Meher Baba's Life & Travels
Madeleine E. ( Rano ) "Merano" Gayley
Born : 6th July 1902
Died : 5th Dec.1986 - Meherazad, India
Buried : Upper Meherazad, India
Father : Henry Bell Gayley ( b. 1862 Maryland,USA d. Dec. 1920 Maryland, USA
)
Mother : Estelle "Nonny" Gayley ( b. 28-3-1875 Canada d. 14-10-1939 Bangalore, India
)
Brother : Henry Clifford Gayley b. 1901 NY
AMERICAN
Rano was a trustee of the Avatar Meher Baba Trust.
EARLY FAMILY YEARS
"Memiore" covering Rano's art under the direction of Meher Baba. The intriguing and enigmatic Ten Circles Chart is the focal point of this memior by one of Meher Baba's early Western disciples. Fully illustrated in color and black and white.
BABA IS DOING ALL THIS FOR US
Rano Gayley
One day near Ajmer, Baba decided to go up a hill called Taragadh were
there was a shrine. Instead of just taking the men mandali, he said he wanted to take all the women too, entailing quite a lot of trouble. Baba kept emphasizing the fact that there was a great
deal to do in preparing for the excursion. He would have to arrange for coolies to carry up our bedding. Food arrangements would have to be made. Lift chairs were needed for Elizabeth and Nonny who could not walk that distance uphill. Over and over,
Baba kept telling us what a lot of trouble it was and what expense he was going to.
We thought, "Oh, dear, Baba is doing all this for us." So Kitty and I put our heads together and decided really it was all right if Baba didn't take us up. Indeed, why should Baba go to all this expense and trouble for us?
We went to Baba's room: "Baba, we appreciate so much all the trouble you're going through to take us up the hill to the shrine and for us to stay there but Baba, don't do it on our account. If we don't go, it's all right."
Baba gave us one look and said, "If you think I'm doing this for you, you're mistaken. My work comes first; you are only secondary."
We walked out of the room with our heads down. Baba had made it very clear that his work did come first, and it was something that we had to experience.
Copyright 1983 Avatar Meher Baba Perpetual Public Charitable Trust
I WANTED TO KEEP IT TO MYSELF
Rano Gayley
It was at Nasik that I first realized that Baba was more than just the flesh and blood being
that I could see. One night it must have been toward morning — I was awakened by a blinding light, and in the light was Baba's face.
My heart was beating very fast and everything was twirling, radiating pinwheels of light. With the light and the vision, there was such a feeling of ecstasy that I was no longer myself, but was just absorbed into Baba. Then the light and vision went and slowly, slowly, my heartbeat went back to normal. I tried to recapture the moment, but it was gone.
The next day I was alone with Baba and he turned to me, "What were you dreaming last night?"
I tried to hedge, to make out I didn't know what Baba was talking about because I didn't want to verbalize what I'd seen and felt. But Baba gradually brought it out of me.
I said, "Yes, Baba, it's something I'll never forget." Baba tried to get me to tell the others, but I just mumbled about it, and they didn't really understand. I wanted to keep it to myself.
1986 © Avatar Meher Baba Perpetual Public Charitable Trust
BOOK
Memior covering Rano's art under the direction of Meher Baba. The intriguing and enigmatic Ten Circles Chart is the focal point of this memior by one of Meher Baba's early Western disciples. Fully illustrated in color and black and white.
Meher Baba's Ten Circle Chart
FIRST CHART
SHIPS RANO TRAVELLED
SS Majestic
Departed England on the 5th December 1934 and arrived New York 12th Decamber 1934.
Rano travelled with her mother Nonny & Ruano.
Departed 29th October 1936 from Plymouth, England and arrived in New York on 4th November 1936.
She was travelling with 6 other American who hadd also been to India.
Departed 25th November 1936 in Europe and arrived in Bombay, India 8th December 1936
The other Westerners she sailed with were ; Norina, Elizabeth, Malcolm & Jean Schloss & Nonny.
Departed 31st July 1937 from Bombay and arrived at Marseilles, France 13th August 1937.
The other Westerners she sailed with were ; Margaret Craske, Elizabeth, Audrey Williams, Norina Matchabelli, Nonny Gayley, Malcolm & Jean Schloss and Tom Sharpley.
Departed 3rd November 1937 from Maiselles, France and arrived in Bombay 20th November 1937 along with Norina, Kitty and Elizabeth.
