The Funeral Procession
While avoiding people due to Baba's embarrassing order, Ramjoo encountered a funeral procession of a relative. He was forced to greet every mourner with 'My shop is not yet sold,' making everyone think he had gone mad.
All Mandali
Ramjoo Abdulla
Abdul Karim Ramjoo Abdulla
Diarist of Baba's early years; drafted the Avatar Meher Baba Trust deed and was a founding trustee
1899 โ January 11, 1967
Bombay (Mumbai), India โ Satara, India
Early MandaliWriterMuslim DiscipleTrust Trustee
Profession
Cloth merchant, later Manager at Sarosh Motor Works
Biography
Ramjoo Abdulla was one of Meher Baba's earliest mandali; their relationship, begun in 1920, would span 46 years until his death. A Muslim cloth merchant in Poona with a home in Lonavla, who had been actively involved in India's independence movement against British rule, Ramjoo first encountered Baba briefly at a gathering at Munshiji's house. He was immediately captivated by Baba's 'living flame' and felt 'curious to know more about this Irani saint.'
Baba's first orders to Ramjoo were characteristically demanding: he was forbidden from all political activities, and told that whenever he met anyone, he must first say 'My shop is not yet sold.' This humiliating order was designed to break Ramjoo's ego and compel him to sell his cloth shop to join Baba. In one memorable incident, Ramjoo encountered a funeral procession of a relative while avoiding people because of this embarrassing order. He was forced to greet every mourner with 'My shop is not yet sold,' making everyone think he had gone mad.
As a Muslim, Ramjoo was given the particularly challenging task of selling the biography of Upasni Maharaj, a Hindu Perfect Master, to Muslims at mosques. He endured jeers, insults, and humiliation, but this taught him humility and perseverance. These early ordeals forged in Ramjoo an unshakable connection to his Master.
Ramjoo joined the mandali at Manzil-e-Meem ashram and stayed until Baba moved from Toka in 1928. He was selected as one of five writers in 1929, and Baba ordered him to write in Hindi and Urdu. His book 'Sobs and Throbs,' based on Chanji's diary notes about miraculous events surrounding the Master and the Prem Ashram boys, reached Baba as an unbound proof copy on June 26, 1929. He later wrote 'Ramjoo's Diaries' and 'Meherabad, the Hill of Celestial Light.'
In September 1932, Ramjoo was sent with Chanji to meet Mahatma Gandhi in prisonโa remarkable mission given Ramjoo's former political activism. Gandhi warmly welcomed them and inquired about Baba's silence and travels.
During the New Life he remained in Ahmednagar as one of the 'Arrangementwalas' who settled Baba's Old Life affairs, joining Baba only for particular work such as the Bombay mast work of November 1950; in November 1952 he kept the diary on Baba's Fiery Life tour. Baba often asked him to read His messages and prayers at darshan programs. He also served as manager at Sarosh Motor Works in Nasik and became a trustee of the Avatar Meher Baba Trust.
Baba assured Ramjoo: 'You need not worry about anything. Along with your spiritual progress, I will make certain that you and your family do not suffer materially.' This promise proved true as Ramjoo's entire family came to love Baba, moving from Nasik to Ahmednagar in 1946.
On January 11, 1967, Ramjoo passed away in Satara. In his final moments, his fingers moved by themselves, repeating Baba's name even when he was too feeble to hold prayer beads. Dr. Jog telegrammed Baba: 'Ramjoo has permanently left us and come to you this afternoon.' Baba cabled the family: 'My very dear Ramjoo has come to Me to rest eternally in Me. Inform his family to have courage and give them all my love.'
Photo Gallery(48 photos)
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Life Timeline
1920
First met Baba
Met Meher Baba at Munshiji's house and was immediately drawn to His 'living flame.' Later joined the mandali at the Manzil-e-Meem ashram in Bombay.
1922
First Humbling Orders
Baba gave two orders: 1) Stop all political activities, 2) Start every conversation with 'My shop is not yet sold.' This humiliating practice was meant to break his ego.
1922
Selling Upasni Maharaj's Biography
As a Muslim, ordered to sell the biography of a Hindu Perfect Master to Muslims at mosques. Endured jeers and humiliation, learning humility and perseverance.
1924
Mastani Encounter in Sukkur
While renting a bungalow in Sukkur for Baba, met a mastani (female mast) who asked who his Master was. On hearing 'Meher Baba,' she exclaimed 'Badshah, Shahenshah!' (King! Emperor!) and vanished.
1929
Chosen as a Writer; Sobs and Throbs
On 21 February, selected as one of five writers and assigned to write in Hindi and Urdu. A proof copy of his book 'Sobs and Throbs,' based on Chanji's diary notes about the Prem Ashram boys, arrived on 26 June.
1932
Meeting Mahatma Gandhi
Sent with Chanji to meet Gandhi in prison on September 21, 1932. Gandhi warmly welcomed them and inquired about Baba's silence and travels.
1967
Death
Died on January 11 in Satara from heart failure after 46 years with Baba. His fingers moved by themselves repeating Baba's name in his final moments.
Quotes
โYou need not worry about anything. Along with your spiritual progress, I will make certain that you and your family do not suffer materially.
โRealization is for heroes who, while the knife is slashing their throats, take pleasure in the pain of dying.
โMy wish is religion and my wish is shariat; and he who obeys it obeys the shariat and fulfills the tenets of his religion.
โIf you become my follower, then you have to stop thinking of material matters and worldly problems. Think it over well and let me know your decision. โฆ This is my first order to you. I forbid you to participate in such political activities any more. I will see to your other worldly affairs later.
โ On the train from Bombay to Poona, January 1922: Baba asked Ramjoo whether he wished to follow him, and Ramjoo nodded yes. Learning that he was active in the movements for India's independence, Baba gave him his first order.
โWhomsoever you happen to meet, first say to them that your shop is not yet sold.
โ Poona, April 1922: Baba had told Ramjoo to dispose of his cloth shop before the move to Bombay, but he could not sell it. Obeying this order, Ramjoo had to greet even the mourners at a relative's funeral this way, and people thought he had gone mad.
โWhatever hopes and promises I held out to you to be fulfilled by February 28th, you may now consider them unfulfilled. If you think that the last two years with me were a waste of time and in vain, and if you now no longer take me for what you believed me to be for so long, then I can only say I am sorry and ask your forgiveness. Still, if you wish to remain with me, you may do so for only an indefinite period and without any previous conditions or expectations. However, if you think I have beguiled and deceived you, you are free to express yourselves and rebuke me as you wish.
โ Bombay, January 1924: having called all the mandali to Bombay, Baba spoke privately with Ghani and Ramjoo.
โWhen I observe a fast, it amounts to all the people in the world having observed it, since it is no one but I in everyone.
โ Toka, October 1928: Baba had just ended a twelve-day seclusion and broken a fast of 43 days, and he was passing blood in his urine. Ramjoo expressed his concern.
โBy burning your fingers today in preparing dal for me, you have obliged me to make you into something one day.
โ On the road from Kashmir, August 1929: Baba wanted to eat while the bus was moving, and Ramjoo and Vishnu lit the kerosene stove in the jolting back compartment and cooked fresh dal, scorching their hands.
โI feel pleased with his individual helplessness, which has immense possibilities, but you can have no idea of my present infinite helplessness.
โ Hyderabad, June 1951: at the start of the Manonash period, members of the Arrangementwalas' committee had been called for some particular work. Referring to someone's difficulties, Baba said this to Ramjoo, who was present.
โI love you as my own Self. Not a second are you out of my mental sphere. โฆ Yes, one day you two chaps [Ramjoo and Ghani] will see actual[ly], so don't fret. Remember me.
โ 11 December 1925: from a handwritten letter Baba sent to Ramjoo during his early years of silence, at a time when he was making similar promises to others of the mandali.
โYou have been with me for so many years, and today you have disobeyed me. I cannot forgive you.
โ Eluru, Andhra, 1953: early one morning Baba was to touch the feet of 56 persons, representing the 56 God-realized souls on earth. Ramjoo had a high fever and did not come, and Baba left him out of the ceremony.
โHow do I look? โฆ Still, โฆ last night was terrible for me. I had a 105-degree temperature throughout the night. โฆ Had you been in my place, you would have dropped your body.
โ Toka, late September 1928: in the middle of a long fast Baba ran a high fever, yet stayed at Meher Manzil all day surrounded by the Prem Ashram boys. When Ramjoo passed by in the morning, Baba asked how he looked, and Ramjoo said he looked his usual self.
Notable Stories
The 'Marbome' Incident
A sadhu visiting the ashram chanted 'Om' at night. Ramjoo responded with 'Marbome!' ('Shout louder!'). This drove the sadhu away. Baba initially ordered Ramjoo to leave forever, but later said: 'Realization is for heroes who, while the knife is slashing their throats, take pleasure in the pain of dying.'
Heaven and Hell Discourse
When Ramjoo's friend Usman taunted him about following Baba, Baba gave a profound discourse: 'In heaven there are shackles made of gold, and in hell there are rusty iron chains. Both types bind.' He quoted Hafiz and Rumi about the necessity of a Perfect Master.
Secret Service Investigation
A government agent revealed that Manzil-e-Meem was under surveillance, suspected of harboring a secret society. After Ramjoo explained about Meher Baba, the agent purchased five copies of Upasni Maharaj's biography.