AVATAR MEHER BABA PERPETUAL PUBLIC CHARITABLE TRUST
KING’S ROAD, POST BAG NO. 31, AHMEDNAGAR, (M.S.) 414 001.
Telephone No. (0241) 2343666, 2347093 Ahmednagar, 2548777 Meherabad Office
Email ID: [email protected]
FRAMROZE J. MISTRY 22nd October 2023
CHAIRMAN
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Beloved Avatar Meher Baba,
The Fifty-Fifth Amartithi of Beloved Avatar Meher Baba falls on Wednesday, 31st January 2024. The observance of the Fifty-Fifth Amartithi (Anniversary of Avatar Meher Baba’s Darshan) will be for two days, i.e., from 12 noon on 30th January to 12 noon on 1st February 2024. The main function, as usual, will be on 31st January 2024.
ALL ARE HEARTILY WELCOME TO ATTEND AVATAR MEHER BABA’S FIFTY-FIFTH AMARTITHI FUNCTION AT MEHERABAD, ARANGAON, AHMEDNAGAR (M.S.).
OBSERVANCE OF SILENCE
Observing Silence from 12 noon to 12:15 p.m. on 31st January at Beloved Avatar Meher Baba’s Samadhi is the most significant event during Amartithi. It has been observed that some pilgrims, who may be new to Beloved Baba, are not aware of this and instead visit different places at Meherabad during this time. It is, therefore important that all Centres impress upon Baba lovers the importance of the Silence period so that they will be in attendance at the Samadhi during the observance of Silence.
A) DARSHAN
1) During Amartithi, from 6 a.m. on 30th January until 12 noon on 1st February 2024, a wooden railing will be placed in front of the sacred marble at Baba’s Samadhi. Instead of bowing down, pilgrims may enter the Samadhi and take Darshan by reaching over the railing and touching the marble.
2) QUEUE TOKEN SYSTEM: For 31st January 2024 Amartithi Darshan, we are continuing with our Queue Token System.
THE PILGRIMS SHOULD JOIN THE QUEUE WHEN THEIR NUMBER IS DISPLAYED.
Darshan of Beloved Avatar Meher Baba will be available inside the Tomb-Shrine through a regulated queue designated specifically for this occasion. However, due to the influx of pilgrims during Amartithi, it is requested for the benefit of all pilgrims to take the least time possible for Darshan and to take Darshan only once on 31st January 2024.
B) REGARDING LODGING ARRANGEMENTS
Every year, around 18,000 pilgrims from India are accommodated in the various facilities at Lower Meherabad, New Site and Pilgrim Education Site. Now that the pandemic has subsided, we expect many more pilgrims to participate. To know the additional numbers and make arrangements for their stay, we request Baba lovers to positively send their request for accommodation by 7th January 2024.
1) Pilgrims who wish to be accommodated at Meherabad must send an amount of Rs. 50/- per person for lodging arrangements, directly to the Trust. Children above 7 years will be charged for lodging, while those below 7 years will be accommodated free. Such amounts are called “AMARTITHI DONATIONS”, and they must be sent directly to the Trust.
2) Amartithi Registration donations can be sent using any of the following methods :
a) Online through the AMBPPCT app: The app can be downloaded from Google Playstore or accessed via browser using https://meherbabaapp.com.
Open the app, navigate to ‘Amartithi 2024 Donations’ and login using your Google Account. Payment can be made using UPI or your Credit/Debit card. On completing the registration process, you will receive a text confirmation and token number on your registered mobile number. You will also be able to print a soft copy of the donation receipt. On arrival at Meherabad for Amartithi, you can show this text message or a printed soft copy to get Amartithi Entry Tokens. It will be possible to change the number of Men and Women in the group through this app up to 7th January 2024.
Online payment will be accepted only up to 7th January 2024.
For any issue related to online payment, please send an SMS or WhatsApp message to 9000001527.
b) Money Order: Amartithi Registration donations can be sent by money order to the following address:
AMARTITHI DONATIONS
Avatar Meher Baba P. P. C. Trust
King’s Road, Post Bag No.31,
Ahmednagar, M. S. 414 001.
Nowadays, the post office sends money orders electronically; hence, we do not receive the message portion that mentions the number of men and women (including children above 7 years). So please include this information in the sender’s name on the money order form like—
Sender’s Name—X X X X (—-Men + —-Women)
Address —-
Mobile No. ————
Pilgrims are requested to be very particular in giving their full names, addresses and Mobile Number in BLOCK LETTERS on the Money Order Forms. They must also REMEMBER to bring to Meherabad the Money Order Acknowledgement Receipt or M.O. receipt. This will entitle them to receive Entry Tokens for their lodging from the Trust at the Enquiry Office or Sub-Enquiry Office upon their arrival at Meherabad on 30th January 2024.
c) A Bank Demand Draft (D.D.) to Avatar Meher Baba P.P.C Trust can be accepted provided a separate letter is sent along with it, to the address mentioned above, clearly giving the details of the number of men, women and children, and the sender’s mobile number and address. The letter must mention the purpose as “AMARTITHI DONATIONS”.
IMPORTANT:
These lodging requests have to be earmarked as “AMARTITHI DONATIONS”; otherwise, such amounts will be considered donations to the Trust, and the sender will NOT have lodging accommodations at Meherabad.
Please note that those who register at the Enquiry Office on the 30th or 31st January, and not before, will have to pay Rs. 50/- extra towards Amartithi Donations. (Total Rs. 100/-)
3) KITCHEN FACILITY: Groups of pilgrims who wish to cook their food will be accommodated and provided kitchen facilities at the NEW SITE and PILGRIM EDUCATION SITE. Therefore, groups who want to cook their food in the kitchens must inform Shri Jal P. Dastoor, c/o Avatar Meher Baba P.P.C. Trust, King’s Road, Post Bag No.31, Ahmednagar (M.S.) 414 001 through letters which Jal must receive by the last week of December 2023. Also, when these groups of pilgrims needing kitchen facility send their money to the Trust for their lodging, they must make special mention that they wish to lodge at the New Site/Pilgrim Education Site. Special Entry Tokens will be prepared for such pilgrims. Upon their arrival at Meherabad, they will have to collect Special Entry Tokens and Kitchen Numbers only from the Sub-Enquiry Office at the New Site.
4) MATTRESSES: The mattress contractor will supply the mattresses on the 30th January morning and take back the same on the 1st February by 1.00 p.m. There is no need to send the money in advance.
A deposit of Rs.100/- and hire charges of Rs.80/- will be collected while giving the mattress, and the deposit of Rs.100/- will be refunded when the mattress is returned.
5) Pilgrims are reminded that they should continue to abide by Beloved Baba’s wishes, as expressed by Him in the 1958 Sahavas, that men and women pilgrims should stay in their own quarters and not visit, enter, or rest in each other’s quarters. Pilgrims should lovingly cooperate with the Management in this matter, and the Management reserves the right to caution any pilgrim who fails to abide by Beloved Baba’s wishes.
As usual, there will be separate lodging arrangements for men and women at Meherabad. So to avoid confusion, it is advised that men and women of the same family pack individual bags and bedding rolls separately BEFORE they arrive at Meherabad.
C) REGARDING ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
1) Pilgrims should not arrive at Meherabad before 6:00 a.m. on 30th January 2024 and should leave Meherabad around 12 noon on 1st February 2024.
2) Pilgrims arriving from outstations by special buses, private cars, or hired taxis are requested to park only in the parking zones at the New Site, Lower Meherabad or Pilgrim Education Site. Vehicles should not be taken up Meherabad Hill as that is restricted parking for Trust vehicles only.
3) Pilgrims arriving from outstations by Public Transport or Railway are requested to note the below schedule for arrival and departure of Meherabad.
D) REGARDING TRANSPORT ARRANGEMENTS
1) State Transport authorities will be requested to ply their buses from Ahmednagar Railway Station, and City S.T. Bus Stand to and from Meherabad at fixed hours on 30th and 31st January 2024 and 1st February 2024.
2) Volunteers wearing Baba badges will be at the Railway Station and Bus Stand to guide pilgrims visiting Meherabad.
3) There is a second S.T. Bus Stand in the Tarakpur area of Ahmednagar. However, pilgrims should alight at City Bus Stand.
On Tuesday, 30TH JANUARY, 2024:
According to train timings, State Transport Buses from Ahmednagar Railway Station to Meherabad from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
State Transport Buses from S.T. Bus Stand to Meherabad from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
On Wednesday, 31ST JANUARY, 2024:
State Transport buses from S.T. Bus Stand via Ahmednagar Railway Station to Meherabad from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
State Transport buses from Meherabad to Ahmednagar Railway Station and S.T. Bus Stand from 12:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
On Thursday, 1ST FEBRUARY, 2024:
State Transport buses from Meherabad to Ahmednagar (Railway Station and S.T. Bus Stand) from 5:30 a.m. onwards.
E) PROGRAMME – REQUESTING A PERFORMANCE SLOT IN AMARTITHI PROGRAMME
Place- The Holy Tomb-Shrine of Avatar Meher Baba on Meherabad Hill,
Ahmednagar (M.S.) India – Amphitheatre.
Meher Baba’s lovers and Meher Baba Centres from India and around the world who wish to offer Beloved Baba a song, classical dance, or play/drama/skit on the 55th Amartithi occasion, kindly register online following the instructions below.
(Please note this is a LIVE, IN-PERSON programme; so please do not submit videos.)
1) Click on the link Amartithi 2024 Programme Participation Form for 55th Amartithi Programme Performance Slot Request. The link is also available on the Trust website https://avatarmeherbabatrust.org/events/.
2) The link will open a form requesting name, performance item details, contact information etc. Please fill up the form and press SUBMIT. After submission, you will receive an acknowledgement email immediately from Shri. Mehernath Kalchuri, Trustee and Amartithi Programme Coordinator.
3) If you need help with the form, kindly contact [email protected] or call
+91 74477 66580 or +91 74477 66585.
4) If you are still unable to complete the form, kindly send details by email to [email protected] or via letter to Trustee Shri. Mehernath B. Kalchuri, Avatar Meher Baba P.P.C. Trust, King’s Road, Post Bag 31, Ahmednagar 414001 (M.S.).
5) Last Date for submitting requests: 20th December 2023. The requests will be accommodated, time permitting, within the programme schedule. We lovingly request all participants to adhere to their allotted timings, as changes cannot be accomodated. It will not be possible to accept late requests on arrival.
Please confirm your programme slot/time on the AMBPPC Trust website:
https://avatarmeherbabatrust.org/ before Amartithi or at the Amartithi site on notice boards. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE DETAILED PROGRAMME SCHEDULE WILL BE DISPLAYED AT VARIOUS PLACES IN MEHERABAD.
F) DISTRIBUTION OF PRASAD AT SAMADHI ON 31ST JANUARY
No cooked Prasad BUT ONLY WRAPPED DRY PRASAD WILL BE ALLOWED to be distributed near the Samadhi. All centres and individuals desirous of the distribution of Prasad will have to apply in advance to Trustee Shri. Ramesh Jangale advising what kind of dry Prasad they wish to distribute. Trustee Ramesh Jangale will advise the time slot to distribute Prasad so that the Prasad is evenly distributed throughout the day. PLEASE NOTE THAT LAST-MINUTE REQUESTS ON THE AMARTITHI DAY WILL NOT BE ENTERTAINED.
G) OTHER
1) Meherabad Management requests all the pilgrims to use water very sparingly. Hot water for bathing will be provided from 11:00 p.m. 30th January to 7:00 a.m. 31st January.
2) Pilgrims in the close vicinity of the Samadhi are requested to do their utmost to maintain the sanctity of the Tomb-Shrine.
3) Pilgrims are requested that before they leave their Tents/Hostels for the programme on the Hill on 1st February morning, they must, without fail, deposit their luggage at Hostel B for Lower Meherabad pilgrims and Tent F for New Site pilgrims and collect the same before their departure.
4) During Amartithi, despite police and security arrangements, some thefts do occur. Therefore, pilgrims are cautioned to be very careful with their valuables, especially their purses, pouches, gold ornaments, mobiles, cameras and other items carried by hand.
5) For their safety, pilgrims are asked to wear their Entry Tokens at all times and volunteers are deputed to inquire of anyone seen without a token.
6) There will be stalls selling light refreshments and meals at Lower Meherabad, New Site, Pilgrim Education Site and Upper Meherabad till early afternoon on 1st February 2024.
7) MEHERAZAD WILL BE CLOSED FROM 28TH JANUARY THROUGH 3RD FEBRUARY. THIS INCLUDES ALL AMARTITHI DAYS (30th January through 1st February). Hence pilgrims should NOT visit Meherazad during these days for any purpose whatsoever. Meherazad will be open for pilgrims on Sunday, 4th February 2024.
Please pass on the above information about the Amartithi programme to all the lovers of Avatar Meher Baba in your area.
AVATAR MEHER BABA KI JAI!!!
In the Love and Service of Avatar Meher Baba,
(FRAMROZE. J. MISTRY)
CHAIRMAN
NOTE: There is no need for any correspondence with the Trust Office on the Amartithi programme and arrangements.