Creative Expressions and Events
• Magno Shavdia, a Georgian artist currently exhibiting his work at Studio S in Koregaon Park

• Osho The Artist, Paintings by Osho

• Poem to Osho

• Ravi's long awaited CD, "KORUS"

• Prem Joshua in Concert

• If you build it, I will come
The Master has miraculous ways of showering his blessings on his disciples as it has happened at Osho Dham, New Delhi, in this happening related by Swami Kul Bhushan

these photos of birds are taken by Swami Samarpan (the loading may take a little time)
Osho Tirth and the Dancing Deer
A Visit to Osho's Birth Place
by Swami Chaitanya Keerti

I have just completed 30 years in Sannyas life. On 4th September. I arrive in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh and decide to celebrate Sannyas-birthday in Pachmarhi, a beautiful hill-station. Swami Dev Anuragi, Osho's childhood friend, Balsakha, who is also a well-known poet, accompanying me. I leave him and his endless poetry in Bhopal and proceed to Kuchwara, Osho's birth place. Swami Satyatirth, the coordinator of our meditation center in Tokyo, has invited me to Kuchwara, where he is developing Oshotirth, a place of pilgrimage for Osho lovers.

I had visited Osho's birth place 29 years ago when I was traveling in Osho Kirtan group. Nothing has changed in this village since then, except that you see four Japanese and one German sannyasins. They are fully involved in the development program. Kuchwara has certain similarities with Rajneeshpuram, Oregon. It is very muddy during the rainy season. You see the deer and stags dancing in the fields. But the local people are not so hostile as Oregonians. Actually a small child shouts Osho in excitement when he sees us arriving in the village. Life is very relax otherwise. I see a buffalo relaxing in the neighboring field and a crow jumping on her and trying to search some eatables in her ears. But she does not seem to get disturbed by the activities of the crow.

I visit Osho's house, where he was born on 11 December, 1931. Efforts are being made to keep that house in its original shape. Another house adjacent to this house was sold to somebody by Osho's father for only 250 Rupees. Now the owner of the same house wants ten million Rupees for this house.

Modern facilities have also started arriving in this village and there are plans to have meditation programs for 21 days, starting from 11 December, Osho's birthday. Swami Vairagya Amrita who originally comes from Gadarwara, where Osho spent most of his childhood and who was picked up by Osho to spread his message around India, would be available in Kuchwara to lead meditation camps. Varagya led a Kirtan group before getting totally involved in the practical work happening in Osho Commune International, where he was a trustee of Osho International Foundation. I was also the trustee. Now we both enjoy a special status: we both are banned from the commune. Under the dictatorship of New York based Osho International Foundation, the present management team of the Commune in Pune has banned Ma Neelam, her daughter Priya, Swami Tathagat, Ma Dhyan Shakti, Swami Vedant Bharti and myself from entering within the hundred meters radius of the Commune property. Vairagya tells his own story in his letter to fellow travelers.

Luckily we are welcome to visit and stay in various Osho meditation centers around the country. I was welcome everywhere in my travel to Madhya Pradesh. Our sannyasins and centers showed no fear. Though they did express their concern about this situation that so many of Osho disciples have been banned.

Swami Vairagya Amrita has written an open letter to the fellow travelers

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Poem to Osho

When silence has decended
On my very being
And I have lost
All sense of time
I sit quietly
Watching...

It has a bearing
On my senses
It stirs my emotions
To the very core
Of my heart.

It reminds me of you
Your very presence
Osho...

You are with me now
As I sit silently
All is gone
Except for you
Except for me
Intertwined
In the deepest of the deepest
In the darkness of nothingness
Love unbound
Limitless ecstacy!
Ravi's long awaited CD, "KORUS",

released, with instrumental backing from kora, tablas, clay pot (ghatam) and various maestros on santoor, shenhei and harmonica Ravi also contributes many extra sounds such as berimbao, overtone singing, backing voices, Hungarian flute and percussion. Produced by legendary producer, John Leckie and part mixed at the studio of Phil Manzanera (Roxy Music)

"KORUS", recommended in The Times by Nigel Williamson, also features Bikram Ghosh (Ravi Shakar's tabla player, seen in above photo) and many other guest musicians

Review of "KORUS" from New Insight...(Brighton):

"It's a kind of World music, yet quite distinctive in style; light evocative and interesting.Speedyish percussion often underlies quite soft and dreamy vocals and delightfully rippling kora. Sensitive, atmospheric and a quite exotic quality; excellent world music with a vibe"

Press release for Suvarna and Ravi

"Fire of the Oracle" was created by Suvarna and Ravi, a brother/sister combination in which Suvarna sings and plays electric violin with Ravi creating the grooves along with playing all keyboards, kora(electric and acoustic), flute, percussion and along with Suvarna all the chants.

Each track on the album features a different raga, chant and rythmic cycle and was recorded in Suvarna's adopted town of Boulder, CO, where Ravi came to visit from England, where both are originaly from. The legendary musician, Dik Darnell helped out in the final stages of production and the CD is released world-wide on Etherian.
from New Age Retailer: 'Suvarna, a spectacular vocalist and Ravi, a talented multi-instrumentalist, have created the passionate celebration 'Fire of the Oracle'. Dance grooves infuse each track with sensuous energy, while Suvarna's voice soars above'.

For additional info contact: info@ravi-art.co.uk or see www.ravi-art.co.uk

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Prem Joshua in Concert

The Music:
Multi-instrumentalist and composer Prem Joshua is exploring and creating a new synthesis in music beyond the borders of east and west. Coming from his western roots in Rock and Jazz, he performed in various bands world-over, but soon his spiritual and musical search brought him to the east. He has been living, studying and playing music in the Middle East and mainly India for more than 20 years. Especially his meeting with the mystic-genius Osho in India brought him in contact with meditation and his "inner music". Among the master musicians he has been influenced by and learning from are sitar masters Ustad Usman Khan and Ravi Shankar, who brought him in contact with Indian classical music. Although drawing inspiration from the deep wells of these ancient eastern traditions he never looses touch with the pulse of contemporary western music, such as electronic " trance music" or the recent developments in "world music". This openness to different musical influences from all over the world creates an unusual yet very harmonious blend of exotic acoustic music with modern grooves and sounds. His musical merger brought him recognition by critics, music lovers and press in the east and west - especially in India he is celebrated as the new "guru of fusion" . With his music Prem Joshua has toured all over the world, giving concerts in the USA, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, India and the whole of Europe.

The Instruments:
Just as multi-facetted as his music is the range of instruments he plays:
- Sitar
- Bamboo flutes (Indian bansuri and Middle Eastern ney)
- Soprano sax and bamboo sax (he developed an own unique style transferring raga music on to the saxophone)
- Santoor (Persian hammer dulcimer)
- Dilruba (a string instrument with a skin, played with a bow)
- Vocals (using mainly hypnotic ancient mantras from different traditions)
The trademark of his musical vision however is the combination of all his instruments with electronic instruments, ethnic percussions and modern rhythms.

The Concerts:
Concerts with Prem Joshua can be experienced in two ways:

"Eastwind"
A trio together with another multi-instrumentalist, Manish Vyas from India and dancer Hena Sarojini from Singapore. This concert offers a real listening treat, taking you on a magic carpet ride over and across the frontiers of many traditions. For the visual treat dancer Hena joins the two - making the rich musical tapestry visible in movement.
Manish Vyas: Tabla wizard from India, has learned the complex systems of Indian rhythms under the late tabla maestro Ustad Alla Rakha. Soon he expanded into a multi-instrumentalist and composer. He is a vocalist, masters the santoor and plays keyboards and percussion. He released 6 albums in India with " Oorja Music" and can be heard on all of Prem Joshua's albums.
Hena Sarojini: Studied Indian classical dance forms since the early age of 4, already performed on Asian TV when she was 6 and toured the world with the dance ensemble of the " Temple of Fine Arts" (Kuala Lumpur and Singapore) and with " Hamsafar" . Now based in Europe, she expanded her style, introducing African and Modern Dance in her performances.

" Hamsafar" Ethno-Trance-Formation
Over the years the 5 members of " Hamsafar" created a very unique and distinctive sound - very danceable, highly energetic, modern grooves - it's electric, it's mantric, it's trancey - yet the music is full of uplifting melodies played on acoustic instruments from India, Africa, South America - " Ethno Trance" with heart and soul!
While haunting rhythms might take you right in the middle of an African ritual or a desert bazaar, the call of the shepherd's flute will transport you to the silence of the Himalayas. Smell the flowers of an eastern garden with the music of sitar and tabla, and as the berimbao begins to play, discover yourself drifting into the steamy atmosphere of the Brazilian rainforest. Eventually - with trip hop, trance and drum-and-bass grooves - you'll find yourself back to modern urban life.
Besides founder Prem Joshua and Manish Vyas the following musicians join the musical feast:
Rishi Vlote: Drummer and percussionist in all fields of music from Rock to Jazz to Trance. He has created his own style as an ethnic percussionist, linking the African djembe, the Arabic darabucca and the South Indian ghatam with his main instrument, the drum kit. Co-founder of " Hamsafar".
Dinesh Mattuck: Keyboard-player and guitarist, studied music and composition in the USA and Brazil, has toured and played with many artists all over the world, member of "Hamsafar" since 2 years.
Chin Relenberg: Bass-player, keyboarder and percussionist, studied tabla in India and berimbao in Brazil. Co-founder of " Hamsafar" .

Album Releases:

Terra Incognita with Prem Joshua: " No Goal but the Path" (New Earth Records), 91
Prem Joshua: " Tales of a Dancing River" (New Earth Records), 92
Terra Incognita with Prem Joshua: " Tribal Gathering" (New Earth Records), 93
Prem Joshua: " Hamsafar" (New Earth Records), 94
Prem Joshua: " Desert Visions" (New Earth Records), 95
Prem Joshua: " Secret of the Wind" (New Earth Records), 96
Hamsafar: " Lifeprints" (own release), 97
Prem Joshua: " Mudra" (own release), 98
Prem Joshua: " Sky Kisses Earth" (own release), 99

Since spring 2000, Prem Joshua's last 5 albums are also available in Asia with one of India's most prestigious labels, "Music Today" in Delhi.

For Bookings and further Information:
email: premjoshua@libero.it
premjoshua@hotmail.com
phone: 0039-0577-758195

This year we have also cellular phones. For Italy it is
0039-(0)333-342 6597 (Joshua's), for Germany and the rest of Europe it is
++49-(0)171-895 3776 (Rishi's).

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If you build it, I will come

The Master has miraculous ways of showering his blessings on his disciples as it has happened at Osho Dham, New Delhi, in this happening related by Swami Kul Bhushan

Gazing at unending farmland across the vast plains of United States, a young man saw a vision: a huge stadium filled with thousands of sports fans cheering top baseball players in action. A voice said to him, "If you build it, I will come..."

The vision came to him again and again. He was transfixed and then started to make it a reality. Against all odds, he persisted and built a magnificent stadium to attract the best baseball players and they did come!

This can only happen in a Hollywood film - 'The Field of Dreams'. However, the film was based on a real story. And the same story happened at Osho Dham near Delhi on one fine day in February 2000.

A young man at heart, Swami Om Prakash started on a one-man journey to spread the vision of Osho a few decades ago. Others joined him and a bustling centre for meditation was established in south Delhi and later another bigger one just outside Delhi called Osho Dham.

Now more and more people are flocking for meditations to this centre. Perhaps they needed a personal contact with The Master. And so on one sunny afternoon in February 2000, He came in the form of His 'Charan Kamal' to Osho Dham. The Master's blessings can best be evoked by touching His feet.

The Master is so vast that his being is way up in and indeed beyond the skies. Only his feet are planted on earth; thus the disciple can touch his feet and seek his benediction. His feet are on earth and yet untouched by the earth - like a pure and dry lotus blooming in dirty water -unblemished. Thus "Charan Kamal" - Lotus Feet.

Osho's Charan Kamal were made from a cast of his feet in five different metals. These blessings of the guru have a special significance and an interesting story. During his stay in Mumbai in the early Seventies, a close disciple of Osho, Ma Taru, requested him for an impression of his feet to cherish in her home. He readily agreed and she put red powder on the soles of his feet and made an impression for herself.

Later, he said that the proper method was to make a mould of his feet to be cast in five metals - gold, silver, iron, copper and lead - in a specific proportion. Then one can have 'Charan Kamal' to be charged by the Master himself.
A leading Mumbai sculptor was invited to cast his feet and made into 'Charan Kamal'. These were then 'charged' by Osho by keeping them in his bedroom for three days. Later, they were given to the disciple during 'darshan' in the evenings.

Around seven of these were cast and bestowed to some sannyasins who came to know about them. The procedure was always the same: His Secretary Ma Yog Laxmi was requested for this special blessing. She got an approval from Osho and then issued a letter for the sculptor to make another cast in Mumbai. It was then brought to Pune for 'charging' and then bestowed upon the sannyasin.

One of the earliest recipients was Ma Yog Manju who ran a centre in Nairobi, Kenya. When some other fellow sannyasins came to know about these 'Charan Kamal', they too requested and around four of these were given to them.

On a hot summer evening, I projected an 8mm film of the 'Charan Kamal' celebration in Nairobi for my family in New Delhi. A lady watched the film from her home across the lane and became interested in what was going on. Soon she became a disciple and requested for a set of 'Charan Kamal' that started it all. Her wish was granted and she brought them to Delhi and invited sannyasin friends from Rajyoga Meditation Center for a celebration
to install them at her home.

But her path was different and her devotion veered towards another guru. So when she was requested to donate her "Charan Kamal' to Osho disciples at Osho Dham, she readily agreed.

At the closing of a Meditation Camp became a double celebration when the 'Charan Kamal' were carried to Osho Dham and received with great joy as a special blessing from The Master. As the tale of this blessing was narrated to the meditators, there was overwhelming emotion all round. Indeed, it seemed a miracle - just like 'The Field of Dreams'.

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