Dharmananda

Dharmananda left his body at 8.30pm on Saturday, 19th March.

He taught at the Ko Hsuan School in Devon (UK) and was previously also part of the Medina commune.

The Ceremony of Goodbye and Celebration was held at West Wiltshire Crematorium, Devizes Road, Semington, Trowbridge, BA14 6HL on Wednesday 30th March 3.15pm. You can download the details here (PDF file).

Bon voyage!

[portfolio_slideshow]

Photos received from Mega

You can leave a message / tribute / anecdote of his life here…

Tributes

Dharms, you really were one of my favourite teachers at Ko Hsuan. I remember you writing our weekly rosters and putting me on the same classroom clean up as Sarjan, who I was madly infatuated by. You were in the garden a lot with your blue washed out overalls, always walking so relaxed, eating toast, having cups of pg tips, laughing a lot, making jokes and actually making a little person feel special with your way. I enjoyed your company.

And yes my mama too, she couldn’t stop hugging you in the doorway at the Summer Festival and everyone had to squeeze past you two, especially my stepfather, Sumaran, who was being very liberal, yet I could sense a taste of jealousy whilst he was devouring his strawberry jam doughnut after the deep clean. Having mentioned him, he passed out of his body last year too, so perhaps you can share an etheric cuppa together now.

I find it a shame I never got to meet you again after having left Ko Hsuan, but I feel lucky to have had your friendship during those years.

Love and light and sweet surrender to you Dharmsi. Love to you,

Carin

I knew Dharmananda for over 20 years. When I stop and think about him, he was just ‘there’, a presence in my life. We met up from time to time along the path and always had a drink or three together. He worked with us in the building crew when we set up Croydon Hall. He was also at Osho Ko Hsuan for some time and worked on other projects with me over the years. To each situation, what he brought was a sensitivity and eye for aesthetics.

He always reminded me of a wandering monk like those from the zen stories. He would just pitch up one day in Pune or elsewhere and then some days or weeks later, he’d up sticks and move on with the minimum of baggage in every sense of the word. And travel elsewhere in India, or to Greece, with which he had a lasting love affair, or sometimes Thailand.

A lovely man with such a soft, caring air about him, a lovely smile and a wicked sense of humour.

A good friend whose wandering presence will be missed – with love

Gupi

The news of Dharmananda’s illness arrived late. He was never a person wanting to share too much about himself. I remember him as being extremely kind, loving and caring and full of respect. The way he taught our children in Ko Hsuan was filled with the same kind of respect, he did not see them as something unfinished, needed to be filled up with knowledge. He treated them as the unique beings they were. I, as a parent, are grateful having known him. A gentle hug for your soul, Dharms, and thank you for everything! Fly high, and see you in the beyond. Osho!!!
Ma Atmo Anasha

You were a kind of presence, very light, fluid… I remember when you built a wonderful sleeping loft in my mother’s studio before Nutan, the Irish photographer, moved in. It was so beautiful I wanted to stay there myself, but never managed. Thank you, and happy travelling on this new journey.
Pankaja