"Feram also felt inspired to translate all that I originally wrote in Hindi into English. Without Feram's translation [Lord Meher] would not have reached English-speaking readers for many more years." (Bhau Kalchuri, author's foreword, Lord Meher, 1986).
"One day, Framroze Workingboxwala came to me, and he offered to translate everything into English himself, provided I would help him. I liked his idea and told him to go ahead. So he began his work of translating Baba's biography" (Bhau Kalchuri, GLOW INTERNATIONAL, Winter 2013, p. 10).*
Feram comes to live and work for Baba — 1931
Meanwhile on February 9th [1931], Feram Workingboxwala came to stay permanently at Nasik under Baba's instructions. He had come several times for Baba's darshan at Naoroji Dadachanji's home in Bombay, and had been directed by Baba to come to Nasik to work in the Sarosh Motor Garage as a typist. There is a humorous story related to Feram. Feram had previous contact with Sadguru Upasni Maharaj at Sakori. One day, he told Meher Baba that Maharaj had promised him that this would be his last lifetime. Baba assured him that it would be and that he would fulfill Maharaj's promise, but then asked why Feram did not want ever to come back. Feram answered, "Baba, I hated school as a boy. The thought of ever coming back and going to school again is dreadful to me. Because I hate school, I don't want to come back!" Baba laughed, finding this answer of Feram's very humorous, and related it to the mandali. (Bhau Kalchuri, Lord Meher, 1986, p. 1358)* The GLOW INTERNATINAL excerpt is from an interview of Bhau conducted by Ward Parks in the late 1990s.
Addendum 6-19-15:
The following is from an email sent to me on 6/25/14 regarding Feram's room in the Trust Compound in Ahmednagar.
"I remembered when I was living in the Trust Compound that on two separate occasions Feram Workingboxwalla told me that Meher Baba went into seclusion in his room -- meaning the room where Feramji stayed. On the first occasion in 1980 when he told me he said Baba went into seclusion in his room for two days, and on the second occasion in 1984 he told me Baba spent 5-7 days in seclusion in his room in the early days. But however many days it was that Baba stayed in his room, it is interesting that Baba chose Feramji's room to go into seclusion and then years later Feramji himself gets inspired to play such a significant part in the writing of Lord Meher. One can only see Beloved Baba's Hands in the writing of His own biography."
Contact me for the source.
there is a rumor going on and being spread that some one by the name of Mr Feram Workingboxwala has done the translation on Lord Meher from Hindi or Indian to English...this is nothing but a lie and fabrication. this person had no knowledge of Hindi or the Indian language, He could neither read or write or speak the language. Lord Meher was translated by none other than Bhau Kalturi himself and to attempt to dis credit him for his hard work, devotion and love to his master Meher Baba by spreading such nonsense will not be overlooked by our dear Meher Baba... He is the Avatar and knows it all and a true lover of GOD and Meher Baba should know that all deeds good or bad will be rewarded and punished by the ONE and only GOD who stands for truth and justice... Jai Beloved Meher Baba (( )) and Jai Baba to His most faithful disciple and servant Bhau Kalturi
ReplyDeleteYes, you are right. And anyone who reads the above post will see that this rumor was begun by Bhau Kalchuri.
Deletevery, very interesting....
DeleteHi Chris;
DeleteHistory is a story told by the victorious editor. Maybe David Fenster learned a few tricks from Bhau in this regard.
God bless the honest regard for facts.
Bill Gannett
Some of us remember Bhau back to the 60's and he was barely about to speak english, let alone translate anything into english.
DeleteBhau himself talked about being the brunt of jokes by Baba Himself as well as the Mandali for his inability to speak english. He only learned after Baba's dropping the body.
Bhauji was an educated person with several qualification including a law degree all in English, He excelled in his university studies and before meeting baba he was writing a phd thesis.
ReplyDeleteMy understanding is he was the most educated mandli member because of which baba gave him the responsibility to write the master piece lord meher. Without doubt he was capable to do translation work by himself.
Bhau had perhaps collected more degrees than the other Mandali, but his English was rudimentary compared to most of them. One of the marks of a command of English is a facility for cogent and concise expression- qualities Bhau spectacularly lacked.
ReplyDeleteIrwin and Eddie Luck filmed an interview with Framroze Workingboxwala. In 1970 or 71. It's a real gem. If you get a chance somehow, somewhere, try to see it.
ReplyDeleteI was given the opportunity to sleep in the room in which Feram Workingboxwala gained God Realization, it was a memorable experience. I didn't know beforehand and that evening had very vivid, blissful dreams. When I told others in the Trust Compound of my dreams the night before, they said something to the effect of, "oh yeah, that's where Feram gained God Realization." I agree with his take on school!
ReplyDeleteThese two paragraphs are from a letter by David Fenster written to Hermes Reiter in 1982.
ReplyDeleteRegarding MEHER PRABU: My main work with the text was insuring accuracy and reinserting the original English wherever it could be found. I checked and rechecked the correct spellings of every name, place and person in the book; whereas, as I wrote, Feram didn't do this. His job was just to translate the material, so he spelled things however he felt they sounded.
Where I could locate direct quotes from Baba or other people, which Bhau translated into Hindi and Feram had retranslated back into English — I re-inserted the original English.