ASTHANA IN HINDI MEANS THRESHOLD

 
In the early '50s, Baba began giving more public hints about His status, as in the message "The Highest of the High," which was given in Dehra Dun in 1953. But the date that seems to me to symbolize Meher Baba's public declaration of Avatarhood is February 10, 1954. On this day, at about 1:00 A.M., Baba was in a small hut in an out-of-the-way place called Meherasthan, in the district of Hamirpur, Uttar Pradesh.

Asthana in Hindi means "threshold" — it is as though the Avatar crossed the threshold of disguise here. The hut was situated on a small hill, and that night a large group of His followers had gathered around its entrance.

Most unexpectedly, and to the amazement of those present, Baba spelled out on His alphabet board, "Avatar Meher Baba ki Jai" ("Victory to Meher Baba, the Avatar").