Painting the town red

Bhagawati writes about the final Osho celebrations in Jabalpur as friends in Oshodham continue their festival, and adds notes about Pune celebrations and memories of Osho in Jabalpur.

It’s a wrap!

Jabalpur

During the three days of Osho’s birthday celebrations in Jabalpur Osho’s disciples and friends poured into the city and met, revelled, hung out together, danced, meditated, enjoyed performances and discussions, so much so that our roving correspondent Ageh Bharti could so far only submit this poignant oneliner: “In short, such wonderful programs. Simply unbelievable, beyond words. Beyond our hopes.”

In local Hindi newspapers it was reported that the last Osho event in Jabalpur happened on June 28, 1970, just before Osho moved to Mumbai. It was held at Shaheed Smarak Bhavan with the Vice-Chancellor of the Jabalpur University, Dr Rajbali, presiding over the function.

In his talk, Osho said at the time, “If I am being honoured, something must be wrong, I must have told a lie.”

According to Gyan Bhed, Osho further said, “Of course I am going to Bombay, but it is wrong that I am leaving Jabalpur. These are separate aspects. I am leaving Jabalpur exactly in the way as a tree leaves itself in order to spread in the sky, but the roots still remain there. […]

“The day I felt that a new soul of the country should originate, I started sowing seeds of revolution going to the villages and the cities. I am always ready to go to any destination to perform this work. I will be in Bombay for a year and then maybe I fly to New York.”

Osho added that no matter where he would live, he would come to Jabalpur from time to time to disturb people’s sleep.

The three days in Jabalpur are proof.

Osho quoted from The Rebellious Enlightened Master Osho
Images with thanks to Ageh Bharti, Kul Bhushan and FB

New Delhi

At Oshodham in Delhi, the celebrations are continuing as a 5-day event has been scheduled. Have a peek at the video below:

www.oshoworld.com

Pune

Meanwhile in Pune, a large number of Osho’s disciples held “spirited celebrations” at the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Memorial Hall in Koregaon Park nearby the Resort, “with dancing, singing and the ceremonious chanting of Osho’s name.” The Hall has been the venue for Osho celebrations for the last many years in Pune.

As reported by the Hindustan Times, the nearby Osho Meditation Resort “showed no signs of any celebrations even as visiting journalists were refused permission to enter the premises.”

When contacted, Amrit Sadhana, the official spokesperson for the Osho International Meditation Resort said, ‘Currently I am out of the city for an Osho festival programme. The regular celebrations and meditations are going on. When we are out, there are others who celebrate.’

Source: www.hindustantimes.com

“Celebration is my message…”

To a sannyasin asking for a message to the thousands of sannyasins who would be celebrating in many countries but not in his physical presence, Osho says:

Remember one thing: that each of my sannyasins carries something of me, each of my sannyasins becomes a part of me, spiritually, physically, in every possible way. My sannyasins are not believers, my sannyasins are in a love affair. It is a mad phenomenon! So wherever my sannyasins meet, my presence will be felt. Wherever my sannyasins celebrate, my message is realized, because celebration is my message.

Rejoice! Sing! Dance!

Dance so totally that your egos melt and disappear.

Dance so totally that the dancer is no longer there, but only the dance remains. Then you will find me wherever you are. […]

Between a master and the disciple the question is not of physical distance at all. You can be sitting here physically, but you may not be in tune with me; then you are not here. You may be thousands of miles away, maybe on the moon, on Mars, it does not make any difference. But if your heart is beating with me, if you are attuned to me, if there is an inner connection, then you are in my physical presence. Neither time makes any difference nor space. The thing that makes the difference is love.

Next time when you celebrate, celebrate with the full recognition that I am there amongst you. Just a recognition is needed and you will find me there.

Jesus is reported to have said, ‘Wherever four of my disciples are gathered together, I will be there.’ And he was not so fortunate as I am – his disciples were very ordinary people. I am fortunate in many ways: my disciples are in many ways very creative, talented, very intelligent, exploding in love. So I can say to you that not even four are needed; just a single sannyasin is enough to make my presence felt by others.

Quote by Osho from Come, Come, Yet Again Come, Ch 14, Q 3 (excerpt)