– 20 February 2024
Swami Anand Yatri
Multi-talented and multi-faceted with a legendary sense of humour
by Veena
I feel rather inadequate trying to write this tribute to Yatri who left us for farther shores at daybreak on 20th February. He was a much-loved friend but so multi-talented and multi-faceted that it is quite hard to ‘pin him down’ and give some kind of cohesive portrait. I hope I can do him justice.
Perhaps other friends can write something too to broaden the picture?
I first met Yatri in 1974 in the new Pune ashram and was soon working with him, Pratima and a number of editors on the publication of Osho’s books. Pratima was in charge overall but Yatri ran the Design section. None of us had any previous experience in the production of books but that didn’t stop us.
As an editor, I was involved with Osho’s words but most of the editors needed to take personal responsibility for the publication of the book they were working on. Thus I came into contact with Yatri a lot. He was always a delight to be with – so amazingly talented, intelligent and funny – and gentle with his somewhat slower co-workers most of whom were always a little behind him! I remember usually having to take a few seconds (at least!) to catch up with his incredible brain and awesome perception of form, space and colour.
And his sense of humour was legendary!
Everybody who came into contact with him, however briefly, had laughed aloud at his famous cartoons (see satrakshita.com and video on oshonews.com). They were a deliciously insane commentary on what we were going through as disciples of an extraordinary Master who called himself a ‘madman’!
For example, many will recall the ‘Take it Easy’ discourse series. Here we were, a bunch of misfit hippies, happy to dance a bit, play music a bit, laugh a lot and hug a lot, convinced that enlightenment was easily within our grasp. Just around the corner! Having successfully lulled us into this happy state, with these ‘Take It Easy’ discourses Osho proceeded to smash every illusion or delusion that we ever had, leaving us shattered wrecks when he walked out of the hall! So I laughed so much when I saw Yatri’s cartoon on Take it Easy! His graphic portrayal of shattered sannyasins was exactly how I felt.
Yatri was also responsible for creating the massive book called ‘The Sound of Running Water’ illustrating Osho’s life in pictures. Later in Rajneeshpuram, he produced the sequel: ‘This Very Place The Lotus Paradise’. (Supreme creativity which was followed by an incongruous stint on the pipe crew! Sheela at work?) These beautifully-designed books are precious gems, treasured by those who were able to purchase the limited editions.
I again met up with Yatri and his partner Navyo in the UK in about 1999. Having purchased a house in Dorset (which Yatri predictably quickly renovated) they helped a little with some work on the English commune called Croydon Hall. I was very happy to be reunited with them and even happier when, with Sandhya and Premgit, they took care of me when I was very weak from major surgery. I will be eternally grateful to all four friends for rescuing me at a very difficult time in my life.
Our friendship continued when Yatri and Navyo moved to a very attractive but rather run-down house in Dawlish for which Yatri immediately created ambitious architectural plans – and then proceeded to happily knock down walls, build new ones, add huge windows (of course he always liked light) and cover everything with a pristine coat of paint.
Navyo meanwhile helped him with his work – she was a good artist and designer in her own right – and tackled the garden. I have many happy memories of visiting them, sometimes staying with them between my trips to China. Together with Sandhya and Premgit, who were also frequent visitors, we spent many hours talking about Osho who Yatri, in his humorous English way, always called ‘the old boy’! Conversations with him were endlessly interesting and his computer-generated artworks were intriguing. I was always stunned by his diverse talents.
These talents also included writing books which he of course illustrated. A quick look at the author’s biography on Amazon, (see amazon.co.uk) which sold his books, will give you a glimpse of the mindboggling range of Yatri’s creativity.
During his pre-sannyas days he was globally famous as a kinetic and constructionist artist, exhibiting at major galleries around the world. But after he and Navyo created their own company called ‘Moonrunner’ in 1996, he expanded his range into the world of computer-generated designs, working on projects for internationally known authors and prestigious magazines like The National Geographic, Scientific American, and The New York Times.
For me, one of his most fascinating assignments was to illustrate Stephen Hawking’s ‘A Brief History of Time’, creating ‘The Illustrated – A Brief History of Time’, as well as its sequel ‘The Universe in a Nutshell’. He was way ahead of his time with his computer graphics which is why people like Steven Hawking sought him out to commission the visuals. He of course had to meet Dr Hawking and it was so interesting to hear of Yatri’s experiences of their many challenging discussions as to how to depict some scientific theory that was hitherto unknown. Stephen Hawking had the theories and Yatri had to make them into visual images! What an amazing task and an awesome collaboration!
Sadly Yatri’s health started to deteriorate a few years before Covid hit us – he was 88 when he died – and Navyo decided she wanted to go back to Holland where she has an extensive family who could support them both as they aged. They bought a very nice garden flat which made it easier for her to take care of Yatri and created a comfortable space for them both to be in. They were both super-creative at making beautiful, comfortable spaces.
Despite being quite internationally well-known in the world of graphic design, Yatri was ultimately a sannyasin of Osho. Watching them communicate in darshans was a delight! It seemed to me that Osho enjoyed Yatri’s sense of humour and awesome command of the English language – see his discourse question in Five thousand words per day which makes me giggle to this day. But Yatri also came in for his share of ‘hits’ so his cartoons of the Master enthusiastically brandishing a hammer over a disciple’s head, arose from personal experience!
For me, Yatri was one of the great characters of our sangha – a devoted disciple, an artistic genius, a loving, humble and supportive human being, someone who lived his daily life to the full. He will be very much missed by all who knew him.
Many thanks to Veena, Bhagawati and Premgit for the photos
I am trying to behead you
Excerpt from the discourse by Osho, The Discipline of Transcendence, Vol 2, Ch 6, Q 1
Religion is the art of dropping questions. So, good that now you don’t have any questions. I am happy, my blessings are with you. My hand is on your head. And be careful – sooner or later you will find only my hand is there, your head has disappeared! That is the whole effort. If you don’t believe me, you can ask Yatri, our cartoonist. A few days ago he made a beautiful cartoon for me. He has understood the point – that this is the whole magic.
If you allow me to put my hand on your head, beware. Sooner or later you will find only the hand is and the head is gone. I am trying to behead you. And once your head disappears, you have arrived home. Then there is nowhere to go.
It is all in your head – this going, searching, enquiring, questions, problems, believing this, not believing that, Islam, Hinduism, Christianity. This is all in your head. When the head disappears, you are suddenly there. The old man is there. The essential man is there. God is there.
Further links
- Full author bio for Amazon: amazon.co.uk
- Bio on Sannyas.Wiki: sannyas.wiki
- Malcolm Godwin, Director, Designer, Illustrator, Author at Moonrunner Design Ltd.: moonrunnerdesignandillustration.weebly.com
- Publications: moonrunnerebooks.weebly.com
Yatri’s books
- The Holy Grail – holygrailbook.weebly.com – amazon.com
- Angels: An Endangered Species – amazon.com
- The Lucid Dreamer: A Waking Guide for the Traveler – amazon.com
- Who Are You?: 101 Ways of Seeing Yourself – goodreads.com – amazon.co.uk
More Tributes
Yatri was a big man in body mind and spirit, a fellow artist and friend who was larger than life and witty with it. His early Poona cartoons of the master-disciple dance deserve a slim volume to themselves – not to mention his creative drive behind The Sound of Running Water and other Osho publications, plus the planning of a village at Saswad.
It was always a joy to be in his generous company.
Go well and with much love Yatri.
Rashid
Yatri was a rare being with a heart of gold. I first got to know him well on the Ranch when he was down trenches working on the pipe crew and I was delivering concrete for the job. Always a joy to work with, he would be down the trench laughing and cursing and keeping everyone’s spirits up in the face of wind and rain and a truck of concrete to deal with.
Back in England Veena, Sandhya and myself all lived in the South West so we got together regularly. Sitting around drinking tea I’ll always remember his incredible humour when telling an anecdote about Pune or ‘the old boy’…
He was a true gem.
Fly high beloved.
Premgit
Today I received the message that Yatri left this world. What an extremely talented and witty friend!
I had the chance to work with him for a few months in 1986 at the Labyrinth publishing house in Tuscany. We were about eight friends; we had just started, while Osho was on his ‘World Tour’. We stayed in an old house were Caruso had lived before and – of course – we published books. To spend time with him always felt like being in the middle of the fireworks, so much laughter and craziness!
Some years ago we visited him in Dorset and he talked about his and Navyo’s move to their latest home. They had to pack so much stuff before moving. His comment about this rather strenuous task was: “I thought to myself: why not burn the whole lot?” Yatri, thank you for your amazing humor!
Now you will crack your jokes somewhere else – and we will miss you a lot!
Love,
Ma Sindhu
To Yatri, whose guidance like a lighthouse’s gleam,
Illuminated paths, where darkness once did teem.
Through storms and tempests, your wisdom was my beam,
A steady presence, a guiding dream.
Your words, a compass, in the vast, unfathomed deep,
Taught me to navigate, to climb, to leap.
For every lesson, for every steep,
Gratitude runs in my heart, an endless, flowing stream.
In moments of doubt, when shadows loomed large,
Your counsel, like the stars, guided my charge.
With patience and love, you set the barge,
That carried me over, from margin to marge.
In your wisdom, a reflection of life’s art,
In your kindness, a masterpiece, set apart.
Your teachings, a canvas, on my heart, a chart,
Mapping the journey, from the end to the start.
Yatri, in your departure, this truth I impart,
Your influence, a permanent imprint on my heart.
A mentor, a guide, in my life, a vital part,
An artist of life, in mastering it, you are adept, you are smart.
Your legacy, a beacon, in my soul, it will dart,
A guiding light, never to depart.
In the gallery of my life, you’ve the most cherished art,
Yatri, an artist of life, in teaching, you are adept, you are smart.
A.———-
So many good memories… I first met Yatri when I was 12 or so, when he met my mother Navyo on the Ranch. I recall sitting in one of the yellow school busses going from Magdalena to the Mall, I was reading a fantasy fiction book when he sat down behind me. “If you enjoy that, you’ll probably like The Lord of the Rings as well,” he said, to which my response was: “The Lord of the Rings, what’s that?” It turned out to be my favourite book, and he could not have given me a greater pleasure.
Later on, when I was at a loss what to do after my university study, he taught me graphic design, and together we worked on the illustrations for The Illustrated A Brief History of Time. It was a great time. He could be a bit of a recluse, seeking the solitude of his work often, but he was humorous, kind, generous to a fault with his time and kept a high standard of personal excellence.
Now I am 51, and the last few years my mother and I have been caring for Yatri in the Netherlands, where he suffered through the consequences of Alzheimer’s. It was like a little commune, with some ups and downs but filled with unexpected sweet moments too.
Enjoy the Beyond, dear friend Yatri!
Nityaprem
When such a friend leaves the body it feels more like a disappearing act.
Yatri is after all a bit of a magician.
As I write this I have a picture of him in my heart – is it a cartoon, a masterful illustration or a large format photo?
We shared many a visual over the years and some crazy philosophy too. Chats about our favorite Zen master as well as the best space heater on the market.
An extraordinary man, so erudite and yet so modest, or slow maybe to recognize himself.
It was back in their Dawlish days that we sometimes exchanged about a book he was writing, or which he had been writing for years in parallel to all the other books he had been instrumental in. He is known for his unique way of bridging the esoteric, the scientific, and the futuristic with a style all his own.
He referred to this unfinished book as his way of understanding the Master’s work, or should I say the ‘old boy’s work’, because that’s how he talked about Osho.
I can only describe my impressions of his vision, but the quality was so very Yatri – somewhere between Gurdjieff, Mayazaki, Hawking, Tolkien, Philip K Dick, to name but a few.
We shared the impossibility of such a task, to describe our experience in that world, and how we inevitably fall back into analogy and wobbly esoterica to go there.
At one point, he and Navyo took me into their home to care of me when I was very sick coming from India. I still remember being curled up in front of a wood fire with warm soup and their warm hearts as I wake up, my body slowly recovering.
So past our shared games in the mystical madness, that picture in my heart is of a big bright generous energy.
Seeing you around,
Siddhena
Yatri used to take me for a walk to the burning ghats in the seventies. Thank you Yatri, for your love and care.
The last time I met him was in Dartmouth (Devon).
He had given me a photo of Osho’s garden which I still cherish.
BON VOYAGE, YATRI.
Kusum
Yatri and Navyo stood at the cradle of my relationship with Sandipa, now 3 decades ago. I had just turned 30, and it was time to embrace a new chapter. Not long afterwards, Yatri and Navyo welcomed us in their home. That was perhaps because Yatri once remarked on our first visit that we were “well house trained”! Or perhaps because he was aware of a practical synergy between the four of us that was about to emerge. I wasn’t sure, but I felt that Yatri was a star and an exceptionally talented man.
I had discovered my knack for computers and Yatri was ready to embrace this relatively new tool to make illustrations. I learned a lot from him: the four of us worked on illustrations, books, brochures and blads to help promote said books. While we were working together, we also lived together, cooked together and laughed together – a lot!
It was a time when new directions were sought, a time when the trauma of losing the Master’s physical presence was spinning me out into the world and artists started to create spaces in support of each other. It was a fortunate meeting, being welcomed into his life, when he had lived a lot and was able to share so much!
Journey well, Yatri, and know that your work will be admired for lifetimes to come.
Sambodhi Prem
Ah, Yatri.
Unlike Veena and her difficulty in writing an adequate tribute, I believe that I’ve said it all.
Rama Prem
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