Pune, November 25:
DETERMINED to revive the dignity and purity of Gautama, the Buddha Hall, prominent rebel sanyasins, who have triggered a campaign against its demolition, have urged the Osho Commune management to begin the restoration of the hall on December 11, Osho’s birthday, and complete it by January 19, Osho’s death anniversary.
Threatening to voluntarily take up the work if the commune management fails to build the podium where Osho had given discourse for one and a half decade, the sanyasins have also started gathering support of prominent Puneites, on the issue.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Swami Chaitanya Keerti, former Osho spokesperson and Ma Yoga Neelam, former secretary of Osho for India, said: ‘‘Osho’s birthday celebration attracts sanyasins from all over the world. Although the numbers have dwindled, every sanyasin who comes for the festival should help in re-building the podium as shramdaan, since the original Buddha Hall was also built brick by brick by the sanyasins.’’
Swami Keerti said that he sent the letter to the commune management for the restoration of the hall, late this evening.
Meanwhile, Swami Keerti and Ma Neelam have begun contacting the who’s who in Pune to strengthen their campaign for restoring the hall which has ‘‘sentimental and historical value.’’ States Swami Keerti, ‘‘Several prominent Puneites have shown sympathy and understanding for the cause and, with their help and co-operation, we will make a joint appeal to the relevant authorities at the local, state and the central level to declare the hall as a heritage structure.’’
Swami Tathagat, former administration-in-charge of the Osho Commune stresses that ‘‘we will give the commune management time up to to January 19, failing which we will approach the Pune Municipal Corporation to give us special permission to re-build the podium ourselves. We want to do it in the same marble that has been removed during demolition.’’
Simultaneously, Swami Keerti and Ma Neelam have begun contacting celebrities who are Osho lovers from the cities of Mumbai and Delhi for the restoration of the hall.
