PART 3: Katie Irani remembers Helen Dahm (1938-9) (in English)

Part 3: “KATIE IRANI remembers Helen Dahm (1938-9)” (released 25 Feb 2010) Katie Irani, after living in the Trust Compound in Ahmednagar during most of her childhood years, joined Meher Baba’s Ashram in 1938 at the age of 18 yrs. She lived on Meherabad Hill next to what later became His Samadhi. During 1938 and 1939, Helen Dahm accepted an invitation that Baba had sent to some of His Western Lovers to join Him in India. Baba requested Hedi Mertens (Swiss artist) to assist Helen while Helen painted the colorful murals inside of Meher Baba’s Samadhi. Due to illness (colitis), Helen left the Blue Bus Tours and returned to her native Switzerland. Later in her life, Helen Dahm became an internationally acclaimed artist.

PART 2: Meher Baba's Blue Bus Tours (1938-1941) Memories of Katie Irani (in English)

Pilgrims often asked Katie what it was like, what did the women mandali do everyday, while touring with Meher Baba on the Blue Bus Tours. Katie describes her role as a cook, along with Manu Jessawala during these tours, which includes a hilarious episode of the ‘dancing dal’, as well as some insightful glimpses into the spiritual life the women mandali lived with Meher Baba.

PART 1: Little Plays for Baba (in English)

This first video was produced as a loving gift to Katie Irani for her last birthday, 27th Feb 2009, and released on Beloved Baba’s Birthday. She loved it, and hoped that you would too, laughing heartily throughout and finishing with the endearingly humble query, “do you think anybody will like it?”

Katie asked many pilgrims to ‘help me with this project’ in a variety of ways. More than 150 people regularly contribute with donations, or work according to their area of expertise, as well as screening, etc., for this ongoing series. You may still honor Katie's request by contacting us via the email form on our Contact Us page here.

This first video is comical and fun as Katie describes her roles in the plays that Mani wrote for Baba, in which Katie often collaborated with Mani for both the scripting and the costume designs during her 11+ years living in His Ashram before the New Life began. Katie would often reminisce how they would live near the tin shed on upper Meherabad Hill, with Katie cooking in Baba’s kitchen for the 40+ women in what later became known as ‘Mansari’s kitchen’. Mehera would be in the next room (later Mansari’s bedroom) cooking for Baba daily, and Mani would stand in the doorway between the two rooms, talking to both Mehera and Katie. During this time period when they lived on the Hill (1938-1949), Katie and Mani would often discuss together and script the plays and skits to entertain Baba on His return from the extended mast tours.

(Katie Irani was born in her mother’s home in Ahmednagar, India on 27 Feb 1920, and joined Beloved Baba on 29 May 2009 at the age of 89+ yrs).

More videos

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Most recent Katie videos here.

Section 3: PARTS 8, 9, 10

Section 2: PARTS 4, 5, 6, 7,