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Letter from 21ome Suzi limura
July 3 Baba dear friends, It is without a doubt great to e back. After spending a night in Mumbai, I flew to Pune—a half-hour journey—and out of the plane window I could look down and see India at its most glorious. The rains have come early this year, turning everything into a luscious, almost fluorescent green, and believe it or not, Mumbai—which is perpetually covered in a brown haze—was visible from the air looking clean, green and beautiftil. I could have been flying over a Greek island. The buildings were white, the sky was a rich blue, and little fluff white clouds were all that was between the ground and me. My friend Pam picked me up at the airport and took me to her new apartment in Pune right on the river. We had just arrived, and her phone rang. It was Kitty asking me if I would like to stay in her house at Meherabad for four months while she is away in the States. Talk about good fortune. Living in Kitty’s home is like living in paradise. Her garden is rich in color, variety, some exotic plants brought in from Thailand, with a vegetable and herb garden, fish ponds and chimes. Better still, she has a servant who does all my washing, cleaning and cooking, so desired. Pam and I drove to Meherabad and ar rived in time for lunch at the new Meher Pilgrim Retreat. Over the past season, I was one of the team helping to set it up. We had meeting after meeting, and when I left everything was on paper—where this would go, how many ofthat we would need, etc. What a joy it was to come back and find that everything is in place. It is truly very very beautiful, the rains having made it more so. The artwork around the place is spectacular, the vistas peaceflil and it is so quiet. It is such a change from the old P.C., with the busy road running right in front. I had been concerned about the distance to cover from lower Meherabad up the hill and out beyond to the Retreat, but I am finding it a pleasure, the
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Meherabad I do hope to see some or all ofyou over the next year. There is nothing quite like the Samadhi. The entire world slips away into nothing, and only the heart functions. Pure joy.
Jai
Suzi andArnavaz
walk being good exercise and somewhat meditative. I have to say that everyone who has worked tirelessly for the past five years towards the opening ofthis new Retreat has done so with 100 percent concern for the pilgrims’ needs. It is quite incredible what a small group of people have managed to do in a country where nothing is easy or straightforward. The trials, headaches and difficulties they have had to deal with cannot be imagined. They have put their backs, hearts and souls into this project, and now it is up and running. I am going out to Meherazad two days a week to help care for Arnavaz. I come back totally saturated with Baba’s love, as Arnavaz talks about her days with Baba and she loves to talk aboutTadaaki [Suzi’s late son] as she says she loved him and felt he was a special boy. The other day, when Meheru and Arnavaz and I were talking about Tadaaki, I was able to tell them some ofthe amazing things that happened while he was dying. My other duty is reception at the MPR. I am presently learning the new computer system and the run of the place.
July 9 The atmosphere here at Meher abad is somewhat charged at the moment. Tomorrow is Silence Day. Some 1,300 pilgrims are expected at Hostel D, 160 at the Meher Pilgrim Retreat, and many more will be here from the surrounding districts just for the day. There is such an air of anticipation at Arti! To stand amidst so many at beloved Baba’s Samadhi, many ofwhom have traveled far, to see theirjoy at reaching His threshold, hear their exuberance during prayers, the quiet hearts repeating Baba, Baba, Baba—to be among so many lovers of Meher Baba—one has the feeling He is saying, “Oh my lovers, welcome!” with His arms open wide. Yesterday, July 8, our dear sweet Roda Mistry went to Baba. It was one of those very special days, an auspicious day. Her passing was unexpected. She had been coming on her porch, greeting the pilgrims, always replying, “I’m fine,” no matter what. Once I said to her, “Roda you always say ‘I’m fine’ even when you are suffering from this or that.” She replied, “If I say I’m fine, then I will feel fine. If I say I’m not fine then I won’t feel fine.” The news reached us at the MPR about 1 PM, just as lunch was beginning. I worked Reception in the morning, and after lunch wandered back across the fields and past the Samadhi with a quick bow down. As I walked across the railway line, a resident passed by and asked me if I have been to the new Banyan Tree Cafe, which has just opened near the Meher Darbar. Ah, mango and chocolate ice cream! It was then that I saw along the road to Ahmednagar, as far as the eye could see, families walking towards Arangaon village dressed in their very best. Women were in ‘3