Norina Matchabelli

It was today, in 1957, that Norina Matchabelli was reunited with Baba at the age of 77. She first met Baba in New York in 1931 and that meeting was to change her life. This is her description of what happened:

I doubt whether that experience [of meeting Meher Baba] can be expressed in words. I had heard about him, but I remained skeptical. I had followed teacher after teacher, and yet none of them could ever reassure me [about the Path]. 

Eventually, I consented to go with a friend to Harmon. I entered the room in which Baba was sitting surrounded by followers and disciples. That very moment, an experience began, full of wonder and beauty. Suddenly I had to run across the room and I found myself weeping on the floor at his feet. Weeping, weeping! Oh, how I was weeping! But I also began to laugh, and the streams running down my cheeks and the outbursts of laughter became one. I was resting my head on Baba's hand, and my whole body was shaking with terrific sobs of liberation.

Eventually, I quieted down. Baba then took my face between his hands and looked at me for a long time into one of my eyes, and then into the other, and then back into the first eye. Then he spoke to me via the alphabet board. His first words were: "I am man and woman and child. I am sexless." He then paused for a while, brought his face nearer to mine and spelled out, "Have no fear." 

An incredible joy surged through me. I went into the next room and lay down on a sofa, weeping still with joy. Suddenly the door opened and Baba came in. I knew now that my whole life had no meaning if it were not dedicated to the Perfect Master, and so I said to him, "Baba, please take me with you."

Of course, Baba emphasised that he was "sexless" because a skeptical Norina had said to her friend Jean Adriel only the day before:

"How can you worship at the feet of any man, even if he does call himself a Master? Women like ourselves — who have had such deep inner experiences — don't need any man to show us the way to God. 

Well, that was her head talking of course and her heart had other ideas. She remained devoted to Baba for the rest of her life. 

On June 15th, 1957, Norina Matchabelli passed away at the age of seventy-seven, in Youpon Dunes, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, after prolonged heart trouble. Her love, service and renunciation were boundless. She was wholly Baba’s and merged in Him. Baba sent this telegram to Elizabeth Patterson and Kitty Davy on June 17th: “Be happy my very dear Norina has come to live with me forever.” Her body was cremated and, as was Baba’s wish, the ashes were sent to India and interred on Meherabad Hill. Her tombstone reads: “Princess Norina who is and will ever remain Baba’s.” Here is a link to more information about her.