The Meherbad Project Slideshows - Left Wall
MURAL ONE - The left hand side of this painting depicts Baba at age 13 with his parents, his father Shahr-Yar Irani, later called Sheriar by His friends, and his mother Shireen. The right side is about Baba's "Unveiling," His journey to realize His divinity and his role as the Avatar. Baba is pictured with the Five Perfect Masters - Hazrat Babajan, Sai Baba of Shirdi, Upasni Maharaj, Narayan Maharaj, and Hazrat Tajuddin Baba. Divine Authority rests solely with the Five Perfect Masters of the Age - only they can bring God Himself into human form.
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MURAL TWO - The second painting is about the Prem Ashram days. The Prem Ashram was a special part of the Hazrat Babajan school. The boys in the ashram were souls who had shown a special aptitude for spirituality from a mixture of religious, social, and economic backgrounds.
MURAL THREE – The third painting is inspired by those early fiery days of the 1920’s. I wanted to put the four elements into this painting – earth, air, water, and fire. In traditional symbolism, fire can be represented by wood because of its latent capacity to burn. The portrait on the right side reminded me of the opening line from the Australian Arti written by Francis Brabazon:
“Oh Glorious Eternal Ancient One,
Your face is a bright transcendental sun.”
MURAL THREE – The third painting is inspired by those early fiery days of the 1920’s. I wanted to put the four elements into this painting – earth, air, water, and fire. In traditional symbolism, fire can be represented by wood because of its latent capacity to burn. The portrait on the right side reminded me of the opening line from the Australian Arti written by Francis Brabazon:
“Oh Glorious Eternal Ancient One,
Your face is a bright transcendental sun.”
MURAL FOUR - The fourth painting is about Mehera J. Irani, whom Meher Baba, the Divine Beloved of all hearts, has called His beloved. He said that she loved Him as He should be loved.
MURAL FIVE - The fifth painting could be titled, Baba Loved Us Too, the same as the book written by Mehera, a delightful book full of stories about Meher Baba and His pets. Because of Meher Baba's sister Mani's support for my artwork over the years, I wanted to include her in this painting. Here she is pictured with her dog, Cracker. Cracker's grave is near Baba's Samadhi with many of Baba's other pets. Pegu, the Siamese cat that we've all seen in the films playing happily at Baba's feet, is sitting in Mehera's lap.
MURAL FIVE - The fifth painting could be titled, Baba Loved Us Too, the same as the book written by Mehera, a delightful book full of stories about Meher Baba and His pets. Because of Meher Baba's sister Mani's support for my artwork over the years, I wanted to include her in this painting. Here she is pictured with her dog, Cracker. Cracker's grave is near Baba's Samadhi with many of Baba's other pets. Pegu, the Siamese cat that we've all seen in the films playing happily at Baba's feet, is sitting in Mehera's lap.
MURAL SIX - The sixth painting is about Baba's early world tours. He made thirteen world tours but this painting only has scenes from the early ones. On the far left Baba is sitting with Kaka Baria and the pigeons in St. Mark's Square in Venice, Italy. In the upper right corner Baba is visiting the Great Pyramids in Giza, Egypt. The lower right pictures Baba with film star Tallulah Bankhead, referencing Baba's 1932 trip to Hollywood where He met with many of the stars of the day.
Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford arranged a private reception for Him at their mansion where Baba said to the group assembled, "I do not need to tell you, who are engaged in the production and distribution of motion pictures, what a power you hold in your hands - nor do I doubt that you are fully alive to the responsibilities which the wielding of that power involves. He who stimulates the imagination of the masses can move them in any direction he chooses, and there is no more powerful an instrument for stimulating their imagination than motion pictures."
MURAL SEVEN - Just like Jesus, Meher Baba loved being with children and the seventh painting is about just that. Baba said, “I love small animals for they are part of my creation, but I love children much more, for with them I am the Eternal Child and they, in their happy play, are my playmates.”
Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford arranged a private reception for Him at their mansion where Baba said to the group assembled, "I do not need to tell you, who are engaged in the production and distribution of motion pictures, what a power you hold in your hands - nor do I doubt that you are fully alive to the responsibilities which the wielding of that power involves. He who stimulates the imagination of the masses can move them in any direction he chooses, and there is no more powerful an instrument for stimulating their imagination than motion pictures."
MURAL SEVEN - Just like Jesus, Meher Baba loved being with children and the seventh painting is about just that. Baba said, “I love small animals for they are part of my creation, but I love children much more, for with them I am the Eternal Child and they, in their happy play, are my playmates.”
MURAL EIGHT - Mural Eight shows Meher Baba with the God-intoxicated masts, advanced souls that Baba loved dearly and worked with extensively throughout His life. From left to right, there is Mast Mohammed, Mast Shariat Khan, and a dwarf mast whom Baba contacted in 1939. Mohammed the Mast had the most prolonged contact with Baba and lived at Meherabad. I remember once Bhau Kalchuri asked me if I wanted to ask Mohammed for anything. I asked for his blessings for the successful completion of these mural paintings. He gave me his blessings - something I deeply appreciated, then and now.
Now, with the painting of Baba with the masts, we have come to the end of the wall on the left, and the colours of the full sunlight are evident. Visit the page Murals 9-16 to view the slideshows for the final eight murals that were installed on the right side of the hall.