This extensive collection originates from Mehera's firsthand narrative gathered from over 200 hours of tape recordings made by David Fenster, from the years 1974 to 1982. These recordings feature Mehera, Mehera J. Irani, Avatar Meher Baba's foremost woman disciple, and several men and women mandali members. The recordings were made primarily at Meherazad, Pimpalgaon, Maharashtra, India. 

and pressed my cheek against his for quite a few seconds. Baba just sat there. I looked up in his eyes. He looked straight at me with such a tender, loving look in his eyes. There was a very sweet and tender expression in his eyes. It was very beautiful. Sometimes, when you felt that way, you wanted to kiss and embrace Baba. I still remember that. It has remained in my mind all this time.”

Audio file

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DF-088A: Mehera J. Irani; Khorshed Irani
Mehera: Airplane hijacking w/Baba lover aboard; Baba’s skin; grey hair; Baba saw film, ”Layla & Majnun”; Dehra Dun in New Life; Don’s Wolseley car
Khorshed: Talks about Mehera, herself, & Baba

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DF-088B: Khorshed Irani
Continued from DF-088A

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DF-089A: Khorshed Irani
Continued from DF-088B; Mehera signed in blood with Baba

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DF-089B: Khorshed Irani & Mehera J. Irani
Khorshed: Continued from DF-089A
Mehera: Doesn’t care about her age; Loving Baba and God; No one as beautiful as Baba; Her Hyderabad 1956 pic looking serious; Looking at Baba pictures; She and Mastan; Story of Bhuti

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DF-090A: Mehera J. Irani
Baba brings Bhooty; Mastan; 1st came to Meherazad, 1948; Opening ceremony; Going to Mt. Abu; Sold things in New Life; Walking in Pimpalgaon; 1958 Sahavas

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DF-090B: Mehera J. Irani
”What is love?” someone asked her; Jesus’ legs like Baba’s; Swimming in Karwar; Hyderabad; England, 1952; Rodeo; Musical; Zurich, Geneva; Irene Billo

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DF-091A: Mehera J. Irani
Irene Billo; France; On the plane; Sheba in Satara—Mehera rides her first; Rode horse Mahabaleshwar; Panchgani; Swimming Karwar

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DF-091B: Mehera J. Irani
Karwar swimming; 1952 Accident; Baba’s eyes; Pictures of Baba; Her teeth; dentist; Baba told her to gargle; Mehera’s song

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DF-092A: Mehera J. Irani
Dining tables; Mastan; She did Baba’s hair, braids; Moti; When she was bitten by scorpions; Electricity at Meherazad

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DF-092B: Mehera J. Irani
Shireen & Mastan; Her thread ceremony; Playing piano for Baba; Her school days; Going back to Convent school, 1974; Baba’s 1926 b-day, Meherabad–she made anklets for Baba

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DF-093A: Mehera J. Irani
Baba liked, “Lullaby & Goodnight” by Bing Crosby; Baba would break serious mood with light humor; Vengurla going to see cashew nut factory; Margaret teaches swimming at Karwar

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DF-093B: Mehera J. Irani
Swimming at Karwar; Mahabaleshwar, 1947; Baba wading at Vergurla; Walking Pimpalgaon, 1947; Anita Viellard; Ship back from Cannes, 1937; Cannes, 1937; Baba wearing a ring? Baba’s pink & blue coats; Baba’s eyes

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DF-094A: Mehera J. Irani
Picture of Mehera & Baba in bedroom, Meherabad with Mehera’s hair open; Necklace; Mehera’s family & house in Poona–first at Guruprasad

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DF-094B: Mehera J. Irani
Col. Irani; Laila & Majnun film Baba saw twice; Cradle with Baba dressed as Krishna, falls; Hammock picture, Meherabad; Kulu Valley, 1946 with Baba; Don scolds man, servants

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DF-095A: Mehera J. Irani
Kulu Valley, 1946; Servants; Devotion-Mira; Baba told story of Kabir & devotee with lantern; Looking at photos; Her childhood, relatives; Baba told her break of silence

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DF-095B-2A: Mehera J. Irani
1956 accident; Saw the spot; Baba’s speech fast? Rain in M’azad, M’abad, birds, minors; Cannes, 1937

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DF-095B-2B: Mehera J. Irani
(cont.)

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DF-095B-2C: Mehera J. Irani
(cont.)

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DF-095B-2D: Mehera J. Irani
(cont.)

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DF-095B-2E: Mehera J. Irani
(cont.)

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DF-095B-2F: Mehera J. Irani
(cont.)

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DF-095B-2G: Mehera J. Irani
(cont.)

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DF-095B-3: Mehera J. Irani
(cont.)

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DF-096A: Mehera J. Irani
Going back on Circassia, In Kashmir; Early days at Meherabad

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DF-096B: Mehera J. Irani
Kashmir and walnuts for Meherabad people; Baba’s hair

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DF-097a: Mehera J. Irani
Heather; Mehernaz Sukardwalla’s navjote; Sarnath; Making garlands for Baba-Prem Ashram; “Did you think Baba would rise like Jesus?”; First time you saw Baba

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DF-097B: Mehera J. Irani
Sister’s wedding; She brings pomegranate for David to eat; Indra Sabha movie saw with Baba-movies Nasik, 1930s; Toddy plants in Indore; Nasik picnic-Baba gave toddy; Hindi movie Janak Jank Bail Bhaji saw from Satara, 1955

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DF-098A: Mehera J. Irani
Janak Janak, Bail Bhaji; Gone With the Wind; Scarsdale, NY-1952; England; Panchgani-Valley View; “Sitting like this”-one legs up leaning on fist to cheek

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DF-098B: Mehera J. Irani
White Horse; Early life in Poona; Movie: Lawrence of Arabia; Meeting Perfect Masters; Narayan Maharaj; Baba takes them to Victoria Garden, Bombay

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DF-099A: Mehera J. Irani
PWD Bungalow, Ahmednagar; Homeopathic medicine; Mani takes snuff; Snuff taken on New Life; Watching polo; The Links Bungalow

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DF-099B: Mehera J. Irani
She taught Baba Swanee; Kitty teaches her piano, Blue Danube; Winter clothes; Baba’s shoes; Sheba in Dehra Dun

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DF-100A: Mehera J. Irani; Meheru Irani
Mehera: Sheba; Servant for Sheba, paper in her mouth; Sheba blocks Goher; Sheba and hotel owner; Baba in Switzerland, 1st time; Marty cut outs; Mehera sings a Maurice Chevalier song; Lahore
Meheru: Trip to the West

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DF-100B: Mehera J. Irani
Driving in Lahore; Swimming at pool at Lahore in school; Hyderabad stay; Margaret reads poetry in Wai; Stay in Aurangabad; Mani cooks

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DF-101A: Mehera J. Irani
Baba’s b-day, 1938-gold thread coat; Panchgani, 1938 and rose; Blue Bus

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DF-101B: Mehera J. Irani
Nursery Rhymes in Baba’s Time; Baba’s b-day; Baba’s pets; 12 photos at Meherabad; Christmas at Meherabad; Mehera’s b-day-1962-63; Meherazad; Susan White’s book; P.O. building; Watching movies, touching Baba; Baba went to tomb of Sant Dyaneshwar; Walking in the New Life

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DF-102A: Mehera J. Irani
New Life travels; Baba with lice in his hair; Post Office; Soonamasi; She talks about her b-day program on 22 Dec 1977; Conviction about God; Her childhood

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DF-102B: Mehera J. Irani
New Life walking; Beginning of New Life; Hold your anger; Baba wore socks; Mitu the parrot; Margaret in Wai; Mehera’s grandmother had a parrot; In Lahore with Baba; Mitu in Lahore; Mitu and the mongoose; Mani’s malaria in Kashmir

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DF-103A: Mehera J. Irani
Mani’s malaria; Meher’s b-day; Baba comes to Meherazad, 1947-48; The end of Mitu; Mitu dying; Swimming in Karwar; Lahore; Blue Bus Tours; Street singers sing for Baba

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DF-103B: Meheru Irani; Mehera J. Irani
Meheru: Christmas poem she wrote read to Baba
Mehera: She shows group Baba’s picture; She loves the color green; “I was awake at 12 midnight last night and I wished Baba a Merry Christmas”; Baba on Christmas =; Baba’s film with the Siamese cat; Looking at Baba’s hands, 1923; Saw Baba in Manzil-e-Meem; Stitching shirts, Writing Yezdan; Her home in Poona; Baba’s ghadi; Early poems; Meherazad, 1948

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DF-104A: Mehera J. Irani
Sufis; Early days; First saw Baba Manzil-e-Meem; Shirenmai; Baba’s father; The ant on Baba’s tea cup; Quetta; Nasik, 1930s; Ghost in Lonavla

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DF-104B: Mehera J. Irani
Baba wanted a secluded house; Lonavla, 1942; Holds hand up for a minute; Freiny, Padri’s mother; Baba in Jhopdi, Shawl

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DF-105A: Mehera J. Irani
Tube well, Meherazad; Mahabaleshwar; Mehera tells jokes; Beer; Baba gives name Mehera; Baba says, “No” to Mehera cooking (shakes his head No, hand No; Poona, 1958

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DF-105B: Mehera J. Irani; Manu Jessawala
Manu: Hospital, baby born, Baba comes
Mehera: Her sister liked sewing; Meherazad; Satara; Taking a bath during New Life in triangle; Sewing for Baba; Games; Going to Cannes, Baba’s coat stitched

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DF-106A: Mehera J. Irani; Naja Irani
Mehera: Baba took us to the porthole to show us a volcano; Going tro Cannes; Irene dances for Baba; Nasik; Gabriel Pascal; Saw Pigmalion with Baba; Baba feeding the birds; Mastan in the way of Baba walking; Sewing machine
Naja: All buildings were as if going on top of me…roads coming up…

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DF-106B: Mehera J. Irani
Why choose Nagar, Baba?; Plays & dances in Nasik; 9 July 1925; A deer brought to Baba; English calves; New Life caravan

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DF-107A: Mehera J. Irani
1962 East-West Gathering-change clothes; Half story-Dr. Deshmukh meeting Upansni; Half story Ola Golding; Jokes; She plays with the Swiss chalet model Baba touched; She dressed Baba as Krishna, saris; Mehera saw Baba sweeping dhuni; Babajan came to Meherabad; Swiss chalet model; Baba in seclusion

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DF-107B: Mehera J. Irani
Baba on fast of curry-rice; Baba has tooth pulled, Mehera cries; Dehra Dun; Baba asks them if they want to see snow in Mussori: Satara, Begum the horse; Donkey; Godavri Mai, Sakori

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DF-108A: Mehera J. Irani; Meheru K. Irani
Mehera: 1937 Nasik film; Early Meherabad days; Three incidents Quetta: throw plate, eat grapes, lost way in car; Quetta; Irene Billo’s family tree; Chatti Baba so cold
Meheru: Dreams of Baba; Baba’s scent; Baba particular about time; Baba tells Mehera he loved her first

DF-108B: Meheru K. Irani; Mehera J. Irani
Meheru: Baba talks in Persian; Did Baba speak quickly?; Baba’s fragrance; First day told Mehera as orderly; First Western lovers-Margaret Ross; Baba hide from Westerners at Kondivli; God-Man at Guruprasad film; Peggu the cat; With Baba at Bandaradara; Anger, lust, greed; Baba in Prem Ashram; Girls make flowers for Baba; Stories of travels with Baba; Woman arguing at Rawalpindi
Mehera: She looks at old photo of Meherabad

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DF-109A: Mehera J. Irani
Mastan, Bhuti, Pets; Rabbits to Baba; Birds to Baba

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DF-109B: Mehera J. Irani
Third class train compartment-cramped to travel in; Mohammed Mast; Hyderabad; Chisti’s tomb, Ajmer; Blue Bus; “Baba showed us the rock held up by Chisti with fingers…”; Cha Cha; P.O. Building; Dehra Dun-going to Rishikesh; First came to Meherbad

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DF-110A: Mehera J. Irani
Baba tries on Mehera’s coat-loose; Mastan; Nighttime at Meherazad; Naja sick at Meherazad; Baba out of seclusion; Ginger and garlic; Ship to Cannes, 1937; Hyderabad; 1956 film-Baba can’t walk; Guruprasad, 1969; Harry Kenmore chair; Mani’s dream, January 1969

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DF-110B: Mehera J. Irani; Katie Irani
Mehera: French was 2nd language at Convent of Jesus & Mary; Sugarcane juice; Jesus & Baba; Looking at photos, early years; Sewing; Khorshed; Upper Meherabad, Baba come from the West; Nasik, 1937; Baba in Meherabad summertime; Arangaon; Birds in Dehra Dun; Iranis & Parsis; Naja’s father & his ways
Katie: Hyderabad, 1951; “Baba was serious…sit like that…” means sit quiet, without moving a few moments

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DF-113A: Mehera J. Irani
Dehura Dun in New Life; Rode Donkey as child to get balance for horses; Singer’s Baba liked; “Mani wanted to teach me typing but I didn’t want to learn”; Padri’s cat in 1943; At Pop’s house; Going to Dowla’s house in early days in Poona; Rustom takes them to grape garden in Nasik; Mehera’s order not to touch men

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DF-113B: Mehera J. Irani
”I feel like you all are Baba’s children, so my children also…”; Susan White’s drawings being given to Mehera; Rusi Pop Irani; Dowla’s house in Poona; Babajan; Seating arrangements-Mani (left), Mehera (right) in car; Early days in Poona; About Khorshed; 1968 Dara’s wedding film; Baba feed Biki the bird; Pops house, 1945; Baba in Myrtle Beach; Baba gave them cigarettes to try

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DF-111A: Mehera J. Irani
Baba wanted quiet; Plane going to USA, 1952; People opposed to Baba; Captain Solicitor help her mother with affairs; Col. Irani; St. Francis, Baba’s hair; Photo of Baba in Prem Ashram, necklace, ring; Baba jingles Mehera’s mother’s jewelry to tempt Mehera

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DF-111B: Mehera J. Irani

Baba wears Mehera’s ring; “…not want Baba to wear it here…”, chest, neck; 1938 Arangaon villagers give crown; First coming to Meherabad; 1924 Quetta trip; Baba tells Khorshed tomorrow your friend is coming; Baba at big darshan; Baba gave the name; Myrtle Beach, 1952; Prague; Early Meherabad-9 July 1925; Aloba jumps up to swat away fly on Baba’s arm; Prem Ashram time, send flowers to Baba

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DF-112A: Mehera J. Irani
Sending flowers to Baba during Prem Ashram time; Upper Meherabad, 1934, Baba sends wildflower to Mehera; “This means hungry…” Baba pointing to stomach with fingers together; Weddings-watch behind grandfather’s house; Her parent’s wedding; Cannes, 1937; Movie, “Red Shoes” Baba’s signs; Lift weight off head-pointing to ear for “E”, eye for “I”

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DF-112B: Mehera J. Irani
”…This means no good…” Hands from nose throw away; Nasik film; Mehera took film of Baba; “I don’t like turtle as a pet…”; Take care of eyes; Baba told her not to read in 193as; Mehera trips & falls at Meherabad during Amartithi; Dehra Dun in New Life

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DF-114A: Mehera J. Irani; Meheru K. Irani
Mehera: ”Father loved company to mix with people… his job was lonely, he liked to entertain, see people happy”; Dahanu; Tour of Gujarat; Grandfather on mother’s side had an accent; Baba eating mangoes; Drinking cocoanuts in Bombay; Gileli sent to Baba to eat; The hunt for the gold frog in Cannes; Hedi’s photos; Baba with Mastan photos; Baba with Cracker; Mehera’s father and her childhood in Gujarat, Sukkor, etc. Ajmer in Blue Bus tours, climb hill
Meheru: Mt. Abu, 1935

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DF-114B: Mehera J. Irani
Baba shows the women Cha Cha; Frist stay at Meherabad; tastes chutney Mehera prepared; Handing salt to Baba; Post Office; Maharaj talked about India’s independence; Ahmednagar barren place; Quetta, Yezdan photo meditate

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DF-115A: Mehera J. Irani
Khorshed’s idea to forgo pillows, Post Office; Baba playing Gilli Danda and cheats at it; Used to worship Baba’s photo after he came down Babajan…short hair; “I’m going bald”; Baba loves mistakes made in plays; Margaret used onions to protect herself

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DF-115B: Mehera J. Irani
Wasps nest; Dehra Dun, 1946-stung by wasps; Lemmon; Dehra Dun to Simla; Simla, 1946; Harwar with Margaret; Kumba Mela; Baba’s dentures-Hyderabad, 1952; Satara; Mehera was first to ride Shega; Baba signed: “Very good”, “OK” sign; Squirrels at Satara

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DF-116A: Mehera J. Irani
Peter and the squirrels; “I don’t like milk”; White Horse at Meherabad; Daulat with Baba asking him questions about Freiny, etc.; First woman to come to Nagar; First came to Meherabad; Kiss in the New Life caravan

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