The Hindu Business Line : Repose in maroon

There are simply no restrictions here. One can go anywhere, talk to anybody and do anything. However, use your mobile phone sparingly, only at a few designated spots. Also, one has to go through HIV testing before enrolling in any of the meditation programmes or residential packages at the campus.

A unique feature of the campus is that though it is located in the city and records around 2,000 footfalls every day, there is hardly any noise. Except for the pleasant sound of small waterfalls located at regular intervals. It is just the right place, if you want to communicate with nature and get in touch with your inner self.

The 40-acre Osho International Meditation Resort is located in the pleasant residential area of Koregaon Park in Pune. With its elegant black buildings, a gigantic swimming pool and open dance area, it is a place where you can interact with visitors from over 100 countries, dance in gay abandon, attend meditation sessions all day or just simply be.

And yes, everyone has to wear maroon on the campus. It can be anything from spaghetti tops to kaftan but must necessarily be maroon in colour.

"It is because Osho used to like maroon and believed that it unites the energies and brings in harmony," says Ma Amrit Sadhana, Editor-in-chief of Osho Times. Osho himself best explained the concept behind the resort. "I want this place to be a paradise. Swimming pools, gardens — a place where you can play your instruments anywhere, anytime. Just do your own thing. I have created the space here. Now how you use it, depends on you," he said. Osho Resort offers different approaches to meditation, ranging from Vipassana to Kundalini. There are individual sessions as well as courses and professional training ranging from one-day events to 3-month courses.

One can also take a day's pass at Rs 450, which enables one to attend morning programmes of the day. The Osho Guesthouse has 60 rooms and four of these are designed to accommodate people with physical difficulties. Everything is spotlessly clean and hygienic to the point of paranoia.

Opposite the Osho Plaza and adjacent to the Welcome centre is an open space where, surprisingly, Hindi film music blares every morning from 10.30 to 11.45 and people dance with abandon. It is an interesting sight to watch people of different nationalities dressed alike in maroon robes and grooving to popular songs from Hindi movies. This is probably a reflection of the fact that Osho didn't conform to anything. Hindi music is the last thing one expects to hear at a meditation resort, but there it is. There are also life-size canvases next to the dancing area where people can paint whatever they want to... another innovative strategy to get in touch with your inner self.

A recent addition to the resort is the Osho Auditorium, which can accommodate 2,000 people at a time. The auditorium is a beautiful structure made of black marble in the shape of a pyramid. The entrance is flanked by a 30-metre expanse of water with a central walkway. Reaching 28 metres in height, the structure is soundproofed with air-conditioning, air purification systems.

The building also houses an ultra modern, 20,000 sq ft kitchen with an air-conditioned serving area. Though the food available on the campus is vegetarian, it features cuisines from all over the world. Adjacent to the swimming pool is Zorba, the Buddha restaurant offering anything from pizza to omelettes, French fries to parathas and masala dosa.

Contact Osho Guesthouse at +912056019900/ +912056019911.

E-mail: guesthouse@osho.com

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