Prasthan

…died peacefully on Friday, 27th June 2014.

Prasthan (aka Bertie) was born in England to Canadian mother and English father who was a fighter pilot in the RAF. He was educated at an English public school and was at the University of Toronto in Canada. He did many things including running a health food store while still in Canada. For the last years he has been living in London.

In the mid 70’s, after meeting some sanyasins in Toronto, he went to Poona. I met him there in 1976 and we talked about Shakespeare and the idea of putting on a show to entertain ourselves and other members of the ashram. He became then a founder member of the original Rajneesh Theatre Group and played a splendid Bottom in ‘A Midsummer Nights Dream’ in Poona 1. From there it blossomed into a full-time theatre company travelling India doing Shakespeare, performing for Mrs Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India. It became an international company, including even Vinod Khanna, one of Bollywood’s top stars. It was a very creative and fulfilling time to be in the commune.

Prasthan was a genuinely funny chap, lively, sunny; a great and true friend to me, without judgment or malice.

He had been very ill of late with emphysema, but his spirits were always up and he always enjoyed a good laugh whenever I visited him, which was regularly. He will be sorely missed not only by me but many of his friends and family.

Tosh (Anand Anutosh)