Will welcome ‘rebel group’ with open heart, claims Osho Resort

The spokesperson said the management team takes care of the campus and all the activities according to Osho’s specific guidelines.

Written by: Manoj Dattatrye More

4 min readPuneUpdated: Mar 20, 2023 07:06 AM IST

Osho, Osho International Meditation Resort, celebration of Osho's 70th Enlightenment Day, Osho's enlightenment Day, Indian Express, Indian Express News

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Will welcome ‘rebel group’ with open heart, claims Osho Resort

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EVEN AS Osho followers across the country have started to descend in Pune to celebrate Osho’s 70th ‘Enlightenment Day’ on March 21, the rebel Osho group has sought police support for taking part in the celebrations. The Osho International Meditation Resort has said they have ‘no quarrel with the rebel sannyasins and that they will be welcomed with open hearts’. In such a case, the rebel group said the resort should allow their entry by ‘wearing mala’ and without paying Rs 970 entry fee.

Amrit Sadhana, spokesperson for the Osho International Meditation Resort, said they were preparing for the Enlightenment Day celebrations and not for any kind of ‘war’ with the rebels. “We do not want to call them a rebel group. We are all Osho disciples. We love them. They are our friends. We are not at war with them… They are our gurubhais (fellow travellers). We take guidance from the same master,” the spokesperson said.

Asked whether the ‘rebel group’ will be allowed entry into the Resort without being stopped or turned away, the spokesperson said, “Everyone is welcome but they will have to follow the rules and regulations of the resort.”

Asked whether the ‘rebel group’ will get an entry fee waiver as they have been demanding, the spokesperson said, “Everyone will have to follow the laid down rules….We run the Resort on the basis of the fees that we receive from the visitors. There is a huge expenditure incurred even for a day’s maintenance.”

The spokesperson said the management team takes care of the campus and all the activities according to Osho’s specific guidelines. “We have been informed that people are being offered free food, accommodation, and transport to persuade them to attend a demonstration outside the Osho International Meditation Resort on March 20 and 21.”

“Firstly, the prime motivation is that this offers the leaders of this protest an opportunity to display their long-standing animosity against the management team. In the past, these same people have invented endless rationalisations to provoke a rent-a-crowd phenomenon,” the Resort said.

The latest excuses only serve to highlight just how far from Osho these people will go to display that resentment, the Resort management said.

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“March 21st has been chosen by these people because they want to make Osho’s day of enlightenment a ‘holy’ day to encourage their followers to attend. They are fully aware that Osho has specifically dropped these ‘special’ celebration days,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said leaders of protest know very well that Osho had dropped the ‘mala’ (beaded rosary) long before leaving the body, with the final proviso that, “If you must wear your mala, then at home in meditation only.”
“It is hilarious that the leaders of this protest themselves never wore a mala in front of Osho after he returned to Pune in 1987,” the Resort said. “The leaders of this protest are also aware that Osho has dropped the term ‘ashram’ for this campus,” spokesperson said.

Responding to the Resort’s contentions, Swami Chaitanya Keerti, one of the key members of the rebel group, said, “If they are talking of welcoming us with open hearts, they should do it with clean hearts as well. We have been an integral part of the Osho ashram for years. Those who are now running the Resort were never part of it. And now they are asking us to pay a Rs 970 entry fee. Just imagine, for visiting the samadhi of our guru, they are asking us to pay money. We have approached the Bombay High Court and sought a fee waiver.” Swami said as for the ‘mala’, it was given in ‘diksha’ by Osho. “We will enter the Resort by wearing the ‘mala… This ‘mala is sacred to us… It was given to us by our guru. The ‘mala’ signifies a special bond that a disciple has with the guru. It highlights the master-disciple relation,” he said.

Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

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