Minisode 2: A Very Rajneeshee Holiday

It’s the holiday season in Rajneeshpuram! We’ll explore the Rajneeshees’ three major holidays and see how they were celebrated during their first year in America. This culminates in the First World Festival in July 1982, which attracted 5,000 visitors and helped lay the foundation for the city of Rajneeshpuram. We’ll close by hearing Bhagwan’s thoughts on Santa Claus.

Episode Notes & Sources

Program for the 1982 First World Festival at Rajneeshpuram.

The Rajneeshee music for this episode comes from the fabulous Osho Music Archive on the Sannyas Wiki. All songs used during this episode come from the dates/holidays being discussed: Bhagwan’s Birthday (12-11-81); Enlightenment Day (3-21-82); and Guru Purnima (7-6-82). Fair warning: The songs are all very catchy and you may find yourself singing about Bhagwan all day.

Audio of Governor Vic Atiyeh comes from Pacific University Archives Exhibits. (The website dates the recording as 1984, but based on the context — particularly discussing the First World Festival — and the reporting about Atiyeh’s 1982 anti-Rajneeshee comments, I believe the recording is from March 1982.)

Audio of Bhagwan discussing Santa Claus comes from The Path of Love Ch. 4.

Music

All (non-Rajneeshee) music by Rusty King