India must protect Osho’s Samadhi

As the battle against corruption in India is not Anna Hazare’s personal battle, but concerns each one of us; the neglect of the spiritual guru, Osho’s Samadhi, by his own followers in Pune is also not their internal affair, but concerns the rich spiritual heritage of India. 

Also known as Acharya and Bhagwan Rajneesh, Osho’s wholistic work and contribution constitute an important part of India’s spiritual tradition. Almost all extraordinary 

spiritual leaders were rebels of their age and so was Osho. 

Those who don’t know Osho know nothing about his 

extraordinary commentaries on the Buddha and Buddhism, Mahavir and Jainism, the Bhagvad Gita, Kabir, Gorakhnath and scores of spiritual leaders from different religions of the world. 

Live every moment, says Osho’s philosophy; celebrate life, meditate and find your own way, do not get trapped in the crap of religious dogma, do not suppress your sexuality and pursue your passion. Yes, he had revolutionary ideas about sex, but he was no “sex guru”, as the Indian and western media had dubbed him to sell their newspapers and magazines. 

After Osho died in Pune on Jan 19, 1990, he was cremated, and as per his wishes, his ashes were interred in his bedroom at his residence ‘Lao Tzu’ on the Osho Commune premises. 

This marble floored and marble-walled bedroom has a majestic circular chandelier and is recognised as Osho’s samadhi where his followers were allowed to meditate silently. 

However, over the last two decades, the Osho International Foundation (OIF), which controls all of Osho’s properties, has been taking gradual steps to erase the significance of the samadhi for his followers. 

The OIF spokesperson admitted in a conversation with this journalist that it was a mistake on their part to use the term ‘samadhi’ in the first place. 

As Amrit Sadhana had stated in an interview, “We do not call it a samadhi. It is called Chuang Tzu (hall) where Osho (then Rajneesh) gave his first lectures after arriving in Pune in 1974. As per Osho’s wishes, his ashes were put in an urn and buried there.” 

The management has made it extremely cumbersome — 

almost impossible — for the common man to visit the 

samadhi. Should the access not be free for everyone? Should one agree with the management when they say that it was a ‘mistake’ to call it a samadhi in the first place? 

It is always the disciples of the master who betray him in the end. Is something similar happening in the case of Osho? 

Who will explain the controversial ‘gifting’ of prime property of the Osho Commune worth crores of rupees to the 

unknown Darshan Trust in Delhi? 

What about the fact that there are clear links between the existing and former trustees of the OIF, and this unknown 

entity called Darshan Trust? 

Clearly, Osho’s Samadhi needs to be rescued from the clutches of his betrayers, and it needs to be restored to the people of India. 

The problem is that we Indians are too tolerant and too slow to act and react — whether it is in regard to corruption or something else. But there’s no easy way out. The British or the Americans won’t fight your battles; you have to fight your own...and win.