THE DADACHANJI AND KARKARIA FAMILIES

On March 7th, (1927) Chanji brought all his relatives from Poona to Meherabad. Chanji’s brother, Naoroji H. Dadachanji, had taken a contract to build a boys’ hostel for Parsis in Poona and had been living there with his family for some time. Naoroji’s family consisted of his wife, Bachamai; three daughters, Arnavaz, Nargis and Rhoda; and a four-month old son, Tehemtan.

With them they brought a rather reluctant young relative who lived in their same compound in Poona. His name was Meherjee Ardeshir Karkaria. Meherjee had been induced to come with them on a picnic to Ahmednagar. When the Dadachanji family reached Meherabad, they were deeply moved by the radiance and glowing features of the Master at their first sight of him.

His face was unlike any other;
it belonged to some divine heavenly being.
His eyes were unlike any others,
so penetrating, seeing the heart’s very core.
 
The Dadachanji family were Parsis from Bombay, and though it was not customary for them as Zoroastrians, they offered Baba homage by touching his feet. But Meherjee, the son of a Parsi priest in Navsari, folded his hands in salutation from a distance. After Baba inquired about each one’s health, he gestured to Meherjee and asked, “What do you do?” He replied that he was studying science and engineering. Baba inquired further, “What will you do when you finish?” Meherjee replied that he would obtain his Bachelors of Science degree. Baba smiled and asked, “Why don’t you come to my school and work as a teacher?” Meherjee did not seem happy with this, so Baba added, “All right, appear in the exam; but if you fail, come back.” Meherjee did not say anything.

Baba had been gazing at Tehemtan and took the boy in his arms and kissed him for a long time. From that day onward, the Dadachanji family began being absorbed in the Master’s divine love. In the evening, Naoroji, with his family and Meherjee, left.

(Meherjee soon joined Baba and remained His life long disciple. He also travelled with Baba on several of His tours in India and abroad).

(The Dadachanji family has remained till date the foremost Parsee-Zoroastrian family to remain in Beloved Baba’s fold).

Lord Meher, Bhau Kalchuri, Original Publication, Vol. 3, pp. 916 – 917.