Avatar Meher Baba Trust
Encyclopedia
The Avatar Meher Baba Perpetual Public Charitable Trust (AMBPPCT) is a Charitable trust
created by Meher Baba
in 1959 to fulfill after his death various directives given by him. Bhau Kalchuri
is currently its chairman.
signed the Trust Deed on April 6, 1959 on Meherabad Hill
, near Ahmednagar, India
. The Trust was inactive for the remaining ten years of his life, but he encouraged the trustees, who were his close disciples, to meet intermittently on trust matters. In the 1960s, he gave certain instructions to them for the future about spiritual training and educating the public about his life and message. These were later incorporated into the Trust Deed.
One of the purposes of the Meher Baba Trust was to provide for his disciples who were dependent on him, and to care for his future Tomb and his property at Meherabad
, located near Ahmednagar, India. Meher Baba also specified in the Trust Deed that after he had died the Trust should maintain and care for his Tomb at Meherabad, create facilities for pilgrims there, foster spiritual and cultural activities relating to the spreading of his message, and carry out certain charitable activities for the benefit of humanity irrespective of caste, creed, religion, sex or nationality.
In the years since, Meherabad and Baba’s nearby home Meherazad
have become places of pilgrimage. Meherazad was incorporated into the Trust in 1999. Free clinics, a hospital, a school, a library, museum and study hall, a veterinary clinic, and a variety of accommodations for visitors have been established at Meherabad in accordance with the Trust's directives.
Mani Irani
, Baba’s sister and close disciple, was the Trust’s chairman for over 20 years. Since then, Bhau Kalchuri
, another of Baba’ s close disciples, has occupied the seat of the chairmanship. The nine trustees are all dedicated followers of Meher Baba.
Charitable trust
A charitable trust is an irrevocable trust established for charitable purposes, and is a more specific term than "charitable organization".-United States:...
created by Meher Baba
Meher Baba
Meher Baba , , born Merwan Sheriar Irani, was an Indian mystic and spiritual master who declared publicly in 1954 that he was the Avatar of the age....
in 1959 to fulfill after his death various directives given by him. Bhau Kalchuri
Bhau Kalchuri
Bhau Kalchuri is an Indian author, poet, trust administrator, and one of Meher Baba's mandali . Bhau Kalchuri is also the principal biographer of Meher Baba's life....
is currently its chairman.
History and charter
Meher BabaMeher Baba
Meher Baba , , born Merwan Sheriar Irani, was an Indian mystic and spiritual master who declared publicly in 1954 that he was the Avatar of the age....
signed the Trust Deed on April 6, 1959 on Meherabad Hill
Meherabad
Meherabad was originally an ashram established by Meher Baba near Arangaon Village, India in 1923 about south of Ahmednagar. It is now the site of Meher Baba's samadhi as well as facilities and accommodations for pilgrims...
, near Ahmednagar, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The Trust was inactive for the remaining ten years of his life, but he encouraged the trustees, who were his close disciples, to meet intermittently on trust matters. In the 1960s, he gave certain instructions to them for the future about spiritual training and educating the public about his life and message. These were later incorporated into the Trust Deed.
One of the purposes of the Meher Baba Trust was to provide for his disciples who were dependent on him, and to care for his future Tomb and his property at Meherabad
Meherabad
Meherabad was originally an ashram established by Meher Baba near Arangaon Village, India in 1923 about south of Ahmednagar. It is now the site of Meher Baba's samadhi as well as facilities and accommodations for pilgrims...
, located near Ahmednagar, India. Meher Baba also specified in the Trust Deed that after he had died the Trust should maintain and care for his Tomb at Meherabad, create facilities for pilgrims there, foster spiritual and cultural activities relating to the spreading of his message, and carry out certain charitable activities for the benefit of humanity irrespective of caste, creed, religion, sex or nationality.
In the years since, Meherabad and Baba’s nearby home Meherazad
Meherazad
Meherazad was the last residence of the Indian spiritual teacher Meher Baba and is today a place of spiritual pilgrimage outside Pimpalgaon village, approximately north of Ahmednagar, India. More accurately, it is located at . Meherazad estate comprises about .Meher Baba lived at Meherazad from...
have become places of pilgrimage. Meherazad was incorporated into the Trust in 1999. Free clinics, a hospital, a school, a library, museum and study hall, a veterinary clinic, and a variety of accommodations for visitors have been established at Meherabad in accordance with the Trust's directives.
Mani Irani
Mani Irani
Manija Sheriar Irani was the younger sister of Indian spiritual master Meher Baba, and one of his mandali. She was chairman of the Avatar Meher Baba Trust and the author of 82 Family Letters....
, Baba’s sister and close disciple, was the Trust’s chairman for over 20 years. Since then, Bhau Kalchuri
Bhau Kalchuri
Bhau Kalchuri is an Indian author, poet, trust administrator, and one of Meher Baba's mandali . Bhau Kalchuri is also the principal biographer of Meher Baba's life....
, another of Baba’ s close disciples, has occupied the seat of the chairmanship. The nine trustees are all dedicated followers of Meher Baba.
Charitable projects
The Avatar Meher Baba Trust sponsors two free health clinics (The Meher Health Centre and The Meher Pilgrim Retreat Dispensary), a free hospital (The Meher Hospital), free school (The Meher English School), a physical education centre, and a veterinary clinic. The Meher English School is an English-medium primary and secondary school facility encompassing a full pre-college curriculum with a full time faculty of about 25 teachers. The school currently enrolls about 400 students, most of them from surrounding rural villages. The fifteen-room school building includes classrooms, two auditoriums, laboratories, and a central playground for sports and other activities. The Meher Hospital does not yet function as a full time hospital, but offers bimonthly cataract “camps” at which an ophthalmic surgeon performs ocular implants for about 60 patients a year, a biweekly dental clinic, and numerous medical programs. The Veterinary Aid Centre gives veterinary treatment to 4000-5000 animals annually. http://www.ambppct.org/trust/medical-facilities.php http://www.ambppct.org/trust/educational-programmes.phpEncouraging the arts
As per Meher Baba's directives, the Trust encourages and facilitates expressions of love for God through music, dance, plays, story-telling, poetry, painting, sculpture, videos, and films. A focal point for expression in the creative arts is the Music and Arts Demonstration Centre, which houses a full-scale professional theater and encompasses various satellite facilities. In addition, the Centre sponsors a concert approximately every two weeks in which visiting musicians, dancers, or other performing artists give their own personalized expression to Meher Baba’s message. On an occasional basis the theater hosts lectures and other programs. http://www.ambppct.org/trust/sharing-message.phpBooks and research
Meher Baba never wanted or encouraged propaganda. Therefore, the Meher Baba Trust does not promote creeds or dogmas, nor does it seek “converts”. Rather it is devoted to the celebration of the love of God through charitable works and through the arts. The Trust also archives the written works by Meher Baba and facilitates publications of Meher Baba's works and supplies facilities for research. http://www.ambppct.org/trust/activities.phpDevelopment plan
Recently the Trust created a long-term development plan for Meherabad to preserve the atmosphere around Baba’s Tomb while meeting the needs of an ever-increasing number of visitors. Long-range plans are also being created for his home at Meherazad, particularly creation of a park-like environment around the property with gardens and amenities for visitors, as well as facilities for Meherazad’s charitable activities.External links
- Official website
- AMBPPCT PDF file Declaration of Trust
- AMBPPCT PDF file Copyright
- Online streaming video about the Trust
- Trust Archives
- Donating to the Trust