Svadesha

Voyages

…left his body on 7th May 2017.

Svadesha’s Celebration will be on 30th May 2017, when his ashes will be put into the ground.

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Svadesha came to Osho in Pune I. He was a professional photographer and cook. At the end of the seventies he founded the very first Tofu factory in Germany. He set it up in Fürth, Southern Germany, and delivered to Munich’s growing number of health-food stores. He was helped by his wife and his two sons. As his tofu became such a success he shifted his business to Munich and, to this day, the brand Svadesha Tofu (svadesha.de) is being sold and manufactured using the traditional Japanese coagulant (nigari).

His involvement with health food showed Svadesha’s immense care for the environment and the planet. In his last years he joined the newly formed Transition Town Movement to support ecology on a local level. His dedication was much appreciated by the crew of mostly young students from the local Agricultural University in nearby Witzenhausen.

When he became a member of the Parimal theater team he turned to acting, clowning, songwriting and singing. He then produced a CD with his songs which are regularly played for the Osho Evening Meditations and the Morning Singing Groups at Parimal. In the performance of ‘Mojud – the man with the inexplicable life’ he played the role of the Sufi mystic – maybe the role closest to his ever-changing lifestyle. He also trained in Sufi whirling with Zahira.

Svadesha died in his home in Blickershausen, Central Germany, near the Parimal Community. He was in his late seventies. When the cancer recently reappeared he decided to let go of his body. He had been challenged already once with cancer and he was now so accepting of the fact of dying that even his doctor commented upon it. Friends lovingly took care of him and when he overheard that they were making long-term plans regarding his future, he remarked: “Next weekend I will not be here any longer!” And so it was. He left his body in great peace surrounded by friends, his two sons Gyandev and Deva, a younger brother and Ma Veena, his partner. During his last hours Osho’s words on the Bardo (e.g. in Path of the Mystic, #7) were repeatedly played to him. Because of his love for whirling his coffin was put on a round cloth decorated with bright flames in rainbow colours – his unique Sufi whirling robe!

Text thanks to Nirbija, new text regarding the tofu factory thanks to Svadesha’s son, Gyandev; photos thanks to Jaladhi, Nirbija and friends

Tributes

You can leave a message / tribute / anecdote using our contact form (please add ‘Svadesha’ in the subject field)…

Dear Svadesha, recently you joined twice our Zazen-Group in Witzenhausen. We listened to words from Rumi in the beginning. I was deeply touched by your silent heart. We hugged each other so tenderly when you left for home. It was the last time that I saw you. Now you have left for your real home. Have a good journey, beloved fellow-traveller.
Nijesh

Beloved Svadesha, I’m so grateful for having known you – thank you for your friendliness, your wonderful music, your friendship and honesty and your support in difficult times. One of your beautiful pictures is hanging right above my bed… When I think of you I see you smiling – with a twinkle in your eyes… you’ll never be forgotten – with love,
Devageeta

I very much enjoyed to perform as clowns with Svadesha; we had so much fun. I learned through him to act in a funny way and to take things less seriously. I love(d) his simplicity, his loving way to do things, e.g. him creating EM-products. I also enjoyed cooking with him very much. What I will always remember was the singing gatherings in the morning in our meditation temple Mandir here in Parimal. For days and weeks he drove up the hill on his bicycle, guitar on his back, in summer and wintertimes, playing and singing with us such beautiful and touching songs, some of them written by him. It touched me very much to see with what peace and devotion he accepted that it was time to leave his body. He passed away in such peace, as if whirling, whirling, whirling. Bon voyage, Svadesha, I wish you a light-full and easy journey onwards. Thank you so much for all I have learned from you -‘a rose is a rose is a rose is a butterfly – don’t take it, don’t take it, absorb it inside, it will let you fly’ (how one of your songs goes). Love, love, so much love,
Rohini

Wenn ich nach Furth fahre und durch das kleine Wäldchen komme, immer ein Blick nach links und ein Gedanke an ihn. Long lost but not forgotten,
Sureshwar aus Viechtach

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