As of 1972, the remaining living men resident mandali or those residing nearby were: Eruch Jessawala, Bhau Kalchuri, Pendu Irani, Kaikobad Dastur, Faredoon Driver (“Padri”), Adi K. Irani, Sarosh Irani, Ali Akbar Shapurzaman (“Aloba”), Sidhu Kamble and Mohammed Mast. The women residing at Meherazad or nearby were: Mehera Irani, Manija Irani (Baba’s sister), Meheru Irani, Goher Irani, Naja Irani, Madeleine (“Rano”) Gayley and Mansari Desai. [The Irani surname denotes families that arrived in India in the later stages of migration from Iran, and does not imply inter-relationship].
This very topic provokes nostalgia from the segment of Meher Baba’s followers who are “baby boomers” and had the experience of meeting the disciples. Many of us (Padri referred to us as “raw recruits”) gained practical insights by hearing the mandali explain how they tried to please Meher Baba, thus suggesting conduct we might wish to emulate. More men and women close ones were to arrive after 1972, leading up to the passing of the last of them in 2016. Almost all of them spoke many languages fluently, fortunately (for us) including English.
This site has not dwelled on the mandali, but among them perhaps the most striking is Mehera J. Irani, of whom Meher Baba said that she was his foremost disciple, the one who loved Him as He should be loved. Baba characterized Mehera as the purest soul in the universe. Lord Meher online, page 568, “The Silence Begins”.