Th e Osho Commune International at Pune-Maharashtra is the place to take a
holiday from the external stresses of life and nourish the soul. It is located in a
beautiful campus of marble walkways, waterfalls and tropical gardens with exotic plants -
a spiritual oasis offering a multitude of possibilities for inner discovery and
exploration. Thousands of visitors from all parts of the world and every religious
tradition come to visit. They come to take part in the meditations, various courses
offered by the eight faculties of the Osho Multiversity and to experience work as a
meditation. These programs provide an opportunity to experience a range of tools for
personal transformation, in one place, unavailable anywhere else. Since Osho left his body
on January 19 1990, the expansion of his work continues on a wider scale than ever. The
Expansion:
Over the last two years, the number of people visiting the Osho Commune International
has increased by 50 %. During a recent sample period it was found that 50 % visitors came
for the first time of which 88 % were non-sannyasins. The Osho Commune International is
continuously expanding and has doubled in area in the last 3 years and quadrupled in the
last six.
Visitors Age, Educational Background & Nationality:
The average age is 35 to 45. The sample showed that 34 % held university degrees, 30 %
had graduated from other academies (art, music, theater, social sciences, and commerce),
and 30 % had entered work life after completing high school. 9 % were in the medical
professions, 11 % in business and management, 10 % were artists. 11 % in education, 13 %
in therapy, 15 % in professional services, 9 % in technology and science.
The percentage of Indians visiting the commune is around 40 %. There has been an
increase in the number of Indian participants to 112 % over the last 3 years. In addition
to the increasing number from India itself, visitors are drawn to the commune from all
over the world; at any time people from more than 101 countries are meditating and
contributing to the work together.
Of the religious backgrounds of Osho's disciples, some 20 % are Jewish, 40 % are
Christian, about 35 % Hindu, 5 % Shinto/Buddhist, and 5 % from other religious beliefs.
Today, there are 750 Osho Meditation Centers in 80 different countries. The Osho Times
International, published simultaneously in 6 languages, is distributed worldwide.
New Developments
A w hole
precinct of pyramids for meditation has arisen, along with India's most praised venture in
landscaping - Osho Teerth - that transformed a stinking refuse rivulet into a
breath-taking 12-acre Zen garden. A beautiful swimming lagoon and sports facility has been
created, incorporating Osho's vision of Zorba the Buddha. An organic farming project run
by the Commune both provides an abundance of vegetables and a pioneering model that
addresses the agricultural problems of developing countries.
On September 29, 97, Osho Commune Inte rnational unveiled the drawings for two new construction
projects in the area of the commune known as Osho Mahakashyapa. One of the projects is
Osho Dharamsala. Dharamsala means " a place for seekers on the path". The
Dharamsala will have six floors, with the exterior of the building sheeted in blue
reflective glass. All room will have attached bathrooms. The project is a beautiful new
Osho Mandir Auditorium. The meditation hall will be one and a halve times the size of the
present Gautama the Buddha Auditorium (Buddha Hall). It will be sound proofed, with a
air-conditioning, air-purification, a multidimensional lighting system, satellite relay
hook up; and with lockers, toilets and showers nearby. At the same time a new ultramodern
20,000 sq.ft air-c onditioned kitchen will be built, with a terraced outdoor eating area.
Construction is to be completed in time for the Osho Commune Millennium Celebration.
Cultural Mecca
There are frequent creative performances at the Commune. Top Indian artists, ranging
from the world-renowned flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia, Grammy Award winner Vishwa Mohan
Bhatt to tabla-wizard Ustad Zakir Hussein, have been visiting the Osho Commune Pune to
show their love and respect for Osho by performing in Gautam the Buddha Auditorium or in
the marbled splendor of Osho's Samadhi. The commune is fast becoming an international
center for cultural events. "The Osho Commune is really a new cultural Mecca,"
says India's most famous music director, Kalyanji. "These artists are drawn to
perform because of the unique response they receive. It's totally different here, the
meditative
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