Historic Meherstan

     This photo shows our companion, Marshall, reading outside of Mehersthan, the hut in the little village of Mahewa in the Hamirpur district where, I believe, Beloved Baba first allowed people to shout "Avatar Meher Baba Ki Jai!", acknowledging HIm as the Avatar of the Age. (I will promptly check my facts with Jonathon.)

     We had abandoned our van the night before because the little road to this tiny village was a sea of mud. We had deliberately arrived the night of the anniversary of Baba's 1954 visit, and spent most of the night singing before the hearth in the home of a family, commemorating that visit. I recall having to be told not to point my feet toward the fireplace itself, as in India that's a sign of disrespect.

     The Hamirpur district is a bit "off the beaten path". Riding in our van from Jhansi--the whole area is up toward Delhi--the towns got kind of wild and wooly. It was the foothills of the Himalayas, I believe. In the town nearest this village, most of the men walking about had ancient-looking rifles strapped onto one shoulder. When I see references to the "tribal areas" of Pakistan in the news, I think of these towns. The town of Hamirpur itself, and the small villages we visited, though, felt quite safe.

                                                           next: Ron Greenstein's photos
                                                           from a '73 Hamirpur celebration

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