Meher Baba's Life & Travels
( Sir Mohammed Saleh Mohammed Akbar Hydari )
Born : 8th November, 1869 - Bombay, British India
Died : November 1941
Married : Amina Mulla Tyabji ( b.1878 and d.1939 )
7 children
INDIAN
Prime Minister of Hyderabad, India during the British reign.
Click on the names highlighted below to view their web pages
1933
Plans having been finalized for his next trip to Europe, Baba left Nasik for Bombay on Saturday, 23 September 1933. He was interviewed the next night in Dadar by newspaper reporters. On the 25th, Baba sailed for Europe on the MV Conte Verde, accompanied this time by Adi Jr., Chanji, and Kaka. It was his sixth foreign trip in two years.
Baba had a comfortable cabin and took walks on the deck for an hour in the morning and again for an hour in the afternoon, remaining in his cabin for the rest of the time. According to his instructions, no one on board the ship was informed of his presence. Nevertheless, after two days at sea, on the evening of 27 September while Baba was discussing matters with the mandali after dinner, there was a knock at the cabin door at 9:00 P.M. Chanji opened it, and stepped out to find a very dignified looking older man standing in the hallway. Introducing himself, the gentleman said, "I am Sir Akbar Hyderi and I wish to see Meher Baba tomorrow morning if he will allow me to visit for a few minutes. May I know what time will be convenient for him?"
Chanji went inside to inform Baba, who instructed, "Tell him that, though I am not seeing anyone during the voyage, I will see him for five minutes tomorrow morning at ten."
Chanji accordingly informed the old man who seemed very pleased, saying that he had heard much about Meher Baba and had longed for an opportunity to meet him. Akbar Hyderi, 64, was the Dewan of Hyderabad, an important government official (similar to a chief minister). He came the next morning to meet Baba, who was pleased to see him. After the usual introductions and pleasantries, the conversation turned to spirituality.
Baba explained about the three types of faith.
Hyderi said, "Turn me toward the second stage where I can feel and experience God!"
Baba assured him of help, replying, "I will send you instructions for this tomorrow." Hyderi requested that Baba give an appointment to his wife, as she also would be pleased to meet him. Baba indicated that the following day at 5:00 P.M. would be suitable. Hyderi left with his spirit greatly uplifted. Baba liked the old man very much; he was genuinely interested in spirituality, a trait Baba always appreciated. Baba also liked it that he was humble, despite his high government position.
Akbar Hyderi and his wife had come to see Baba at noon on 29 September. "We are both miserable," Lady Hyderi admitted, "Our son, Ali, is a drunkard and a spendthrift.
We are terribly worried about him." Baba consoled them, assuring them there was no cause for worry, and their son would be all right after two months. Lady Hyderi asked if she could bring their son to him, and Baba indicated at another time.
They happily left, and Baba thereafter began sending them messages each day with Chanji. On 2 October 1933, Sir Hyderi's son intended to get off in Port Said and his mother was anxious about it. She did not wish him to go ashore, fearing he would end up drunk and a source of troubling embarrassment to them. Baba sent a message, telling them not to be afraid and to ask their son not to disembark. Accordingly, they told their son, who obeyed them, strangely enough without an argument. The parents were quite relieved.
Sir Hyderi again saw Baba, who assured him, "I will keep an eye on your son. Do not worry in the least. During the coming two months, he will have a relapse and go on a binge twice. You should not worry on these occasions, for he will thereafter totally give up alcohol." Hyderi invited Baba to Hyderabad and expressed his desire to return to India on the Conte Rosso, on which he had been told Baba would be traveling.
After he left, Baba sent another message with Chanji, who went to their cabin, but Sir Hyderi had already retired for the night. Lady Hyderi answered the door and told Chanji, "Baba showered his mercy on us yesterday. It was his blessing. Our son would otherwise never have listened to us. Please convey our grateful thanks to him. May he ever have his nazar on us!"
Chanji repeated Baba's message about the son's future two drunks and told her not to worry. She asked if it would be possible for him to give it up immediately. "Do not be anxious. This, too, will pass," Chanji said.
Lady Hyderi then said, "We are resigned to Baba's will. Now what about my son's operation in London on his leg? Is there any danger?"
Chanji assured her that everything would be all right. "Convey our salaams and thanks to Meher Baba," Lady Hyderi said before wishing him good-night.
Baba sent Chanji to Sir Hyderi a few more times that night and Chanji once had to wake him to give him Baba's message. The son had not wanted to see Baba at first and had refused his parents' request to do so.
S.S. CONTE VERDE
Harry Strutton, editor of the Occult Review, came to see Baba on 13 October 1933. "No amount of intellect, reading and learning can enable one to understand It [ Reality ] thoroughly," Baba told him. Strutton was an intellectual, yet had been highly impressed upon his first meeting with Baba in 1931. Kitty's brother Ernest Davy and a friend came the same day, as did Sir Akbar and Lady Hyderi, Mr. Munshi **( Dr. K.M. Munshi ) and Charles Purdom.
** Dr. K.M. Munshi was to become a committee member responsible
for writing the Indian Constitution after Independence.
On the 21st October, Akbar Hyderi came to Hygeia House and took Baba to the nursing home where his son was recuperating from surgery. After he comforted the Hyderis, Baba visited the homes of other lovers on his return, meeting with each one and giving attention to their needs.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akbar_Hydari
https://www.geni.com/people/Mohammed-Akbar-Hydari/6000000007722963624
https://www.geni.com/people/Amina-Hydari/6000000011358367334
http://narendralutherarchives.blogspot.com/2006/12/civil-servant-to-prime-minister.html
https://archive.org/stream/indianroundtable029616mbp/indianroundtable029616mbp_djvu.txt