…left her body on 22nd December 2014.
Shanti (Magdalena Appert), a native of Switzerland, arrived in India at the age of 52 and created a clothes boutique called ‘Me Too’ on German Bakery Lane in Pune. She cut, designed, draped, sold, and altered beautiful clothes for thousands of women for nearly twenty years. She died of cancer at the age of 75.
A group of people from the community looked after Shanti during the last days of her life, among them Kumari and Issana. When Kumari was alerted and rushed into her room thinking Shanti needed something, she saw her trying to sit up and overheard her say very quietly, “Osho!” When Kumari asked her what she had said, thinking she had misunderstood, she heard her say “Osho” again. Shanti then left her body.
Her death celebration took place today, 23 December. Shanti had asked for a celebration in the Osho Auditorium and at the burning ghats, but asked not to be taken in a procession between the two. Her wish was granted: she was taken in a van.
She will be missed for her laughter, generosity, stubborn nature and ferocious courage.
Tributes
Dear Shanti, I wanted to wish you a beautiful Christmas. I wish you a beautiful new world. Thank you for your presence when I came to Pune.
Thank you for your clarity, your honesty, your laughter, your smile, your beautiful clothes and your direct wisdom. With love,
Dhyan Sylvie (Switzerland)
Me again sweet Shanti, I feel my tears this morning. Thank you for the Christmas we spent together. You will always stay in my heart. You are an exemple as a woman for me. With all my gratefullness to you,
Dhyan Sylvie
Liebe Shanti, so viele Stunden, die ich in Deinem Laden verbracht habe über viele Jahre, jedesmal, wenn ich nach Pune kam! Ich habe immer noch einige schöne Kleider von Dir im Schrank – gute Schweizer Qualität! Mensch, gute Reise Dir! Und auf ein Wiedersehen im Sannyas-Shopping-Himmel der Frauen. Ich bin wirklich betroffen, dass Du schon gegangen bist. Hoffentlich war die letzte Zeit nicht so hart für Dich. Nun werden wir uns in diesen Körpern nicht mehr wiedersehen. Ganz liebe Grüße und chariveti…
Gyandip
Shanti, since you are free of your body, so many memories of our younger years are present. It started in London. Before knowing each other I met your ex-husband (you had just divorced after being married for three years). I spent some time in Hampstead with this very handsome English man who had a little boy (your son Marcus) whom he saw on weekends. The story with this man didn’t work out and I went on with my life. At this point I didn’t know you at all.
About ten years later, while working in the Human Resources Dept. of an American Company in Geneva, Switzerland, I used to exchange a few words with a colleague and one day she asked me to join her for lunch. During the meal we talked about our past and our children. At one point we cracked up laughing realizing that we had met the same man 11 years before in London. And now we were in Swizerland working in the same company. Totally mind blowing! After this we became friends with few ups and downs. And when I went to Poona you were wandering, ‘Why is Nirvana going there? She leaves her sophisticated life behind, her high heels and everything.’
You were concerned about your mother and didn’t want to go so far away. BUT! Destiny is such that your dear mother left her body unexpectedly the day after Osho left his body. You were free and you came to Poona. You were just 50, and from 1990, except for a few months here and there, you stayed in Poona all the time. The rest everybody knows: your great boutique, your laughter, your honesty and your immense courage. Your hugs were the warmest and you are in my heart.
Nirvana Beste
I would like to say thank you to Shanti for letting me be who I was and loving me. I sat with her 20 mins before she left her body. I kissed her on the forehead to go home and get some food and rest. I told her I would see her later. She had not been very coherent but she opened her eyes and looked at me with such knowing. My final goodbye to her body. When I returned she had left, though as I sat next to her I could have sworn she was breathing calm and quite. When I cleared her body with aura-soma I said to her, “Dont you dare open your eyes or you will freek me out. You are dead, time to move on, beloved. Let this body go.”
She was a strong, stubborn women who did as she felt was right and she let others do the same. We shared our straight talking which often got us both in trouble. I loved her for it. She loved hugs and the color pink.
Her body was covered with white scented flowers and pink gerbras and roses. And many more flowers were given by friends who loved her. She had a beautiful blanket to cover her, full of love. The fire was given by Kumari, Essana and another old valued friend, Sagar. It went so easily, I was feeling she was truly ready to leave.
Love and biggest hugs. I am blessed for having known you, though it was not always easy…. You where a tiger – no a pussy cat! Ha ha, no! You will fly well; your wings are big and – in my mind – pink.
Suchira
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