Bal Natu stands as one of Meher Baba's most prolific chroniclers, whose six-volume masterwork "Glimpses of the God-Man" provides an intimate portrait of life with the Avatar from 1943 onwards. Born Chintamani Vishnu Natu in 1919 in British India, his path to Meher Baba was marked by both physical suffering and spiritual longing.

As a teenager, Bal suffered from pulmonary tuberculosis, a disease that would shape much of his early life. When his father died suddenly, the young man's grief turned him toward spirituality, seeking relief and meaning beyond the material world. Little did he know that his spiritual search had actually begun years earlier, in a most unexpected way.

In 1933, when Bal was just fourteen years old, he experienced what would later prove to be a fateful encounter. Meher Baba entered the railway compartment where Bal and his family were traveling. At the time, Bal had no idea who this striking figure was, but the encounter planted a seed that would eventually blossom into complete devotion. As Bal later reflected, "This occurrence was instrumental in kindling the desire to know more about Him."

A decade later, in 1943, Bal began corresponding with Meher Baba. In response to Bal's first postcard, Baba graciously wrote that Bal could ask Him whatever he wanted—an open invitation that many would have used to seek answers to life's pressing questions or to request material help. But Bal's response revealed the depth of his spiritual aspiration. Instead of asking questions, he wrote back with characteristic humility: "I wholeheartedly wish to learn the alphabet of spirituality at Your holy feet." This response captured the essence of Bal's approach to his Master—not seeking explanations or favors, but offering himself as a student of the spirit.

In 1944, at the age of twenty-five, Bal finally had his first darshan of Meher Baba at the Nagpur railway platform before a darshan program. Though weakened by tuberculosis, he had traveled from Kurduwadi simply to be in Baba's proximity. What happened next became one of the most cherished stories of his life—the Pickpocket Incident.

When Bal beheld Meher Baba for the first time, he was so overwhelmed by the Master's radiant beauty and splendor that he completely "lost" himself. While he stood enchanted, a pickpocket stole his wallet and train ticket. When Baba left and Bal finally came to his senses, he discovered his loss. Fortunately, the ticket collector turned out to be an old friend who helped him. As Bal wrote with his characteristic blend of humor and insight: "So when I met Baba I instantly became penniless and directionless." This story perfectly encapsulated the spiritual truth that meeting the Avatar strips one of all worldly attachments and directions, leaving only the path to God.

During a subsequent train journey with Baba, Bal had a direct experience of the Master's omniscience. While others entertained Baba with jokes and stories, Bal had a sudden thought: "Why not sing a song for Baba?" At that very moment—before Bal could say or do anything—Baba gestured to him to sing. This firsthand demonstration of Baba's all-knowing nature deepened Bal's understanding of who he was serving.

Once, when both Bal Natu and Dr. C.D. Deshmukh were present, Baba posed a riddle to them: "Even though I am all-knowing and I am in everything, there is one thing that I do not know. What is it?" Baba's answer was: "I do not know where I am not." This riddle, reflecting Baba's teaching on the paradox of divine consciousness, became one of the many treasures Bal would later share with the world.

Throughout Baba's lifetime Bal remained a schoolteacher at Kurduwadi and came to Baba during his school vacations. In 1949 he was one of those who wrote "Yes" to Baba's call for the New Life, but because of his poor health Baba sent him home on 9 October, saying that he should follow his old life yet remained "in the category of Yeswalas." In later years he traveled with Baba to Dehra Dun and Rishikesh and through Andhra (1953 and 1954) and spent his summer vacations at Guruprasad, where Baba had him take notes. He became a Trustee of the Avatar Meher Baba Trust in 1975, and after retiring from teaching in 1977 he moved to Meherazad, where he devoted the rest of his life to preserving and sharing what he had witnessed and learned. He became renowned for his beautiful recitation of the Parvardigar Prayer, Meher Baba's universal prayer, which touched countless hearts.

His literary contributions are immense. The six-volume "Glimpses of the God-Man, Meher Baba" remains his magnum opus, offering detailed accounts of Baba's activities and interactions during the period from 1943 onwards. Each volume, published between 1977 and the 1990s, provides intimate glimpses into life with the Avatar—the conversations, the silences, the divine play, and the profound teachings embedded in everyday moments.

Beyond "Glimpses," Bal wrote the "Conversations with the Awakener" series (Conversations, Flowing Conversations, More Conversations, and Intimate Conversations): his heart's conversations with the Awakener, written without naming Meher Baba and, in his words, his play with the Awakener's presence rather than strict biography. He compiled four books of other people's stories of coming to Baba: "Our Constant Companion" (also translated into Serbian), "When He Takes Over," "Showers of Grace" and "Tales of Meher Baba's Love." "Samadhi: Star of Infinity" provides a detailed account of Meher Baba's tomb-shrine. He also compiled the "Avatar Meher Baba Bibliography" (1978), and his notes from his summers at Guruprasad were published posthumously as "Intimate Times with Meher Baba" (2018).

Throughout his decades at Meherazad, Bal welcomed pilgrims from around the world, sharing stories of Baba with the same freshness and devotion as if they had happened yesterday. His gentle demeanor, scholarly approach, and deep love for Meher Baba made him a beloved figure among Baba lovers worldwide.

On October 7, 2003, at 1:20 in the morning, Bal Natu passed away at Meherazad at the age of eighty-four. His body was cremated at Meherabad, near the Samadhi of his Beloved. His legacy lives on through his writings, which continue to introduce new generations to the God-Man and provide those who never met Baba with precious glimpses of what it was like to be in His presence.

Bal Natu's life demonstrates how physical suffering can become a gateway to spiritual seeking, how a chance encounter can transform into eternal devotion, and how one person's dedication to chronicling the Avatar's life can become a gift to all humanity. In his own words and through his unwavering service, he truly learned "the alphabet of spirituality" at his Master's feet.