said, "You write in the language of wine." This pleased him and it marked the beginning of awakening my heart to appreciate Meher Baba's love of poetry and Bhau's poetic style. To grasp the spirit of Bhau Kalchuri's writings it is essential that one first appreciate him as a poet, and understand that Meher Baba chose a poet to write about his life.

Later, after learning of how Bhau was guided to Meher Baba during 1952,53 through an experience of a voice at Tajuddin Baba's tomb, I remembered the voice I had heard while I was in Nagpur. Somehow an explanation of my experience in Nagpur seemed linked with Bhau Kalchuri. While discussing the biography with Bhau, it dawned on me what this treasure was that the voice spoke of; it was Meher Baba's life that effects everyone and that he has given, out of infinite love, to the world.

My contribution to this biography is the compilation of numerous photographs of Meher Baba and of his disciples who sacrificed their very lives at his feet. The 2,500 or more photographs I have collected since 1972 will be utilized to create a pictorial epic to compliment the 5,000 pages of text. The compilation of Meher Baba's photographs would not have been possible without the direct help of Mehera J. Irani, sister Mani, brothers Beheram, Adi and Jal S. Irani, Faredoon Driver (Padri), Aspandiar Irani (Pendu), Rano Gayley, Hedi Merten, Mansori Desai, Adi K. Irani and others.

In designing this biography, the profound complexity and magnitude of the material has been seriously considered. The poetic style of the author has been faithfully preserved. Capitalization has been used to denote a new stream of thought, or a different theme, or a major change in time or place. The dagger symbol – ‡ – has been used to indicate footnotes that appear at the end of the book.

This first volume marks the beginning of a biography of Avatar Meher Baba's life from 1894 to 1969 in a series of 20 to 25 volumes to be published over the next ten to twelve years. Among the world's spiritual literature this pictorial biography will be unique and unparalleled. For the world, this biography, when completed, will be the foremost, historical account of events and statements by and about Meher Baba and his disciples. This biography, also, could eventually provide all the necessary information and details for a full length film of Meher Baba's life. But, for the lovers of God, its meaning is the same Song of God that was sung in the BHAGAVAD GITA of the divinity of Krishna, or the RAMAYANA of the epic poem of Ram, or in GOSPEL OF JOHN of the Word of God become flesh in Jesus. MEHER PRABHU is the epic pictorial of God on earth during the 20th century and when Avatar Meher Baba's life is known and seen by all of the world it will be sung for ages to come.

Lawrence Reiter
Myrtle Beach, 1986