MEHER BABA'S

MADRID HENDAYE  LINE

IRUN - AVILA - MADRID ( SPAIN )

There are no images of Meher Baba taken in Spain on his visit.

This was Meher Baba's 6th visit to the West when he visited Spain.

Meher Baba spent a short time, possibly an hour at Irun railway station.  He and his group were changing trains after arriving from Paris, going to Avila, then later to Madrid.

The rail distance between Irún and Ávila is approximately 490-530 km (about 305-330 miles) today.

The rail distance between Ávila and Madrid is approximately 104 to 106 kilometers (about 65 miles)

A total of 594 - 636 kms ( 370 - 395 miles ).

This was the only time he was to visit Spain and Irun.

* Meher Baba spent 10 days touring Spain from 23rd October to 2nd November, 1933.

IRUN

Sunday, 22 October 1933

At Victoria Station, a crowd of about 30 was there to see him off at about midday, despite the fact that his departure was being kept strictly private.

Anita, Norina, Minta, Herbert and Quentin were accompanying Baba and the mandali, along with Tom Sharpley, who went as far as Dover to see them off at the ferry.

It was a foggy and cold crossing of the English Channel, yet the sea was not rough. They arrived in Calais and traveled on the Continental Express train to Paris, where they arrived at six that evening.

Anita left the group in Paris, since it had been previously decided by Baba that she be sent to Zurich to study art at Otto Haas-Heye's design school.

The rest of the group boarded the Paris-Orleans Night Express at 8:40 P.M. from the Gare d'Orsay station in Paris.

Their journey was comfortable in the two compartments they occupied exclusively. The Pickford travel agents had done a fine job and handled all the tour details by having their agents meet them along the way. Baba and the group arrived in Irun, Spain, on the morning of 23 October at 8am, and thereafter changed trains for Avila. There was some mix-up regarding their seating which left Chanji, Adi Jr. and Quentin having to stand for the rest of the journey to Avila in Spain.

* The railway route between Irun - Avila & Madrid was called the Madrid-Hendaye railway 

AVILA

continued......

Sunday, 22 October 1933

Arriving in Avila that evening at six, Baba and the group stayed at the Hotel Ingles. Baba appeared very happy to be in Spain, which he said reminded him of India more than any other country he had thus far visited. "Baba loved Spain," Norina later wrote. "Its atmosphere and the people." Before dinner, Baba went for a walk with the men past the house of Saint Teresa.  "I feel at home here," Baba remarked. "It is like Assisi. It is the spiritual atmosphere that you feel which gives value to the shrines of saints."

Pointing to his wrists and arms, Baba commented, "Saints are like the nerves of my body; they work for me and I guide their lives."

Lord Meher On-line  p.1566-7

* To read the full visit to Avila by Meher Baba click on the following button/link.

MADRID

Meher Baba spent 8 days visiting Madrid. This was the only time he was to visit  Spain and Madrid.

CONTINUED.....

24th October 1933

Baba's disclosure that Avila was one of the four main spiritual centers in Europe and he had visited it in the ancient past was a surprise to them, as Baba had never before mentioned that he wished in particular to visit Avila. He had left the arrangements of their Spanish trip to them. It was their London travel agent who suggested stopping at Avila on their way to Madrid!

They left for Madrid the same day, arriving at 10:30 that night, and went to the Hotel Principe Don Juan, at Calle de Recoletos. Baba had informed the men, "The rest of our time in Spain will be pure rest and relaxation. It will be a holiday."

24th October 1933 CONTINUED.....

Baba wished to come in contact with the masses, so each day they would stroll along the crowded streets of Madrid. The air was clear and bracingly cool, and the sun was brilliant. Baba particularly enjoyed standing among the crowds in the central square of the city, called Puerta del Sol — Gate of the Sun. He came to this square several times every day.

Despite his European clothing and beret, all the Spaniards would turn and stare at Baba as if drawn to something they could not resist. Baba explained to his companions why the Spanish people reacted thus, "It is due to the internal work I am doing, as I move about quite unnoticed at other times."

* To read the full account of Meher Baba's visit to Madrid click on the following button / link.