Ageh Bharti remembers…
Friends who have seen Osho speak from the podium or address the Press cannot conceive what a simple man he was.
Here I would like to share some memories, so that you can feel his childlike innocence.
While in Jabalpur, at times he would ask me, “How was the lecture?”
I used to comment whatsoever I could; I always felt the lecture was perfect.
In 1985, when I visited Rajneeshpuram, the first discourse I attended was on 1st July. That afternoon I saw him close up during that most fantastic event, the ‘drive-by’.
That evening I was called to see him one-on-one. He chatted with me for about an hour in the most friendly way in Jabalpuri Hindi.
There too he asked, “How was the discourse in the morning?”
I asked him, rather in fun, “What do you mean?”
Like a small kid he explained, “Well, people say I speak a bit too harshly.”
“No, Osho. It’s ok. If you don’t speak in a hard way to awaken the sleepy, what will be the use of speaking?”
He also asked about my wife, Ma Yog Sambodhi, and about each of my four sannyasin children.
He also asked how long a visa I had been given. I said, “Six months.”
“Then be here for six months!”
I lived in Rajneeshpuram as his personal guest.
After the yearly celebration, which took place that first week, the sannyasin inhabitants went back to their regular commune work. But I was not asked to go and worship in any Temple.
After a few days I informed the Township Coordinator that I wanted a job. She said she would pass on my request to the swami who was taking care of us Indians. He in turn would talk to Sheela’s secretary, who would then pass the request on to Sheela. And Sheela would take my case to Osho.
And the message would eventually reach back to me through the same channel. The message that came was that I should relax and enjoy.
After two or three days, again I asked the same caretaker, and my request reached Osho in the same manner. And the same reply came back: to relax and enjoy.
After another two days I sent the message that I had relaxed enough and enjoyed enough. Because when everyone went to worship in their Temples I felt like an outsider. I didn’t want to feel like an outsider. I wanted to feel like a participant.
Then the message came: “Okay, send him to the Publishing Temple.”
I enjoyed worshipping there.
Note: A few new friends may not be aware that in Rajneeshpuram departments were called Temples and Worship meant work.
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