AVATAR MEHER BABA PERPETUAL PUBLIC CHARITABLE TRUST
KING’S ROAD, POST BAG NO. 31, AHILYANAGAR, (M.S.) 414 001.
Telephone No. (0241) 2343666, 2347093 Ahilyanagar, 2548777 Meherabad Office
Email ID: [email protected]
FRAMROZE J. MISTRY 23rd October 2024
CHAIRMAN
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Beloved Avatar Meher Baba,
The Fifty-Sixth Amartithi of Beloved Avatar Meher Baba falls on Friday, 31st January 2025. The observance of the Fifty-Sixth Amartithi (Anniversary of Avatar Meher Baba’s Darshan) will be for two days, i.e., from 10:30 a.m. on 30th January to 1:00 p.m. on 1st February 2025. The main function, as usual, will be on 31st January 2025.
ALL ARE HEARTILY WELCOME TO ATTEND AVATAR MEHER BABA’S FIFTY-SIXTH AMARTITHI GATHERING AT MEHERABAD, ARANGAON, AHILYANAGAR (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 1 p.m. on 1st February 2025, 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 2025 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 2025.
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. To help us plan and make necessary arrangements for their stay, we request Baba lovers to definitely send their request for accommodation by 7th January 2025.
1) Pilgrims who wish to be accommodated at Meherabad should send an amount of Rs. 100/- per person as a contribution towards lodging arrangements directly to the Trust. The contribution for lodging is required for children above 7 years, while those below 7 years will be accommodated free. Such amounts are called “AMARTITHI DONATIONS”, and they must be sent directly to the Trust.
NOTE: Please note a change in the accommodation arrangements this year. In previous years, pilgrims paid Rs. 80 separately to the mattress contractor to hire a mattress which they had to carry, lay, and return it themselves. This year, to enhance convenience for the pilgrims, mattresses will be provided for ALL and laid out in the hostels and tents before pilgrims arrive on 30th January 2025. The Amartithi Donation amount has been increased from Rs. 50 to Rs. 100, which includes a contribution towards this additional facility.
Please note that those who register at the Enquiry Office on the 30th or 31st January,
and not before, may not get the mattresses.
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. The app will be available for use from 28th October 2024.
Open the app, navigate to ‘Amartithi 2025 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 SMS confirmation and registration 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 the text message or a printed soft copy to get Amartithi Entry Badges. It will be possible to change the number of Men and Women in the group through this app up to 7th January 2025.
Online payment will be accepted only up to 7th January 2025.
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,
Ahilyanagar, 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 numbers in BLOCK LETTERS on the Money Order Forms. They must also remember to bring the Money Order Acknowledgement Receipt or M.O. receipt to Meherabad. This will entitle them to receive Entry Badges for their lodging from the Trust at the Enquiry Office or Sub-Enquiry Office upon their arrival at Meherabad on 30th January 2025.
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 accommodation at Meherabad.
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 Trustee Shri Ramesh Jangale, c/o Avatar Meher Baba P.P.C. Trust, King’s Road, Post Bag No.31, Ahilyanagar (M.S.) 414 001 through letters which he must receive by the last week of December 2024. Also, when these groups of pilgrims needing kitchen facilities 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. Upon their arrival at Meherabad, they will have to collect their Entry Badges and Kitchen Numbers only from the Sub-Enquiry Office at the New Site.
4) 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 2025 and should leave Meherabad around 1 p.m. on 1st February 2025.
2) Pilgrims arriving from outstations by special buses, private cars, or hired taxis are requested to park only in the parking zones at Lower Meherabad, New Site or Pilgrim Education Site. Vehicles should not be taken up Meherabad Hill as parking on the Hill is restricted for Trust vehicles only.
3) Pilgrims arriving from outstations by public transport or railway are requested to note the schedule below for arrival and departure in Meherabad.
D) REGARDING TRANSPORT ARRANGEMENTS
1) State Transport authorities will be requested to ply their buses from Ahilyanagar Railway Station and City S.T. Bus Stand to and from Meherabad at fixed hours on 30th and 31st January 2025 and 1st February 2025.
2) Volunteers wearing Baba badges will be at the Railway Station and City Bus Stand to guide pilgrims visiting Meherabad.
3) There is a second S.T. Bus Stand in the Tarakpur area of Ahilyanagar. However, pilgrims should alight at the City Bus Stand.
On Thursday, 30TH JANUARY 2025:
According to train timings, State Transport Buses from Ahilyanagar 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 Friday, 31ST JANUARY 2025:
State Transport buses from S.T. Bus Stand via Ahilyanagar Railway Station to Meherabad from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
State Transport buses from Meherabad to Ahilyanagar Railway Station and S.T. Bus Stand from 12:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
On Saturday, 1ST FEBRUARY 2025:
State Transport buses from Meherabad to Ahilyanagar (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,
Ahilyanagar (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/cultural dance, or a short skit on the 56th 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 2025 Programme Participation Form for the 56th 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 your name, performance item details, contact information, etc. Please fill out 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, Ahilyanagar 414001 (M.S.).
5) The last date for submitting requests is 20th December 2024. 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 accommodated. It will not be possible to accept late requests on arrival.
Please check your programme slot/time on the AMBPPC Trust website:
https://avatarmeherbabatrust.org/ before Amartithi or at the Amartithi site on the 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 wishing to distribute Prasad must apply in advance to Trustee Shri Ramesh Jangale, specifying the type of dry Prasad they intend to distribute. Trustee Ramesh Jangale will provide a designated time slot for the distribution of Prasad to ensure it is evenly distributed throughout the day. PLEASE NOTE THAT LAST-MINUTE REQUESTS ON AMARTITHI DAY WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
G) OTHER
1) For pilgrims who do not wish to register for Amartithi accommodation, Darshan tokens (ONE PER PERSON) will be available on Meherabad Hill (along the path from New Site to Baba’s Samadhi) starting at 10 p.m. on 30th 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) 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.
4) Pilgrims are requested that before they leave their Tents/Hostels for the programme on the Hill on the 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.
5) Despite police and security arrangements, some thefts do occur during Amartithi. 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.
6) For their safety, pilgrims are asked to wear their Entry Badges at all times and volunteers are deputed to inquire of anyone seen without the Entry Badge.
7) 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 2025.
8) 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 re-open for pilgrims on Tuesday, 4th February 2025.
Please pass on the above information about the 56th Amartithi 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. However, please contact Trustee Gopala Krishna Meher, Manager, Sahavas Organizing Department at 9885071780 for any concerns or important matters.
P.S. Pursuant to the gazette notification issued by the Government of Maharashtra on October 4, 2024, the name of Ahmednagar has officially been changed to Ahilyanagar, which is named after the 18th-century Maratha queen, Ahilyabai Holkar.
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