Hazrat Babajan: The Divine Light of Pune, Maharashtra
By Afroz Khan, New Age Islam
24 June 2025
Hazrat Babajan, a Balochistan-born saint, attained God-realization and served pilgrims in Mecca Sharif. Settling in Pune, her divine presence uplifted many. Before passing away in 1931, she gifted her spiritual energy to Meher Baba, whose legacy continues her mission of enlightenment.
Main Points:
1. Born Gulrukh in Balochistan, she fled an arranged marriage at 18.
2. Attained God-realization through intense spiritual practices in Multan.
3. Traveled disguised as a man to Mecca, serving pilgrims.
4. Settled in Pune, transforming Char Bawdi with her divine presence.
5. Transferred spiritual energy to Meher Baba via a divine kiss.
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Hazrat Babajan, a Balochistan-born saint, attained God-realization and served pilgrims in Mecca. Settling in Pune, her divine presence uplifted many. Before passing away in 1931, she gifted her spiritual energy to Meher Baba, whose legacy continues her mission of enlightenment.
Hazrat Babajan, a divine soul whose boundless grace still draws devotees to her sacred Dargah in Pune, was a beacon of spiritual light. Born Gulrukh, meaning "Rose-Faced," in a royal Muslim family in Balochistan, she defied societal norms, fleeing an arranged marriage at 18. Her spiritual journey led her to God-realization, transforming her into a revered faqir. From Middle Eastern pilgrimages to settling under a neem tree in Pune, Babajan’s love and miracles uplifted countless lives, culminating in her divine gift to Avatar Meher Baba, whose legacy continues her mission of enlightenment.
Even today, devotees flock to the dargah of Hazrat Babajan in Pune, Maharashtra, experiencing the enduring grace and divine love of this remarkable spiritual master. She stands tall among the enlightened souls, not just men, but women too, whose divine message has touched countless lives. Babajan was a true revolutionary of the spirit.
Born as Gulrukh ("Face like a Rose") into a royal Muslim family in Balochistan, her early life followed the strict customs of Afghan nobility. Reared in purdah, secluded from the world, she faced the prospect of an arranged marriage. Defying convention, the young Gulrukh made a bold choice: on her wedding day itself, at just eighteen, she fled her home. Disguised in her burqa, she journeyed to the frontier city of Peshawar, nestled at the foot of the Khyber Pass.
It was near Peshawar that her destiny took shape. She encountered a Hindu sadguru. Following his guidance, she retreated into intense seclusion in the mountains near Rawalpindi. For nearly seventeen months, she underwent severe riyazat, profound spiritual austerities. Emerging transformed, she travelled to Multan in Punjab. Here, at the age of thirty-seven, her spiritual quest reached its zenith. A Muslim saint bestowed upon her the ultimate gift God-realisation.
After this earth-shattering experience, she returned to her Hindu guru in Rawalpindi, who, over several years, gently guided her back to normal consciousness. Her thirst for the divine remained unquenched. Babajan embarked on extraordinary journeys across the Middle East, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq. Legends speak of her daring pilgrimage to Mecca. Disguised as a man to avoid detection, she travelled through Afghanistan, Iran, and Turkey, finally reaching Arabia. At the holy Kaaba, she offered her prayers (salat) five times daily from a chosen spot. Her compassion shone brightly in Mecca she gathered food for the poor and tenderly nursed ailing pilgrims. She later paid homage at Prophet Muhammad's tomb in Medina, continuing her prayers and acts of kindness.
back through Baghdad, returning to Punjab, then south to Nasik. She finally settled for a time in Panchavati and later in Bombay, where her fame as a saintly figure began to spread. By 1905, Hazrat Babajan arrived in Pune, choosing it as her final abode.
In Pune, she became a familiar, albeit extraordinary, sight. An elderly woman, slightly bent, with matted white hair and simple, worn clothes, she would sit or rest in various odd spots across the city. She embraced the life of a homeless faqir, indifferent to comfort. For months, she endured the elements until devotees persuaded her to accept a basic shelter made of gunny sacks. Offerings given to her were instantly shared with the poor or sometimes stolen, events she met with serene detachment.
Word of this remarkable saint spread. People from Pune and far beyond, drawn by devotion or curiosity, began seeking her ‘Ziyarat’. Tales of miracles attributed to her grew. Most visibly, the very character of the Char Bawdi locality transformed utterly. What was once deserted blossomed into a vibrant hub, buildings changed, electrified tea shops buzzed, crowds of all faiths and ranks gathered for her Ziyarat, street musicians played, beggars sought alms, and the air hung thick with the sweet scent of burning incense. The presence of this great master had turned a forgotten corner into the city's spiritual heart. This was her power, to transform not just places, but people, turning sinners towards sainthood and the lost towards enlightenment.
On 21st September 1931, this perfect master, Hazrat Babajan, shed her mortal coil. Her passing deeply moved Pune, especially the Muslim community. Her funeral procession saw thousands, both Muslims and Hindus, united in reverence. A beautiful white marble dargah was built right where she had sat for so long, under the neem tree by the roadside (now a busy thoroughfare). The dargah is simple: a single room where her tomb (turbat) rests, the ancient neem tree's trunk growing right through the rooftop. Today, people of all religions visit this sacred space, located in Pune's bustling Camp area, continuing to seek her blessings.
According to some sources, before departing, Hazrat Babajan performed her final, supreme act. She transferred her immense spiritual power and grace to a young Parsi boy named ‘Merwan Sheriar Irani’, then about nineteen. Merwan, a student at Deccan College, often cycled past her spot under the neem tree. Though aware some revered her as a saint, he hadn't paid much heed. Intrigued, he eventually began visiting her. They sat together, often in profound silence.
Then came the pivotal night in January 1914. As Merwan prepared to leave, he kissed Babajan's hands. In a gesture charged with destiny, she held his face and kissed his forehead. In that instant, an overwhelming barakah (divine grace) flooded into him. The effect was immediate and total. Merwan fell into a deep, coma-like state, withdrawn from the world for nearly nine months.
This was no ordinary kiss. Hazrat Babajan, a silent mystic who had not touched another for years, had been waiting. This was her final life, and the moment had come for the total transfer of her spiritual energy. She passed it entirely in that single, divine touch to the one chosen for the next great work. Soon after fulfilling this sacred duty, she left her body.
Why the coma? When divine realisation strikes with such force, when enlightenment dawns, all desires vanish instantly. Actions fueled by those desires simply cease. With no desire, there is no action in the usual sense. The mind, overwhelmed by the infinite light, withdraws. To the world, it appears as a coma; in truth, it is a profound inner transformation.
After nearly a year, Merwan Sheriar Irani opened his eyes. The world looked the same, but he was utterly changed. A great spiritual energy, a divine light, now resided within him. The transfer was complete. The love and connection between master and disciple, forged perhaps over lifetimes, had borne its ultimate fruit. Hazrat Babajan departed, but she left humanity an immeasurable gift.
This young man, touched by Babajan's divine kiss, would become Meher Baba, a spiritual giant who journeyed across the globe, sharing a message of love and transforming countless lives, truly carrying forward the legacy of the Rose-Faced Saint from Balochistan.
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Afroz Khan is a teacher by profession. She primarily writes about women and Islam. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Education.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-personalities/hazrat-babajan-divine-light/d/135966
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