim Retreat, an 88,000-square-foot (8,200 m2) facility.[5] Both the Pilgrim Center and Pilgrim Retreat were designed by architect Ted Judson.

References

  1. ↑ Avatar Meher Baba, His Life, His Message and His Followers, Copyright 1996 Ray Kerkhove, Peter Milne and Ray Kerkhove,
  2. ↑ Meher Baba Trust - Calendar of Events "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-04-23. Retrieved 2008-04-04.
  3. ↑ Meher Prabhu: Lord Meher, The Biography of the Avatar of the Age, Meher Baba, by Bhau Kalchuri, Manifestation, Inc. 1986. p. 519
  4. ↑ Meher Baba's Last Sahavas, pp. 15-16 Copyright 1969 Dr. H. P. Bharucha
  5. ↑ In His Service, A Newsletter from Meherabad, December 1998
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