UTTAR PRADESH

 

 The Tomb / Shrines for Kabir in Maghar, India.
The Tomb / Shrines for Kabir in Maghar, India.
1925 : Meherabad, India. Image rendition by Anthony Zois.
1925 : Meherabad, India. Image rendition by Anthony Zois.

 

In late February 1924, Meher Baba and some men followers of his, departed Bombay ( Mumbai ) by ship to visit Persia ( Iran ), they returned to British India ( now Pakistan ) at Karachi in mid-March.

From here they took trains to reach Raxaul, the border town with Nepal. Because of some timing, they were refused entry into that Kingdom. So, they decided to visit the tombs of Perfect Master Kabir in Maghar.

This whole trip finished when Meher Baba returned to Meherabad at the end of March.

The following texts pertains to the visit of Maghar, etc. To read the whole account of this visit to Persia and India click on the following button to visit the webpage.

 

Map show the various routes taken between 22nd Feb to late March 1924. Map graphics by Anthony Zois.
Map show the various routes taken between 22nd Feb to late March 1924. Map graphics by Anthony Zois.

Mid-March 1924

 

The train later left Karachi for Hyderabad ( Sind ), then changed trains for Jaipur and onto Lucknow. Here, Baba went to the bazaar there looking for sandals, but was disappointed with what was being offered. Baba was still wearing the woolen Kamli coat that Yeshwant Rao had given him and the sandals that Kanhoba Rao made back in India prior to travelling.

Masaji did all the cooking for the group including the teas.

 

Leaving Lucknow, they proceeded to Raxaul which a frontier station on the Nepalese border. They discovered that they had missed the entry date by a few days. Baba had sent telegrams to various government authorities, but permission was not granted.

 

 

Rail map of the Raxaul to Maghar route. Map graphics by Anthony Zois.
Rail map of the Raxaul to Maghar route. Map graphics by Anthony Zois.

 

 Mid-March 1924 continued

 

They then decided to proceed to Maghar  (via Gorakhpur) and visit the tomb of the renown poet and Perfect Master Kabir, staying for 2 days. Baba had the men feed 50 poor people here, all the surplus provisions were distributed which made their luggage considerably lighter.

 

There are 2 tombs for Kabir in the Maghar, one for the Hindus and one for the Muslims.

Baba had to intervene on a quarrel here between 2 groups of travelling sadhus (spiritual aspirants). He told them sternly on how to behave when one lives the life of a pilgrim.

 

RD p.302

LM p.604

 

KABIR
KABIR

 

There are two temples dedicated to Kabir located in Benares. One of them is maintained by Hindus, while the other by Muslims. Both the temples practise similar forms of worship where his songs are sung daily. Other rituals of aarti and distributing prasad are similar to other Hindu temples. The followers of Kabir are vegetarians and abstain from alcohol.

Click on the following button to visit the web page on Kabir on this this website.

 

 

Mid-March 1924 continued

 

*They left Maghar for Cawnpore ( Kanpur ) some 200 miles / 320 Kms away. When they arrived in Cawnpore, it took them awhile riding in a tonga to find a suitable place to stay at a dhamashala (rest house). They later went to the local bathing steps by tram cars to bathe in the Ganges River.

 

RD p.302

LM p.604

 

 

* The 2 references used to write the account of this trip have different versions on how Baba and his men went from Maghar to Cawnpore. The Lord Meher book & On-line versions having a horse tonga transporting 6 men including the driver, 200 miles / 320 Kms in a couple of days. That is not possible.

 

It is not stated how many days they stayed in Maghar.

 

The only viable option was that they took the train at Maghar for Cawnpore via Basti, Mankapur, Faizabad ( Ayodhya ) and Lucknow.

The account in Ramjoo's Diary only stated "From here the party came to Cawnpore".

 

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KABIR
KABIR
Map : Mid-March 1924 : Lucknow to Raxaul railway trip. Map graphics by Anthony Zois.
Map : Mid-March 1924 : Lucknow to Raxaul railway trip. Map graphics by Anthony Zois.
Meher Baba wearing the Kamli coat in Meherabad. The coat colour is only a suggestion by Anthony Zois who rendered the image.
Meher Baba wearing the Kamli coat in Meherabad. The coat colour is only a suggestion by Anthony Zois who rendered the image.

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