Rajneesh, the Indian guru who attracted thousands of followers at his Oregon commune in the early 1980’s before being deported from the United States, died of heart disease at his commune members of his entourage there told reporters. He was 58 years old.
The guru, who moved to India permanently in 1986, was deported from the United States in 1985 after pleading guilty to violations of the immigration law. Previously numerous charges of wrongdoing had been made against him and his leading disciples.
In the four years he spent in central Oregon before being deported, Bhagwan was known for his sumptuous style of living and for his eclectic doctrines, including, free love and eastern religious tenets. The name Bhagwan by which the guru was known in the United States is an honorific word that means “god”.
His American commune, a 64,229 acre ranch bought by his followers, was called Rajneeshpuram. Thousands of devotees lived in the commune with him. He owned scores of gem studded Rolex watches and by one count as many as 97 Rolls Royce automobiles.
The commune’s building’s eventually included a 160 room hotel, a shopping mall and a meeting hall that covered 2.2 acres, and the commune’s thoroughfares were patrolled by a private security force.
His followers called Rajneeshees, took over the town of Antelope near the commune and gave it a new name, Rajneesh. Charges of voter fraud arose after the Rajneeshees brought in thousands of homeless people.
Residents of the area who opposed the Rajneeshees contended that the action was an attempt to exploit state voting laws to win political control of Wasco County which included the commune and Antelope.
In 1985, Bhagwan’s chief assistant, Ma Anand Sheela, quit the commune, remarking cryptically that being “God’s secretary is not easy,” Ms., Sheela was later sentenced to four and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of attempted murder, assault, arson, electronic eavesdropping, immigration fraud and conspiracy.
Because of good behavior she was released from prison in 1988 and deported to West Germany. She later said she had pleaded guilty to protect Bhagwan.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 26, 1990
