Meherwan's first memories of meeting Baba are from 1937, when he was just seven years old. Baba came to stay at their home in Nagpur and held a mass darshan there. He recalls that he had prepared a small garland of flowers to offer Baba but he was shy and didn't dare go up to Him. Baba saw this and had Eruch call Meherwan up to the stage. There Baba helped Meherwan tie up the garland and slip it over His head. As Meherwan says, he does not know if what he felt then for Baba was love, but he 'felt something'. And the rest of the memoirs are a journey - how Baba took that 'felt something' and nurtured it and fed it until today it is the love you see shining forth when you meet Meherwan and talk with him.
The Jessawala Chronicles will show the reader how one family gave up everything and surrendered totally to Meher Baba. How Papa Jessawala, never one for showing his emotions, was able to allow his family to leave everything and go to be with the Lord because of his deep love and reverence for Him. How this affluent Parsi family gave everything up in an instant because their Master called, and because 'By Your Grace everything is possible'. How the promise given by Eruch was instrumental in bringing the whole extended family close to the Beloved in a way nothing else could. And how that family's sacrifices made it possible for Eruch to be with Baba and fulfil his destiny. Baba says, "Don't ask Me for anything." and they never did. They only gave and gave and gave. In return He showered them with the untold riches of His Love and care. The attitude of the whole family has always been "It's all His anyway, what can we offer that is ours?"
The book is being published by The Beguine Library Meher Baba Information, Rick Chapman's organisation. The family has given some really beautiful photographs from the lot we found in Eruch's small trunk a couple of months ago. The originals are being electronically stored and will eventually be made available via the Internet. All in all, it promises to be a Baba gem. It is after all a tribute from one Meherwan to The Merwan, Avatar Meher Baba. Wait for it. It's coming soon. Well, as soon as Meherwan and I can read through the first draft and make the corrections, that is.
The picture above is one of the photographs I took on Manu's 94th birthday, 7 May, 2012. After garlanding Baba in Mandali Hall and in her room, we went to Eruch's room to place a garland on his bed. We are so fortunate to still have Manu around, though she grows frailer by the day. Still, in the indomitable way of that family, she gives it all to Baba and only asks that when she goes He makes sure that His Name is on her lips. Jai Baba!
