Volunteering made Joyful

If you are volunteering for the upcoming Meherabad trip for the first time, then listed below are a few pointers to make the sacred pilgrimage joyful for you and the pilgrims.

This is a selfless service that The Sai and Meher Centre for Healing and Spiritualism and you are rendering to our Beloved Meher Baba in taking pilgrims who are unable to visit Meherabad due to financial constraints.

The group of pilgrims would be made up of diverse people from different and social and economic backgrounds, young and old. Mostly we take the underprivileged, mentally retarded children, handicapped, senior citizen, orphans and deaf and dumb and the blind from various organisations. We also sponsor for the financially challenged section of the society like maids, drivers and watchmen etc.  in a 17, 32, 45 or a 50 – seater bus.

You should be able to take them to the Samadhi and around the various places of spiritual interest in Meherabad.

It is their first visit and for many, it may be just this one time in this lifetime. You as a volunteer, can make a deep impact depending on how compassionately and lovingly you will take care of their needs.

Every trip would ideally require at least 2 volunteers to accompany the group. So make sure that you discuss and divide the responsibilities such that each one is well aware of who is going to take care of which aspect of the journey. Different groups will have different sets of requirements to take extra care of their special needs. Make sure there is absolute clarity. If you are alone DONT WORRY. BE HAPPY. BELOVED BABA is your partner on this trip.

If you speak Marathi, it is a bonus. If you don’t speak, it is okay. Do not let that hinder you from volunteering. Most of them understand Hindi reasonably well.

Dress simply and bear the attitude of a commoner – so that the pilgrims feel that you are one amongst them.

Adopting a friendly attitude, being soft-spoken, approachable, humble and calm will make it easy for them to accept you as one of them. Do not forget to flash a million-dollar smile whenever possible.

And yes, since you are leading them, familiarising yourself with leadership qualities will go a long way.

A volunteer should have some knowledge about Meher Baba. If not please do google and acquire the same. Understand the Avatarhood of Meher Baba, His work and the importance of His Samadhi yourself first. Thereafter share this knowledge with the group in the bus. If need be, patiently answer all the questions that they may ask about Meher Baba and His messages, especially about the importance of bowing at His Samadhi.

 Right knowledge shared with the visitors not only educates them about beloved Baba, but also enables them to enjoy the vibrations at the Samadhi.

There is a facility in the bus for videos to be shown about Meher Baba, His work, His Avatarhood, messages and teachings. Please remember to collect the pen drive at the start of the journey, so that the movies can be shown while going as well as while returning. There is more than enough data available in the pen drive.

You will also receive a badge of a volunteer, some emergency medicines along with the pen drive. Please ensure that everything is handed over to the Trip Advisor at the end of the journey. Before you leave, collect the letter from the trip advisor authorising you as a volunteer. The letter is mandatory.

You will be added to a WhatsApp group for this trip. At every stage of the journey do remember to post where you have reached. This will allow trip advisors to keep track as to what stage of the journey you have crossed. If possible, keep a live location ON.

Checkpoints when you arrive at the pickup point.

1. Arrive on time.
2. You have collected your volunteer badge, pen drive, letter, garbage bags and emergency medicines for motion sickness, etc. with you. Ensure that you have been added to the WhatsApp group of pilgrimage admin. Please make a note of emergency numbers in case you need any assistance (Medical or otherwise)
3. Make a checklist of the pickup points, if any. Note down the details of the number of people to be picked up. Also, take details of their names and contact numbers / locations so that everything moves as per the master plan.
4. After every event make sure to post on the as the checklist given as DONE. The trip advisors keep a close watch on the group to ensure that everything is on track.

BEFORE DEPARTURE:

1. Take a photograph of the meter reading for the purpose of billing. Another photograph has to be at the end of the journey and the photographs of both have to be shared on the WhatsApp group.
2. A headcount of the number of guests before the trip, during any halts, and after the trip is absolutely mandatory. Check twice every time to be on the safe side. To simplify, you can request each passenger to keep track of his/ her neighbours and to notify immediately if someone is missing or unwell as someone may be suffering from motion sickness.
3. Request the pilgrims not to litter the bus. Display to them where the garbage bag is kept for them to use when required.
4. In case of any pilgrim not feeling well, you should be notified immediately.
5. The elderly, those with children, those who have a handicap or travel sickness should sit in the front.
6. One volunteer can sit in the front and the other at the back for better coverage.

USEFUL TIPS:

If you are unsure about where to turn right from the highway towards the Samadhi, then it is convenient to switch on the GPS after you cross SMILE STONES on the left side.

 It is advisable to visit the museum before visiting the Samadhi where the guide on duty shows and explains about the items on display. This will help the pilgrims to have a better idea of Baba and His work.

Ideally, the visitors should sit at the Samadhi for half an hour at least if not an hour, so that they can fully soak in the energies and blessings that Meher Baba showers on them in abundance.

 They could bask themselves in the glory of His presence for a longer period. The more time they sit in silence at the Samadhi the more they will reap the benefits of the pilgrimage.

 FYI 6 people are allowed to sit inside the Samadhi. 3 on either side. If there is space available, you can ask a few quiet and meditative adults to sit inside. A chair is also available for the elderly or handicapped. Request the person on Samadhi duty giving Prasad to help you with the chair.

A pilgrim on a wheelchair need not be part of the Que. There is a roller available so that the wheelchair can be rolled over the threshold for darshan. Approach the person on Samadhi duty giving Prasad to help.

Do invite the driver to come for the darshan as many are coming for the first time and are reluctant out of shyness. Reassure him that he is welcome. However, do not insist as many may be wanting to rest or is not inclined.

Instructions to be given before they get off the bus:

Mobiles to be switched off as soon as they get down from the bus. (Not in silent or vibratory mode, as often even though the phone is in silent mode the alarms may ring)

To maintain absolute silence till they board the bus again.

Even whispering amongst themselves is an absolute NO ~ unless they want to ask you for some help and guidance.

Once you get down from the bus

Please enquire if any pilgrim wants to visit the washroom. Make a separate line and one of you can take them there directly to avoid confusion at the Samadhi area.

In the meantime, your partner can take them to the Museum or the Samadhi for darshan.

Very often the group may exceed 80 to 96 then it is advisable to divide into 2 or 3 batches. One batch can do darshan first then the museum and vice versa.

The museum shuts down early so please make enquires and promptly proceed with one batch to the museum asap.

The following rules are to be observed strictly once you reach the Samadhi.

1. Only one person should enter the Samadhi at a time. The next person must wait outside patiently on the left side of the entrance, and enter only when the previous person comes out. After darshan they can collect the Prasad.
2. No one should step on the Samadhi wooden door step. The chowkhat as they say. Extra care is to taken regarding this when children are entering. Little children should be carried over or helped to make sure that they do not step over it. In Marathi say “Chaowkhati war paaye theu nahay”
3. No talking or whispering amongst themselves till they board the bus.
4. There are many places of spiritual interest in lower Meherabad. If you have the time you can explore these places too.  

The Information Centre where movies are shown in the hall about Baba is closed between 15^th  March to 15^th  June every year. The movie hall shuts down at 12.45 pm.

After the Darshan

Lunch at Andhra Guest House – Ask Vijay @ 8511377448 to send the location of his place. Before loading the bus please phone Vijay and inform him that you are on the way.

Food is a buffet service, unlimited, simple and delicious. Volunteers along with some of the visitors should serve with a smile on their face and ask the visitors to enjoy the meal thoroughly. Insist that the driver joins you for lunch as he needs as much fuel as the bus.

At the time of the departure:

It is extremely important that you move out of Meherabad and on the highway by 2.35 latest to avoid the heavy bottleneck traffic at Wagholi. Wagholi evening traffic is a real challenge. Plan all the above activities keeping in mind the cut off time of departure from Meherabad.

Make sure that those that are interested have visited the washroom to avoid halts on the return journey.

When all are well-fed and seated in the bus, take a final headcount and ensure that they are all fine.

The return journey begins with chanting Avatar Meher Baba Ki Jai X3.

Guaranteed that each and everyone will return with a peaceful, loving smile on their faces after spending a happy day out with Meher Baba.

A lot of support is needed to run a program.

Thank you in advance for offering to chip in.

 Should you wish to help / support us in other programs of the centre, we would truly appreciate that you register with us.

We wish to convey our GRATITUDE to all those who have contributed in one way or the other to make this happen.
The CENTRE hopes to reach out to as many more people so that a larger segment can receive His blessings.

Do mail your suggestions / experiences after the pilgrimage with us on gulshanthukral@gmail.com so that we can improve this possibility of serving a larger population in a better way.

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Be blessed always and HAPPY VOLUNTEERING

AVATAR MEHER BABA KI JAI

Planning a Visit to Avatar Meher Baba’s Samadhi

Here are some Dos and Donts that you will need to know while visiting Avatar Meher Baba’s Samadhi:

Avatar Meher Baba's Samadhi timings:

• Open daily 6:00 am – 8:00 pm
• Cleaning 6:00 am;
• Arti 7:00 am & 7:0 pm
• Open for sitting inside 8:30 am – 6:30 pm

While visiting the Samadhi, please bear in mind:

1. You can sit in the Samadhi (a total of six people, and only on the mats provided on the two sides of the Samadhi).
2. Please be quiet in and around the Samadhi.
3. Mobile phones should be switched off or on silent mode.
4. Wait in the queue for your turn to take darshan. Please don't stand in front of the Samadhi door.
5. When in the Samadhi, please do not touch or lean on the walls.
6. Please do not step on the threshold while going in and out of the Samadhi.
7. Do not lift up the chaddar to touch the marble of the Samadhi.
8. Please do not leave anything on the Samadhi.
9. When sitting in the Samadhi, please do not sit for more than 20 minutes and do not lean on the walls.
10. Please avoid wearing off-shoulder, strappy, deep neck, backless, transparent and revealing clothes and shorts (even men) to the Samadhi.
11. Please leave your hand bags out before entering the Samadhi.
12. Do not feed any animals at the Samadhi (the squirrel and dogs).
13. No photography allowed inside the Samadhi.
14. Throw trash only in the dustbins provided and do not spit in the Meherabad area.

Thank You! Jai Baba!