Osho Meditation Resort (OMR)

Osho Meditation Resort (OMR) Review

An air of secrecy and silence shrouds the Osho Meditation Resort, commonly referred to as an ashram. The exterior of the ashram's buildings is well concealed by bamboo and tall walls. Started by Osho and sex guru, OMR was once described by a Washington Post correspondent as a cross between a college campus, Disneyland, and a resort. Lavishly constructed from white-and-black marble, and spread across 40 acres, the commune has wonderful greenery, pools, as well as cafés, shops, a pool, a basketball court, and tennis courts.

The deep-green pool, on the edge of a patch of greenery, is an odd shape, like a natural pond. A large shining steel kitchen and cafeteria supply inexpensive vegetarian food—freshly baked multigrain rolls and bread, organic fruit, Continental dishes, desserts, Indian-style sabzis (vegetables), dal, rotis, and more. Ashram members say its meditation hall is the largest in the world—a vast expanse (18,000 square feet) of black marble with a pyramid dome. This air-conditioned meditation hall is a phenomenon: a few maroon-robed devotees chill out here in a sea of serenity. The black floor is as large as a football field. Indeed, much of the resort has an otherworldly, anachronistic sensibility.

The meditation resort, or "Multiversity," offers meditation and self-knowledge or personal growth courses of all varieties, at moderate prices. Osho had no use for organized religion. He believed personal religion should be relatively painless—happy, not ascetic. He was famous for his rather opaque statements, such as: "I am here to seduce you into a love of life; to help you to become a little more poetic; to help you die to the mundane and to the ordinary so that the extraordinary explodes in your life." Meditation at Osho's kingdom takes many forms and he advocated release of tension by singing, dancing, and catharsis, often in group sessions. These "group sessions" have been the subject of much curiosity by locals. The commune, run by more than 500 "disciples," attracts rootless folks from India and all over—mainly Germans, Israelis, some Americans, and Japanese. For a fee, these disciples chill out, spring-clean their souls, and improve their morale. At any given time as many as 5,000 people from more than 100 countries may be floating in and out of the meditation resort.

The resort has its own guest house with 60 rooms; to reserve, call 20/6601-9900 or 20/6601 9911, or e-mail reservations@osho.com. It is austere, but very clean and well lit, and has a sleek Scandinavian look. Rooms ($78 per day for two, plus 10% tax) are accented in hues of white, blond, and black, and with materials such as granite, marble, and glass. Expect no televisions and no phones. No children under 15 are allowed. You can take a limited guided tour to see OMR's grounds—you have to wear a robe while inside. A day-long meditation pass, after you complete the compulsory HIV test, will set you back US$30 (Rs. 1,200).

Another reason to come here is to visit the neighborhood's interesting shops and watering holes. Hawkers sell Tibetan artifacts, Kashmiri crafts, jewelry, and cotton clothing nearby. The teahouses and restaurants are packed with Osho-ites. The ashram, in Koregaon Park, is across town, 4 km (2½ mi) east and slightly north of the Shaniwarwada area. For the general public, the ashram is only open during tour hours for very short half-hour tours. Purchase tickets at least one day in advance. Children under 15 are not permitted.