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An End to Celebrations?

As has already been widely published in the media and well known to devotees of Osho Rajneesh all over the world, the Osho Commune International, located in Koregaon Park, Pune had no celebration of any kind on Osho's Birth Day which was on December 11 th. Every devotee was shocked – as every year it was celebrated on a very grand scale with eye catching decorations, a huge Carnival, wonderful night dinner for almost ten thousand devotees. Sannyasins worked day and night for over a month to make the occasion a grand success.To add to the grandeur most well known artists like Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Zakir Hussain, Hema Malini used to give their performances through love of Osho.

This year there was nothing even to indicate that it was Osho's Birth Day. Not a single extra light burnt. It appeared as if the Commune Management had totally forgotten the day and thought that Osho's Birth Day was April 1st and could then be celebrated on a grand scale ' On All Fools Day '. What else could be expected from left overs after the money seeking intelligentsia had completely stripped the Ashram of any thing that was of value and taken it to America and Switzerland. They have even taken copyrights on all Osho's Books and tapes ( Actually Osho never wrote any thing. All his books are transcriptions of his discourses ).

Now the second grade intellect that is left behind are trying to run the Commune openly as a commercial outfit calling it a Health and Meditation Resort – providing Five Star accommodation at international prices and calling the building a 'Sarai ' to save taxes.On the other hand they celebrated Christmas on a very grand scale. I am not against celebrating Christmas. I am myself very enthusiastic in celebrating Christmas and New Year. I am also not against Christian religion. Although a born and proud Hindu I have offered prayers in churches in several countries even kneeling before the Cross asking for the blessings. I, therefore, do not find any thing wrong with Commune celebrating Christmas on a grand scale. All that hurts is ignoring Osho in Osho Commune itself. It shows total bankruptcy of any kind of intelligence on the part of the Management. It was like failing to celebrate Rabindranath Tager's Birthday in Shanti Niketan

All Puneites should unite and throw out this scourge on Pune. They are a disgrace to the city. They Insulted Osho Rajneesh in his own Osho Commune International. Puneites cannot take this insult lying down. The present management should be thrown out and Puneites, who will show due respect to Osho, should run the Commune..

Swami Utsav

Swami Chaitanya Keerti adds: I went to Osho Birthday celebration at Kuchwada, the village where Osho was born 70years ago. Osho Sakshin centre of Japan has started taking care of the Osho house in which Osho was born and has started creating Osho Teerth, where about hundred people can live and meditate at present. It has also bought 50 acres of land in the hills of Satpura, 30-40km away, to build Osho University. It is beautiful place surrounded by hills all around and has a traditional Shiva ashram close by. There is tunnel in the mountain which leads to a cave and there's a platform in that cave where thousands of people can sit and meditate together, after you have passed through difficult entrance.

On 10th of December we had devotional Kabir songs sung by a group of famous musicians who had come from Ujjain. and on 11th night there was programme of poetry recital, presided by Swami Chaitanya Keerti. Both the nights had the whole village attending the programmes. Zee satellite gave good coverage of the celebration and Bhopal newspapers gave front page news for three days continuously, as Kuchwada got lot of attention. Local government was very supportive as it is expecting Osho lovers from around the world will be pouring in continuously.

There was no celebration at Pune, but coincidently the celebration moved to Kuchwada and it happened in all innocence with participation from artists, poets and local villagers.

Swami Chaitanya Keerti