#2 Rajneeshpuram
Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (also known as Osho), a controversial Indian guru, first gained notoriety in the 1960s when he roamed the country of India speaking out against socialism and the dogmatism of traditional faiths. He also pushed for a more accepting view of human eroticism.
However, Rajneesh relocated to the U.S. in 1981 after encountering growing hostility in India. He immediately bought land in Wasco County, Oregon, where devotees built their own town, known as Rajneeshpuram. The building of this settlement caused a huge conflict with the locals since they were terrified by their new neighbors.
A part of Rajneesh’s inner circle was an Indian woman named Ma Anand Sheela, who assisted in setting up Rajneeshpuram. Sheela took over management of city affairs as Rajneesh ceased speaking in public. She served as Rajneesh’s right hand and did everything that was in her capacity to ensure the achievement of the group’s goals.
Following the town’s construction, there were several legal disputes over it as well as a number of serious crimes committed by Rajneesh Movement disciples, such as a salmonella-based attack on a large number of people’s food and an attempt to assassinate US attorney Charles H. Turner.
Rajneesh accused Ma Anand Sheela and her supporters of being responsible for the crimes, although he was later deported. In the end, he went back to India, where he reestablished the Pune ashram, in India and continued to run it until his passing in 1990.
One Response
I found this article to be very well written, with fascinating revelations!
It is a little disappointing, however, that there is no mention of the Jonestown massacre. Any information about James Jones’ cult is excluded.