- 1969 Darshan
The 1969 Darshan (also known as The Last Darshan and The Great Darshan) was a darshan (
Sanskrit for 'instance of seeing or beholding') where many followers ofMeher Baba from around the world, many of whom had not met Meher Baba, came from East and West toPune andMeherabad ,India to pay homage to him after his death onJanuary 31 ,1969 . [ [http://www.avatarmeherbaba.org/erics/glosse-g.html "Master's Glossary"] , (See "Great Darshan")] The programs had been arranged by Meher Baba in advance of his death. The darshan programs took place mostly inPune , in phases, from April to June 1969. Thousands attended ["Listen, Humanity by Meher Baba" 3rd Ed, Harper Colophon Books, New York, 1982, Introduction to the Colophon Edition, p. x] [ [http://www.trustmeher.com/meher_baba/meherbaba/who_is_meherbaba.htm Who is Meher Baba] ] , mostly Easterners, but including about 800 Westerners. Each group was given one day in which it got to see his samadhi (tomb) inMeherabad (150 miles from Pune; see photo). In Pune Westerners attended programs in the morning and Easterners in the afternoon. [ [http://www.mandalihall.org/Mixedtalks/GreatDarshanProceedings/mp3pagesGreatDarshan/ScheduleAndAnnouncements1.html Darshan Schedule as explained by Eruch Jessawala] (1969 tape recording of darshan schedule being explained to attendants)]History
Before his passing, Meher Baba had made extensive preparations for a public darshan program to be held in Pune, India in the Spring of 1969. Originally the darshan had been planned for Meher Baba's followers in the East and West to see Meher Baba personally. Many in the West had heard of Meher Baba only in the last years of his life while he was maintaining strict seclusion and were hoping to see him for the first time. The darshan had been planned for April-June 1969, but Baba died at the end of January, ahead of the scheduled event. Meher Baba's body was laid in his samadhi (tomb) at
Meherabad and was kept viewable to the public for one week, but was interred on February 7, 1969. Meher Baba'smandali decided to proceed with the arrangements for the large darshan despite the physical absence of the host. Baba's secretary Adi K. Irani sent out a circular that read, "God has invited you, and you are free to keep your appointment." Several thousand attended this "Last Darshan," including many hundred people from the U.S.A., Europe, and Australia. [Kalchuri, Bhau: "Meher Prabhu: Lord Meher, The Biography of the Avatar of the Age, Meher Baba", "Manifestation, Inc." 1986. p. 6739]Amartithi
Meher Baba's death is commemorated annually in India in festivities known as
Amartithi held at Meherabad in the last week of each January. 10,000-12,000 overnight and 25,000-30,000 daytime visitors from all over the world gather at Meherabad for the three-day program. [ [http://www.ambppct.org/events/events.php Avatar Meher Baba Trust - Calendar of Events] ]See also
*
Darśana
*Amartithi
*Meher Baba's samadhi References
External links
* [http://www.mandalihall.org/Mixedtalks/GreatDarshanProceedings/GreatDarshanProceedings.html Great Darshan Proceedings] (tape recordings of actual proceedings)
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