Beloved Meher Baba’s brother Behram’s wife and Rustom and Sorab Irani (Baba’s twin nephews) mother Perin Passed away at Pune on 9th July, 2009 at 1:45 am.
VEILED BY HER SIMPLICITY
Perin Irani joined her Beloved Baba at the age of 91. Her various bodily systems had been slowly weakening for many months, and she gently passed away during her sleep at approximately 1:45 AM, Thursday July 9th, at Baba House in Pune.
Perin loved Bund Garden because of the banyan tree where Babajan sat and because it was a place Baba visited every year during his stay at Guruprasad. As Perin had requested, her ashes were placed in an urn and set adrift on the Bund Garden River until it eventually submerged.
Perin had a lifetime of incredible experiences with Baba dating back to the early years. When Perin was a young teenager, Sheriarji pointed her out to Baba as a potential marriage partner for Baba’s brother Behram. Baba not only agreed, he placed the engagement rings on each of their hands and arranged the marriage himself. The marriage took place when she was 15 years old. Even after marriage, every facet of her life was directly orchestrated by Baba’s hand. When Baba’s mother Shireenmai passed away, Baba told Perin that she was now the head of the family. Despite the years of such close and constant contact with Baba, it is surprising how little attention Perin attracted to herself. I often noticed after speaking with Baba lovers who had visited Baba house in Pune, that many of them didn’t really remember the elderly woman sitting in the main room and who possibly gave them Baba’s blessing.
For me, one of the highlights of visiting Pune, was to see Perin and receive Baba’s blessing through her. By this I mean, that after taking darshan in Baba’s Room, she would give you prasad and then put her hand gently on your head, while looking at Baba’s picture and murmuring quiet prayers to Him for you. To me, it felt like a blessing from Baba. Although the thought of someone giving Baba’s blessing sounds impossible or even arrogant coming from virtually anyone else, receiving it from Perin was something different, something completely pure. There was no Perin when she gave Baba’s blessing. She was an empty vessel carrying Baba’s love. There were times when I would close my eyes when Perin touched my forehead and I saw Baba in my inner sight touching me.
Those who spent time around Perin knew that half the time she was with them, and half the time she was with Baba in some other world. She had no material interests. She didn’t care if she ate gourmet food, had nice clothing or jewelry, or to partake in any worldly activity. She didn’t need adoration or attention. She was so simple because her needs were simple. It seems to me that this is why, despite being such a great soul and so close to Baba, that she was not a celebrity in the Baba community. It was her simplicity that veiled her. It is the kind of simplicity that comes from having no personal needs or requirements other than being with Baba.
Over the years she suffered from a number of illnesses but I never felt there was self concern in her suffering. The last time I saw her was in January of this year and although suffering a great deal, her only concern was how I was doing. Her happiness in my happiness was so apparent. Although physically weak, she was emotionally energized about going to Meherabad for Amartithi. This was the one outside ‘activity’ she always looked forward to. No matter how poor her health was, Perin always managed to make the pilgrimage to Meherabad on Amartithi every year. Even at the age of 91, being physically weak and frail, and being the eldest of Baba’s family members, Perin waited for hours with the other pilgrims to take her darshan. As her sons Rustom and Sohrab worked their way in the queue she sat waiting outside the Samadhi for them to reach the threshold of the Samadhi so she could take her turn. There was no sense of entitlement on her part.
Perin was an inspiration to all who knew her and an extraordinary example of true discipleship to her Beloved Baba.
Ken Coleman
Washington, DC
July 17th, 2009
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Heather & Eric Nadel
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