March has made its appearance in Baba's home with the usual feeling of quietude announcing the upcoming hot season. The number of Baba pilgrims at morning and evening arti is lower than it has been since our season opened last June, conveying a lovely atmosphere conducive to intimacy between the lover and Beloved.

We have had a very warm February, and March only brings higher temperatures and increasing dryness in the air. The ground is also dry, and a water shortage has already reared its ominous head in the Ahmednagar region.

Baba's 108th birthday was celebrated with several days' worth of activities, beginning with arti at 5:00 a.m. February 25th, the hour of tiny Merwan's birth. Some of the Meherazad mandali came to Meherabad for darshan and arti later in the morning and also attended the dramatic performance in the theatre at 4:30 p.m. The play this year was the life of Rumi, Persian poet and Perfect Master. Centering around the relationship of Rumi with his Master, Shams (played by Gabe Mednick and Charles Gibson, respectively), and the controversies generated by their unorthodox ways, the story was a poignant portrayal of the heights of divine Love. The main plot was punctuated by several comic interludes from the teaching-stories Rumi gave and these delighted the audience too. The talent and hard work of the players resulted in a beautiful performance.

The Ahmednagar Baba Centre arranged for a series of concerts and events in honour of Baba's birthday, culminating with two big open-air feasts held at the Trust Compound, Meher Nazar. The first on Saturday, 2nd March, was for poor and low-income members of the public, from Ahmednagar and Arangaon, and served about 700 people. The next day a second meal was offered for local Baba lovers and Meherabad pilgrims and was attended by about 350.

February 28th was the last Meherazad day of this season, a time of sweet good-byes in Baba's home. Bal Natu sat talking with Baba lovers in Mandali Hall, while Goher, Meheru, Arnavaz and Katie met His dear ones on the porch. A balmy breeze pervaded the garden. It was a lovely day of Love.

Now a few remain in the pilgrim facilities at Meherabad, and quite a few visitors from nearby Pune and Bombay are arriving, taking their last chance this season to stay at Meherabad. Baba's lovers will be here right up to the 15th of March, soaking up the soul-renewing atmosphere of Meher Baba's presence.