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Editor’s Bytes Ambitious Vinod makes the Cabinet
I remember Vinod from Poona one, giving up his film star status and coming to visit Poona frequently. Vinod was one of the few Indians who then went on to be a commune member on the Ranch in Oregon, where it is almost certainly true, as he claims that he did the dishes and cleaned the toilets. Sheela would have seen to that!
In 1985 the Ranch collapsed and he returned to India and to the movies. Osho is supposed to have asked him to run the Ashram in 1986, something he said a clear no to at that time. Now that would have been a time to support someone he still claims as his teacher! Gradually he must have tired of movies and became an Indian MP in the nineties.
Recently he has been a big ally of Keerti and the breakaway Indian sannyasins in Delhi, coming out with public statements in their support and against their banning from the Poona Ashram, and in their fight to remove the New York copyright on Osho’s words.
Now he has been made a cabinet minister (for Tourism) in the Indian Government. Some rumour that in another about face he will open the new Buddha Hall later in August as part of his tourism brief and re-ally with the Poona Ashram authorities — especially as he is Minister for Tourism.
Whatever the case, one can say that Vinod is certainly a politician.
Copyright Poll
Rebellious.com organised an internet poll about the stand-off on copyright of Osho’s words directed at the everyday sannyasin. When I last looked 88 per cent had voted for no copyright to be attached to his words. I suppose it will happen eventually. But one suspects a long haul. Meanwhile those with initiative have surely found ways to get to Osho’s words freely through an increasing number of web- sites, etc. Much as Osho intended, his words continue to reach where they never did before, for example to the most distant and poverty struck parts of China, Russia and India. People are sometimes fond of saying that Osho is a guru for the rich. He may be, but he was also a teacher for the those with the guts and initiative to find him, whatever their background.
It is worth mentioning for example that Indian readers have to buy costly books published in USA while publishing the same in India would have made these books available for Indian readers for less than half price, and certainly not more
than Rs. 250/=. Titles like Love Freedom and Aloneness is selling for Rs. 1060/=,
Tao The Patless Path for Rs. 505/=, Osho on Zen for Rs. 650/= are imported to India from the USA.
By contrast, The Essence of Yoga by Osho - a book published by Penguin India is just Rs. 250/= and it has 228 pages. While the Diamond Pocket Books Publishers in India are publishing Osho books much cheaper still. The Delhi sannyasins consider that if legal cases go against them that a time may come when they will have to import all Osho books from the USA. And as they say these compilations look like Dale Carnegie type books-- How to Win Friends and Influence People - and without any Osho photo on the cover. What an unneccessary mess.
Mixed Feelings About Osho Paintings at Koregaon Park
It is stated by the Ashram that Osho created about 900 so called ‘signature paintings’ inscribed on the blank cover pages of his books, as part of his extended signature. He used bright coloured markers, blot ink and felt-tip pens to make usually spherical designs. However most of these “paintings’ were, it is alleged by the Delhi sannyasins, removed from the books and taken to New York in 1998 as a sort of possible auction income source, if the financial going got tough in New York. Thirty of these have now been returned to Poona and are on display at the Ashram (Resort!) in the library. Frankly if they were removed from the books it seems a sort of totally unneccessary sacrilege to me.
Sannyasnews Tries New Freedom
The Chatboard at Sannyasnews .com has been pretty active lately, substantially adding to the number of our daily hits and where over 200 people have signed up for membership - apart from many guests who have not bothered to register. It differs from any other sannyas chatboard in not exercising control over anyone who posts and perhaps this partly explains its popularity. Even Osho Beyond Bondage has banned certain people. The threads that seem to provoke most interest are around Dave Oshana and the various controversies he seems to have provoked in the UK sannyas scene, and the ongoing debate over Osho’s last years and his cause of death. Why not give it the once over if you have not done already?
Love, Parmartha