Osho Resort in Pune suffers outbreak of Thievery

Insider job in Resort Thefts

Sannyasnews has for some time argued that the Pune Resort needed to readopt in some measure the practices of the older commune, basically recruiting volunteers interested in making their work a meditation, and supporting such volunteers in the normal way with food and accommodation, and a little pocket money. This always worked very well in the past. Now just three days ago employees at the Resort are accused of stealing from those who come to seek the ways of meditation and therapy. It seems to us an untutored way by the Resort Management of dealing with the ordinary jobs of life at the very least. The information below is taken from Indian Newspapers over the weekend.

The Pune police on Friday arrested four persons. They were two house keeping supervisors and two multi-purpose workers at the Osho Commune, for allegedly stealing Rs 3.37 lakhs from eight foreign nationals who came to the ashram for meditation.

The suspects have been identified as Vishal Devidas Jogdand (30) of Yerwada, Mahesh Rajendra Atargekar (35) of Kothrud, both house keeping supervisors at the Osho Commune; and Babu Alisaheb Todam (20) of Yerwada, Ashpak Wasim Shaikh of Yerwada, both multi-purpose workers at the commune.

Swami Dhyanesh Bharati, the security and public relations officer of the Osho International Mediation Resort had lodged the complaint at the Bund Garden police station. Investigation officer, sub-inspector B D Dhere said the suspects were produced before the Shivajinagar court on the 16th January. “The court has remanded the suspects to police custody until January 18,” he said.

Dhere said that between September 2009 to January 2, 2010, incidents of theft took place at the guest rooms in the Osho Commune. “The security officers of Osho Commune believe that the four suspects had allegedly stolen dollars, euros and some Indian currency worth Rs 3,37,444 of eight foreigners who were residing in the guest rooms,” he said.

“We have sought police custody of the suspects to recover the stolen money and also to know whether there are more persons associated with the alleged felons. An investigation is also on to find out if the suspects have stolen money of additional persons (other than the eight so far identified) in the Osho commune,” he said.

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24 Responses to Osho Resort in Pune suffers outbreak of Thievery

  1. avatar says:

    dhyanesh himself stole lots of money . i remmber sometimes last year, one japanis lost 50000 rupees and passport and it was found by some honest western sanyasins who brought her bag to main gate . and then bag was taken into custody by dhyanesh.
    when japanis ma came to gate, she was refered to dhyanesh, but when she reached him, . she only got passport and nothing else. every thingh was stolen by dhyanesh, since he sits in office, she belived him, but long time sanyasins knows what i am trying to say

  2. avatar says:

    we have to worry more about sanyasins who are stealing inside in main office ……outside workers we can understand , they do not meditate. but it hurts when our own old timers like manu , dhyanesh, mukesh, steals………manu has made his image as rich man, so he steals more easily …….also one thingh we have to admit that lots of our sanyasins are fools who does not want to talk about this,
    we can not stop something ,by ignoring it.
    i hope we can expose these sanyasins who are stealing day by day from rerost , money, resourses and other valueable stuff which makes us poor

  3. Alok john says:

    Let’s have sannyasin worker/thieves instead. They would be smart enough not to get caught!

  4. Anand says:

    At ‘This, This a Thousand Times This’ Nr. 7 Osho mentions that he had a dental session that morning with laughing gas, just to complete that information.

    Alok John, sannyasins also have been caught stealing from sannyasins in the past and that old model of volunteers working did not function anymore. The Poor are stealing from the Rich, what else is new on this planet?

  5. Swami Abundantia says:

    Not at all. I remeber an Austrian guard who one night was caught stealing in the resort (then commune) safe deposits. This happened many years ago.ò

  6. oshobob says:

    There were other things stolen over the years that weren’t on that police report…

    hearts

    conditionings

    ability for critical thinking

    careers

    inheritances

    freedom to use fragrant shampoo and soap

    shame for lying

    …maybe some of the Pune vets can add to the list from their experience.

  7. oshobob says:

    more on the lost, stolen, or missing list…

    innocence

    the pagoda

    Osho’s ashes (maybe)

    mystery

    rebelliousness

    transparency

    cutting-edge therapy groups

    hope for enlightenment

    minimal entrance fees

    world media interest

    fear emanating from the politicians and religious leaders of the world

    the microbiologist’s water contamination report (according to Abhay, anyway)

    the feeling of “we can change the world”

    and finally…

    The Man,
    Osho himself !!!
    (lost, or missing in action)

  8. oshobob says:

    and some more…missing…

    The Banned — Keerti, Neelam, Dhanyam, Satya Priya, Harideva, Abhay, …(apologies to all those left out here, but who are “banned” — someone should make a complete public list…)

    the old-time sannyasins that don’t have interest in going any more

    devotional activities (marble kissing, etc, old campfire ‘Kumbhaya’ songs, pilgrimage object worship, Celebration Days…)

    the great adventures of “getting there” e.g., the Overland Trail, the “scraping up the money to go” stories, back-home family-rending stories, etc….

    photos of Osho

    all the old therapists/group leaders/body workers, etc.

    malas, sannyas initiation ceremonies

    any more….?

  9. oshobob says:

    You know, it might be better, and quicker too, to make a list of what’s there at the Resort, instead of what is missing…

    Big modern Pyramid, air-conditioned and soundproof for Osho Active Meditations and Videos

    Big swimming pool

    tennis courts

    diluted multiversity groups, nothing-much to risk

    Euro/American young yuppie clientele, with Lonely Planet book in suitcase, looking for a few weeks new-age rest stop on their world touring schedule.

    Indian young guys looking for Western loose white chicks.

    Sodexo and Rent-a-Cop locals doing the service work

    skeleton managerial crew of Inner Circle survivors and hold-outs

    upbeat, positive, marketing campaign with people looking they were pulled out of some modeling agency–dressed nice, haircuts, no beards, clean fashionable western clothing, young, smiling…

    there. that list is much easier to do.

  10. shantam prem says:

    Great Bob, you are in your metal today.

    if you visit there, Euro/American young yuppie clientele will be as visible as salt in the floor. Israeli soldiers after their compulsory military service with lump sum amount of few thousands dollars, so precious that even fruit sellers will tell you how tough they are in the bargaining.Pune is a stop over for them between Goa and Manali, and than thanks to opening of old Soviet block, Russian friends are spreading their charm from Turkish resorts to Pune resort.

    Morning sun of 19th January has arisen on some part of the earth. This day 20 years ago, A dream was handed over by one of the most remarkable man of all times and this is going to be the Zen discussion whether the dream was left in the custody of the few or for all His people.
    May be the crusade hidden behind this churning will create the way for lasting SILENCE, JOY and COMPASSION.

  11. amano says:

    you are all at your best, i am so touched by everyones comments today ,,,,,
    lets make list of banned sannyasins puplic,,,,,,,i know many of them by name…….
    thank you everyone who is participating on this beautiful discussion . i sence so much turth and honesty here on this website. it is getting better and better everyday………..thank you all the beloveds of osho
    love
    amano

  12. Prem Abhay says:

    I have one item to add to the list, and one to remove.

    OshoBob, the water reports were not stolen, they were shredded. This was the historic practice and knowing what’s in them, why wouldn’t you!

    The question “‘Why was Osho’s living breathing body shredded” has also been stolen. It was stolen early in the piece so noone would ever find it and think to ask the most important question. Today is a fitting day to find the question.

    Apart from the rent-a-crowd White-Robe feature, where are the crowds in the marketing campaign? I saw one picture of a rent-a-cook (or is that rent-a-crook) catching your attention while his mate picks your pocket. There is a couple of nice picks of girl meets boy and lonely girls looking for a nice boy, but apart from this, where is the life. Where have all the seekers gone?

    I know that for me I am working all year so I can visit for a day and give all my savings to the skeleton workforce of incorruptible Osho managerial elites.

  13. Alok john says:

    Bob wrote of what is lost including :

    “diluted multiversity groups, nothing-much to risk

    Euro/American young yuppie clientele, with Lonely Planet book in suitcase, looking for a few weeks new-age rest stop on their world touring schedule.”

    Yes but it is great that parenting and education has improved in the West so that the young people are yuppies rather than poverty stricken hippies. Obviously economic growth has contributed to this.

    It is great that parenting and education has improved so that the young people no longer need powerful therapy groups.

  14. Kranti says:

    Just a short contribution.. Adding to what Alok said times have changed.. Oshobob.. You are not going to see hippies there.. that was 70s…hippies , drugs and Hare Rams Hare Krishnas.. Do we expect to see 70s type of peopel & culture there? Sodexo is part of administrative style in line with the times..Nothing to do with spirituality anyway..The responsibility is more on the individuals now..Either they make use of the spave for meditations to go deeper or waste the opportunity.. there is no community as such to push you into ‘ Inner ‘…To me that is the key change.. People are becoming real Zorba the Buddhas… affluent but also in touch with Inner..

    By the way Oshobob , do you still see same Zen environment in china? Share something about the chnage in Zen in china also..It will be great learning for us..

  15. Kranti says:

    I was in White robe few eeks backk I was surprised to listen to Osho saying ‘ Good old days of Zen’ .. He was kind of lamenting that Zen & the Zen masters are not the same anymore..

  16. Prem Abhay says:

    AlokJohn, the young yuppie clientele do not generally comprise of Americans or western Europeans. Mostly they come from countries like Russia, and other emerging economies. You think parenting and education has achieved great success in the West? Have you noticed the general increase in civil unrest throughout Europe – protests against wages, conditions, unemployment, immigration etc? The youths of the so-called West are simmering with frustration and anger. On average one out of two Germans do not sleep well. Is this because of good parenting and education? Are you aware that the level of medication for depression is so great in the United Kingdom that it ends up detectable in the rivers and water-ways? Is this because of good parenting and education?

    Kranti, anyone is welcome to set up a wellness centre/resort styled like the Pune Resort. Of course it is illegitimate to use this general concept in the Osho space in Pune because it was left to all of Osho’s people – as reflected in the original Inner-Circle. Also, I would not call what is in Pune a profound shift in religious values. All around the world, wellness centres have sprung up offering services along the same lines as the Pune Resort. If I set up a wellness centre I might like to focus on one spiritual Master – or not. Of course if a spiritual Master is actually in the body, that is a different story. If a centre is run by an organisation that is responsible for taking care of a Master’s legacy, this also would make it unique. This is very clearly not happening in Pune.

    I accept the general idea of focus on the individual, but the idea of focusing on the individual does not mean exclusion of different types of individual spiritual needs. The personality type that is being catered for in Pune can be (and is being) catered for at a multitude of wellness centres. There are other individuals who have other individual needs, and some of these individuals are Osho or ex-Osho sannyasins.

    Sodexo is part of a managerial structure that is going out of fashion. Out-sourcing is no longer in vogue. In Britain, many manufacturing companies are shifting there base back home. Part of the reason is timeliness of delivery; the other main reason is consistency in good quality. America is doing the same as a general long term strategy. Some firms view outsourcing information technology expertise to India as no longer being a viable strategy. The argument is that the decrease in quality and efficiency of worker output out ways the benefit from lower price per worker. Interestingly enough we have just had a report of out-source workers at the Pune resort involved in theft from resort guest rooms. When you say Sodexo is part of the modern way of doing business, I disagree.

    So Kranti and AlokJohn are keeping up with the times. Have you heard of the global financial crisis? Do you know the level of debt and unemployment rate in a majority of developed countries? Do you think you will find much financial capacity in the clientele of Greece, Spain, Britain, Ireland, and indeed the United States? If you tell me that the Pune resort is catering for me the new-age Western, educated yuppie individual, and I am flat broke and unemployed, do you know what I might be inclined to think of you and your swank resort?

    Yes OshoBob, share with us how Zen functions under Guru Hu. (I think he should change his name to Hu jinZen. JA & Gang should then go and build their empire of pyramids in China). Tell us also how Falun Gong functions. Tell us about the lives of the Moslems from far western China. Tell us about how Tibetan Buddhism influenced Chinese peoples far beyond the borders of the Tibetan sovereign state – until of course Tibet was decimated by military invasion. We can understand this historic example of tyranny and repression, and than overlay the concepts onto the current situation within the Osho movement. It would be a case of good parenting and education I should think.

    Yahoo
    Abhay

  17. Kranti says:

    Abhay

    I do agree with you that most of these facilities can be offered in a wellness center.. But the Key differentiator is Osho and Meditations and Awareness levels which is still high in Pune.. You will not find that in a typical wellness center

    As far s the Aloks point that Parental guidance and Educaion has improved young people’ maturity it is general improvement in intelligence..It is very much evident.. we see that all the time in every aspect of life.. We can not pick up one section of society and use that as an example to show general intelligence has not improved.. There IS improvement in the level intelligence , awareness and conciousnessglobally ..

    Even In India..Recently i had an opportunity to see how Indian schools have changed.. A 3 year old kid has rights and courageouness to walk into Headmasters room and complain if the teachers makes an attempt to abuse him / her.. This was unheard of in India ten years back.. Teachers were beating children with stick and they used to behave as though it is their birth right

    There is so much awareness when it comes to politics and administration , standing up for rights.. Individual has become more stronger than earlier..

    Trust me Individual and Individuality is always looked down in India.. Going with the society and obeying all bullshit rules was the norm ten years back.. I was condemed for listening to Osho and i was labeled as ‘ Not mainstream ;.. Now no one has courage to do that today..

    I worked in the outsourcing industry for 8 years and i can see it has its benefits..you can never do away with outsourcing although some of the models and geographical preferences will change.. Most of them due to politica reasons and not due to the reduction in the benefits derived out of outsourcing

    Again the global finacial crisis is part of the economic cycles and failed state policies.. Yes it may stop people like us in travelling to hi fi resorts for sometime.. Instead of going there 5 times you will go there 2 times.. But will that stop me from meditating.. I am afraid not.. Infact harder times will push people more into meditations

    Me too keen to listen to oshobob on current state of Zen..

  18. Prem Abhay says:

    Kranti, there are individual Osho centres all over the world that offer Osho meditations and meditative therapies as the core of their value. These centres will have a certain style and managerial structure depending on the values of the people running them. Some centres are small, some are bigger, some are in urban areas, some are in rural areas. The Key is that in Pune, the centre was left to reflect the diversity of all his sannyasins. The centre is now run according to the values of only a couple of original Inner-Circle members, as well as people that fit with their style of operation.

    Good parenting and education has benefits that are obvious. I disagree however with the view that ‘Western’ countries are collectively sufficiently sane that they no longer need the wisdom of guidance and the support of a meditative environment.

    As people become more educated and civilised they become aware of their individual rights and their collective responsibilities. It is ironic that the idea of individual freedom is supported and this is somehow supposed to be a parallel with the situation in Pune. The operation of the Pune Resort is one that is coercive and dictatorial in style, and hence it is oppressing the individual freedoms of Osho sannyasins. This is the whole point of criticising the establishment. The establishment is an attack on individual rights and freedoms, and what makes it worse, it is done in the name of Osho.

    Krant you use phrases like “there IS” and “trust me”. This is the sort of language that people in power use to coerce people to follow them and believe in them. It is the style of language designed to force your views on others, and to not allow other people to form their own views using their own intelligence.

    Do you think it is a good idea to have 5 short stints at the resort anyway? This could easily turn into 5 short binges of escapism from your boring mundane world. This is precisely what Osho was trying to discourage. Sure it is that economic changes means the Osho space in Pune may at times be unaffordable for a lot of people. This does not however mean that the resort be run in an inefficient manner that drives up prices. Any organisation or society that has a leadership that rules with an iron fist destroys the organisation or society. This is because they do not allow the creative forces of the so many uniquely talented people to flower. The leadership thinks they no best, and impose their views strictly. This creates inefficiency and system breakdown. This is what is happening at the resort, and why we have a situation of high price rises without the equivalent rise in quality.

    Only a certain type of individual is catered for at the resort. This is because the representatives of other types of individuals that were on the original Inner-Circle were evicted. This means for example that only relatively wealthy people can now afford the experience in Pune.

    It is argued that Osho’s wish was to create a 5-star quality resort, and this obviously means that for such an experience the price will be increased accordingly. Of course management will no doubt say that the prices are kept as low as possible. First of all, as stated above, I would say the place is riddled with operational rigidity and therefore inefficiency. Also, even basic services are ignored (clean water and food), and so the quality is actually sub-standard. So the aim of 5-star quality is not achieved, despite the price rises. Finally, and most importantly, there is no reason why other types of individuals – with other types of spiritual needs and financial constraints – could not have been catered for within the supposed resort style set-up.

    We already have a main restaurant for ‘general’ needs, and a more expensive Zorba restaurant to suit people who can afford a higher level of eating experience. Such divisions are arbitrary. I see absolutely no reason why there could not be other variations in price and service, whether this be for food or for meditation or whatever. For example, I am absolutely sure I could have set up a basic Thali that is nutritious and hygienically clean, and at a price that is remarkably affordable. There is also no reason for example why people who could not afford a flash restaurant or an air-conditioned pyramid could have meditated in the now open-air Gautama the Buddha meditation space. If it is hot or monsoonal, I am sure a series of small tent like structures could easily be inexpensively and safely erected. To make this run smoothly, there could be different colour-coded passes for different service combinations.

    The thing is different types of individual needs (both financial and spiritual) are not met in Pune. It is not because Osho did not want these needs catered for. It is because a couple of individuals in the original Inner-Circle (namely Jayesh and Amrito) have certain spiritual and financial inclinations that they have imposed on the Pune space.

    Kranti I understand the viewpoint of discouraging the long-term escapism and apathy that can so easily develop in religious communes. The point is that there needs to be a balance. At one extreme we have a bunch of hippies smoking pot and fucking each other all day and night. At the other extreme we have a bunch of fake yuppie tourists seeking an additional ego injection. Somewhere in the middle of things there can also be seekers that only want to do the meditations for 6 months, yet have financial constraints. Somewhere in the middle of things there can be seekers that have little financial resources, yet are absolutely sincere in wanting to make a positive contribution, and to learn to do everyday things in a meditative way (as SannyasNews pointed out in the introduction).

    The financial and spiritual characteristics of the Pune resort only target a narrow spectrum of society. There are so many other types of people (with many other spiritual needs and financial circumstances) that also should be catered for. Osho catered for the weirdo, the groupie, the hippie, and the yuppie. His vast legacy meets all needs of all peoples, and the central organisation given responsibility for administering this has ignored the many for the sake of the few – that are like them.

    Yahoo
    Abhay

    http://oshobuddhism.blogspot.com

  19. Kranti says:

    Just read your post Abhay.. Will read again ..had a very tough day.. Need to catch up with sleep..

  20. Lokesh says:

    Such a far cry from when the master told stories of Zen masters who actually offered their few belongings to thieves who had robbed them, because those thieves were obviously more in need of them.
    Perhaps wealthy meditators should meditae upon the fact that they are partly responsible for thievery by putting temptation in people’s way.

  21. Sudarshi says:

    Prem Abhay,
    that was the most thoughtful post i’ve read in a long time. A pleasure to read. Osho Bob and shantam prem and others were right on as well…….

  22. Anand says:

    Lokesh, you have a screw loose. These thieves at Osho Resort broke into the save deposits installed in the private rooms of resort residents. Please check your own life and see, how much charity you have done…or maybe you didn’t?
    I forgot your computer cannot see YouTube videos…. It is always easy to judge richer people, when you yourself are a poor guy with nothing to loose.
    But in this case people have put beside their earnings for a Meditation Retreat at Osho Resort. It is rather easy to put up some old Zen stories to feel superior……
    So to put money in a safe deposit is not putting temptation in people’s way…..
    this would be the view point of THIEVES!

  23. deep says:

    Yes,

    thief n muggers are not good people

    Once they stole my condoms from my safe…I belived it was from my decoration team of B.hall

    and then I have to use the other safe method to reach nirvana…

  24. prabhu says:

    osho was the biggest thief of the lot!!

    he degenerated into a greedy megalomaniac complete with rolls royces private jets and armed guards all with money extorted from the gullible sannyasins

    but at least he never condemned other thieves; he always spoke with great understanding and compassion for his fellow criminals

    and at the same time osho was, especially in the golden days of pune 1 the most inspired apostle of loive, freedom courage and revolution

    i feel for the people arrested; they are in all probability far more innocent than dhyanesh and the cashram types

    private properrty is almost all ways theft

    the lovely people of yerwada need the money far more than the rich tourists or the cashram

    pity they got caught!!!!!

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