Nosh Anzar gleefully reported today through an email newsletter that Pete Townsend has gifted Beloved Archives, based in New Jersey, with artifacts and relics of Meher Baba which had been given to Pete as host of an English Baba Center, the Oceanic.
Evidently, Pete has decided to quit himself of the role and responsibility of looking after these treasures by shipping them off to America. More details than this were not forthcoming. Naturally, one supposes that Nosh wheedled them from Pete to enlarge his already impressive collection.
But by whatever means Nosh has acquired an English Baba Group’s legacy of artifacts and relics, it is completely repugnant for this to have been presented as a fait accompli. Many questions arise at once, but the most basic one is simply WHY. Why defraud English Baba lovers of a significant legacy of Baba treasures- regardless of the rationalization, and I’m sure Nosh will not stutter for one.
The only right and decent thing to do is to simply return the whole lot, without exception, to England.
It is probably not an exaggeration to say that the happy future of Beloved Archives depends on it.
The photograph of Naosherwan with Pete Townshend holding Meher Baba’s signature pink coat seems to show a cooperative endeavor. What is your evidence for “defraud[ing?”
Good question. The artifacts and relics were not Pete’s to give. He held them in trust for the English Baba lovers. Nosh knows this full well. Evidently, he secretly negotiated with Pete for the items because the leader of the London group doesn’t know anything about it. I’m told by an archivist at Meherabad that Pete signed a form stating Baba’s coat would either stay in England with the Baba group or be returned to India. Maybe Pete’s memory has lapsed. The details will come out, but they won’t be pretty.
i totally agree, this is so wrong.
Maybe Nosh has some decency and will give them back.