During 1945, Adi’s father, Khan Saheb Irani, had been ill and bedridden for the past several months. Baba went to see him at his home in Khushru Quarters, Ahmednagar, on September 19th. (1945). Khan Saheb had always had great reverence for Baba, but no love. Now, much to his wife Gulmai’s delight, he genuinely felt drawn to Baba.
Baba asked him, “What do you wish for?”
“Good health for two months and, thereafter, liberation,” he said.
Baba promised: “Do as I say for two months, and I will definitely fulfill your wish.”
Baba gave him some instructions regarding personal matters, and Khan Saheb was happy. He garlanded Baba, and a photograph was taken of Baba, Gulmai and Khan Saheb. Before leaving, Baba took Adi and Gulmai aside and remarked, “He will be relieved of his agonies in October.”
This was to be Khan Saheb’s last meeting with Baba, and his last wish was fulfilled by Baba. He merged in God’s infinity eighteen days later on Sunday, October 7th, 1945, at noon, with Baba’s name on his lips.
A few days before Khan Saheb died, Adi was surprised to find flowers strewn on his bed when he went to sleep at night. The next night again, his bed was covered with flowers. When the third night he waited and caught one of the servants in the act, he demanded to know who had instructed him do such a thing. The servant told him that it was none other than the ailing Khan Saheb.
Adi confronted his father the following morning and Khan Saheb admitted that he did it. “But why?” asked Adi.
“All these years,” said Khan Saheb, “you had been telling me how great Meher Baba is – how he is like Zarathustra, our Prophet. I did not believe you and tried to thwart you in your efforts to serve him. But now I know that you were right all along, and I ask your forgiveness. I honor and worship your love for Baba. You were right, Adi. Meher Baba is God!” And his father folded his hands to a picture of Baba kept on the wall opposite his bed. Adi burst out weeping and fell into his father’s arms.
Although Khan Saheb opposed Meher Baba at the beginning, he became his at the end. Could the very man who gifted the sacred grounds of Meherabad to the Master not be his?
Because of this family’s deep connection with the Avatar, Baba had chosen Meherabad as his own final resting place. Generations to come will honor Khan Saheb for his gift of love.
Lord Meher, Bhau Kalchuri, Original Publication, Vol. 13, p. 3063 – 3064.