Meher Baba's Life & Travels
( previously British India - Pre 1946 )
1ST TRIP TO QUETTA
MAY - JUNE 1923
The following images are of Malir, near Karachi, Sibi Railway Station and the Bolan Pass and Quetta Railway Station.
7th June 1923
Meher Baba and his group left Karachi on the train for Quetta at 9:30 am, On the way the temperature rose considerably and the sand dust from the desert was blowing.
8th June
At 5:45 am the following day they reached Sidi junction. They
stopped for an hour as a security requirement, everyone was examined medically and the police checked their travel papers, because of the frontiers people. They headed off again an hour later for
Quetta taking them through the Bolan Pass, with security very tight all along to Quetta.
QUETTA
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quetta
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1935_Quetta_earthquake
A larger display of images can be viewed on the main page for Quetta on this website.
The city of Quetta was destroyed about 2 years after his initial visit in late May 1933.
They reached Quetta at 5:30 pm 9th June and were quickly taken by carriages to a rented house on Bruce Road next door to Rusi Irani's home. Baba stayed on the 1st floor and the men upstairs. Rusi owned a restaurant and took care of his guests with food, etc. he was a confectioner and also an amateur magician and would perform to Baba and the group throughout their stay.
Being at 5,000 feet above sea level, it was very cold. Everyone refreshed themselves upon arrival.
Pilamai's brother Rusi Jehangir Irani, was residing in Quetta with his wife Khorshed with eir 2 daughters. Khorshed's sister was married to Gulmai's nephew Dinshaw, Sarosh's brother. They had all attended Rustom's wedding and had met Meher Baba.
The real reason for the trip was Baba wanted to meet Rusi's daughters - Goher ( 7 years old ) & Katie ( 3 years old ). Rusi gave Baba a tour of the city - the orchards & Garden of Jamasp. Baba also met a mast opposite his house.
Lord Meher p.528
RUSI & KHORSHED IRANI MEHER BABA IN QUETTA 1923 KHORSHED & HER CHILDREN
The above images of Quetta were taken in the 1920s & 1930s & after the May 31st devastating earthquake. Click on the images to enlarge them & their details.
On the 9th July 1923, Rusi took Baba and the group a sight-seeing tour of Quetta and it's many gardens and orchards.
The following day the 10th July, they walked and inspected the Kabari Markets and the following day 11th July, they visited Sandham Hall and its fine grounds, the local museum, which was closed and nearby the large Town Hall building, including the very fine rest houses and shelters.
The following day, 12th July, they walked to see the road known locally as Thandi Sadak
( Gloucester & Lyntton Roads ) for the tree canopies over the road. They also saw British military aeroplanes buzzing the skies and the Scottish Highlanders marching past twice daily, in full dress and bagpipes playing.
Baba bought up forth a new plan, passing the next 6 months in India before going to Persia, possibly taking a walking tour from Kashmir to Bombay with long stays along the way. The next day, 13th July, at 6pm Baba had a desire to climb the large hill over-looking their house. Everyone dashed through the town to the foot of the hill over several miles and the climb was abandoned.
2nd TRIP TO QUETTA
JUNE - JULY 1924
The plan took a twist, they now planned on leaving on the 2nd June 1924 by rail to Bombay and then to Quetta.
The animals at Meherabad were all arranged to be offered to Upasni Maharaj at Sakori.
Baba along with *Ardeshir ( Director of Agriculture), Ghani, Ramjoo and Vajifdar had left for Ahmednagar Railway station in the morning and the train travelled to Bombay via Manmad, arriving at 12:30pm.
DR. GHANI
MUNSIFF RAMJOO JAFFER HORMUSJI VAJIFDAR ADI K. IRANI
Ghani was told by Baba to wait at his home in Lonavla and to come later.
On the 6th June, Adi had arrived in Bombay, joining the group and the following day ( 7th ) they departed for Quetta on the Gujarat Mail train to Delhi. In the evening they changed trains at Marwar Junction, detaching from the Delhi Mail train and attaching to the J.B. Railway train which proceeded to Hyderabad (Sind), crossing the Rajputana desert.
RD p.341
June 1924 continued...
Arriving 8th June in Hyderabad in the morning. Baba had a telegram telling Rusi Irani saying he and 3 others will arrive in Quetta on the 9th and to keep their arrival very private.
They boarded the Quetta Mail train, arriving at Sibi Junction on the following morning and arrival in Quetta at 5pm. Rusi pulled some strings with the police at Sibi to fast process Baba and his men through the security.
Rusi gave them lavish hospitality, which they needed.
The garden land that they seen on their previous trip was not available and it was too icy, so it was decided to go to Sukkur.
