Written by Devyani Onial | Updated: October 11, 2020 9:39:48 am Manbeena Sandhu and Ma Anand Sheela.

She was 16 when she accompanied her father to meet godman Rajneesh in Baroda, the beginning of a complex relationship that endured until she fled his ashram in the US in 1985. From setting up a commune in a wild outpost of Oregon and unsettling a conservative local community along the way, the flamboyant Ma Anand Sheela (born Sheela Ambalal Patel) was personal secretary to Osho, as Rajneesh later came to be called, and the face of the movement till her falling out with him, which ended in a 39-month prison spell for a series of charges, including immigration fraud, wiretapping and poisoning. In this interview, Manbeena Sandhu speaks on what led her to document the story of an unconventional life and the inner world of a controversial cult. Excerpts:

Your biography of Ma Anand Sheela comes after having followed the Osho movement for two decades. When did you know that you wanted to write on her?

As soon as I was introduced to Oshos work, I got introduced to Sheela as well. Not through the Gurus books or talks, but through his sannyasins. In my opinion, Ma Sheela and Rajneesh are inseparable. I havent heard one story of Rajneesh without the mention of Sheela. As I got seeped into the movement, information about Sheela started pouring from all directions. A few of Gurus disciples loved her, a few despised her but none could ignore her. She seemed intriguing. Right off the bat, I knew that I wanted to meet her, know her and write about her. Even though the information of her whereabouts was not easy to access, the desire to capture her life story kept getting stronger over the years.

It was Chapman and Maclain Ways Netflix documentary Wild Wild Country (2018) that drew everyones attention to Ma Sheela. She was, in many ways, the anti-hero of the series. When you met her last year, how much of that tough-talking, controversy-courting woman did you see?

Other than catching a glimpse or two of that old time Sheela in her sharp eyes, brisk gait and quick wit, I couldnt see much of that controversy-courting woman that the world knows her as. Time doesnt stand still, it moves on and with time we evolve and change; so has Ma Sheela.

What was your first meeting like?

I first met Ma Sheela in May 2019 in Switzerland. Prior to meeting her, I had, over the phone, expressed my desire to write her story. But she was not convinced just by a voice at the other end of the line and wanted to see me in person. I first saw her at the airport. I stayed in Switzerland for about 10 days, and, during those days, I spent six to eight hours each day in her company. Before meeting Ma Sheela, I was a little intimidated by the personality that I had seen and heard of. She was very different from what I, and the world, perceives her to be she was soft and full of emotion.

How open was she with sharing the unsavoury episodes of her life with you?

The unsavoury episodes were rather interesting to talk about. She could sense my hesitation and would rather come to my rescue by answering most openly and candidly. She is very bold that way.

Did she ever express remorse about some of the things that she was accused of?

Ma Sheela maintains that she has dedicated her life to Bhagwan (Osho) and she served him the best way she possibly could. Yes, there was insurmountable pressure that she was reeling under and she made her judgements according to the demands of place and time. Ma was (or, rather, still is) head over heels in love with Bhagwan. So much so, that at times her emotion in the past may have coloured the reality to appear different than what it actually was. It happens to all of us. But in her case, she may have gone a step further, or maybe 100 steps further, than an ordinary human being in pursuing her love and her goal of upholding the entity of the ashram.

Besides Wild Wild Country, there is also Ma Sheelas memoir, Dont Kill Him! The Story of My Life With Bhagwan Rajneesh (2012). What made you feel the need for a biography on her?

Even after reading her memoir and watching the series, I was not satisfied. Just like me, I felt there would be many who had questions. In Nothing to Lose, I have answered those questions, filled in the vibrant colours, the intricate details, followed the timelines and have covered the gaps, as much as possible. Through this book, the reader will walk through the Orange world, along with Ma Sheela. He will be able to peep into her heart and her mind; and hear the conversations and witness the actions that took place behind closed doors.

How do you assess her feelings for Osho now?

She still has photographs of him at her home. She explains her 39-month prison term as simply her guru dakshina. She is still dearly in love with her Bhagwan. His pictures hang in the living room of her care home and her bedroom is full of images of Bhagwan and Sheela in love. One gets thrown back in time as one steps in her bedroom. Suddenly, Bhagwan, Sheela and the Orange world come alive. From running a sprawling commune to running care homes in Switzerland at age 70, its been a long journey. Her life is very different now, it is purely a life of service dedicated to those in need. But she still is the queen of her kingdom. She has a staff of over 30 people who are constantly at her beck and call and a number of chauffeurs to drive her and her patients around.

In interviews from those heady Oregon days, she is supremely dismissive and deliberately provocative. What was the most provocative thing she said to you?

Honestly, nothing! I had once jokingly asked her to say tough titties for me and she laughed and said, Oh Manbeena, those kinds of words are only for those shrewd journalists who deserve every bit of it and who need to be set straight, not for a person like you.

Nothing to Lose: The Authorised Biography of Ma Anand Sheela By Manbeena Sandhu HarperCollins India 332 pages Rs 599

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It has been a busy summer transfer window for Reading.

FC Porto full-back Tomas Esteves was the final arrival on deadline day on Monday evening.

Striker Marc McNulty was the final departure, joining Dundee United on loan in the Scottish Premiership for the rest of the season.

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There is still just over a week before the domestic window shuts, so Royals still have some time to do deals with Premier League sides or fellow EFL clubs.

Several players could still head out while Veljko Paunovic will be trying to strengthen further with a few more additions no doubt.

Here is a full list of the senior players who have left and joined Reading over the past couple of months.

Josh Laurent - Shrewsbury Town, free

Ovie Ejaria - Liverpool, 3m

Lewis Gibson - Everton, loan

Alfa Semedo - Benfica, loan

Tomas Esteves - FC Porto, loan

Chris Gunter - end of contract, free agent

Garath McCleary - end of contract, free agent

Vito Mannone - end of contract, Monaco

Adrian Popa - end of contract, free agent

Tyler Blackett - end of contract, Nottingham Forest

Jordan Obita - end of contract, free agent

Gabriel Osho - end of contract, free agent

Danny Loader - end of contract, FC Porto

Charlie Adam - end of contract, Dundee

Mo Barrow - undisclosed, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors

Lucas Boye - end of loan

Matt Miazga - end of loan

Pele - end of loan

Ayub Masika - end of loan

You can get the latest news on our dedicated Reading FC page

We're also on social media:

Twitter: You can follow our Twitter account @readingfclive and our Reading FC reporter Jonathan Low @jonathanl50

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Reading are back in Championship following the two week international break.

They travel to Teesside to take on Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium.

Kick-off is 3pm on Saturday, October 17.

Join us for live coverage of the game throughout the day with all of the build-up starting in our live blog from 12pm.

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5 arrivals, 14 exits - every Reading FC transfer in and out this summer - Berkshire Live

We love stories, and even in the age of Netflix-and-chill, there's nothing like a good book that promises a couple of hours of absorption whether curled up in bed, in your favourite coffeehouse, or that long (and tiresome) commute to work. Every Sunday, we'll have a succinct pick of books, across diverse genres, that have been newly made available for your reading pleasure. Get them wherever you get your books the friendly neighbourhood bookseller, e-retail website, chain store and in whatever form you prefer. Happy reading!

For more of our weekly book recommendations, click here.

***

FICTION

A Drop of Blood By Joginder Paul; translated by Snehal ShingaviPenguin Random House India | Rs 399 | 184 pages

Author and associate professor of English at University of Texas Snehal Shingavi translates award-winning Urdu writer Joginder Pauls debut novel Ek Boond Lahoo Ki. It follows Mohan Karan, blessed with good looks and a rare blood type. While his degree in English literature makes him little money, he discovers that selling his blood to a private blood bank has promising returns. While unexpected possibilities open up, little does he realise the personal cost these come at.

Read more about the book here.

POETRY

Open Your Eyes: An Anthology on Climate Change Edited by Vinita Agrawal Hawakal Publishers | Rs 500 | 202 pages

Award-winning poet Vinita Agrawals anthology investigates the relationship between human beings and the natural world, and aims to bring to readers attention the threat that is climate change. Each contributor has interpreted the theme differently, looking at climate change through physical, emotional, and spiritual lenses. The book also includes a foreword by poet Ranjit Hoskote.

Read more about the book here.

MEMOIRS and BIOGRAPHIES

Nothing to Lose: The Authorized Biography of Ma Anand Sheela By Manbeena Sandhu HarperCollins India | Rs 599 | 272 pages

Writer Manbeena Sandhu followed the Osho movement for two decades before finally meeting Sheela. In this book, she outlines Sheelas life, from her intense relationship with Bhagwan to heading an ashram at Rajneeshpuram, Oregon, in the 1980s. The book also discusses her alleged spearheading of the largest bio-terror attack in American history, and the 39 months she spent in jail.

Read more about the book here. Read an excerpt from the book here.

NON-FICTION

The City-Makers: How Women are Building a Sustainable Future for Urban India By Renana Jhabvala and Bijal Brahmbhatt Hachette India | Rs 399 | 208 pages

Social workers Renana Jhabvala and Bijal Brahmbhatt tell the story of the Mahila Housing SEWA Trust (MHT), established in 1994 with the aim of mobilising and empowering the urban poor women, who are living in slums and bearing the burdens of housework, childcare, and earning a livelihood. Over 25 years, MHT has affected the lives of over 1.7 million individuals. The book records this journey, sharing accounts of courageous women who have taken steps to bring change at the personal and community level.

Read more about the book here.

Fractured Forest, Quartzite City: A History of Delhi and it's Ridge By Thomas Crowley SAGE Publications India and Yoda Press | Rs 795 | 368 pages

Researcher Thomas Crowley tells the history of Delhi, placing its environment at the centre of the narrative, focusing especially on the Ridge, referred to as Delhis green lung. Even as the city has been a hub of politics, warfare, trade, and religion, the Ridges trees cant be separated from the stones below them, nor the cities that rose and fell around them. Through an ecological vantage point, Crowley offers a new light in which to understand the citys historical and geographical interconnections.

Read more about the book here.

COVID-19

And We Came Outside and Saw the Stars Again: Writers from Around the World on the COVID-19 Pandemic Edited by Ilan Stavans Penguin Random House India | Rs 799 | 400 pages

As COVID-19 has become a defining global experience, writers, artists, and translators from over 30 countries including translator Arshia Sattar from India come together to offer a portrait of the time, and be an antidote to the confines of isolation. Edited by writer Ilan Stavans, the book takes its name from the last line of Dantes Inferno, when the poet and his guide emerge from hell to observe the beauty of heaven once again. The stories, essays, poems, and artwork follow in that spirit, pointing toward a more connected future.

Read more about the book here.

A Crown of Thorns: The Coronavirus and Us By Kalpish Ratna Context | Rs 399 | 264 pages

Surgeons Ishrat Syed and Kalpana Swaminathan write together as Kalpish Ratna. They assess the current narrative of COVID-19, which has so far focused primarily on the virus. But instead of just the novel coronavirus, the book considers the relation between the virus and humanity. We have coexisted with viruses since the dawn of evolution. So, what has changed? Have we disrupted something crucial in nature? The book combines science, history and the human story, offering the long view of the pandemic.

Find latest and upcoming tech gadgets online on Tech2 Gadgets. Get technology news, gadgets reviews & ratings. Popular gadgets including laptop, tablet and mobile specifications, features, prices, comparison.

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Books of the week: From An Anthology on Climate Change to Kalpish Ratnas A Crown of Thorns, our picks - Firstpost

New Delhi | October 11, 2020 11:04:50 am

Is coding a must-have life skill of the future?

The digital native that she is, eight-year-old Hirranya Rajani, with her experience of building an app and multiple skirmishes with pesky bugs, takes no time to break it down. Coding is like, say, your friend comes home and asks for a glass of water. You are busy. She doesnt know your house, and you have to tell her how to go about it, step by step. Tell her where the glass of water is kept, which way to turn till she gets there . . . Coding is like that, communicating with your computer and telling it what to do, and how to do it, she says. For over a year, Hirranya has been learning the elements of the language on the ed-tech coding platform, WhiteHat Jr, that helps her do just that.

READ MORE

How UK-born Barry John turned generations of Indians into theatre professionals

In 1968, 22-year-old Barry John from centralEnglands Black Country, an area cloaked in soot and smoke from factories and mines, arrived in India and began to create theatre that would free the minds of children. People were not used to the idea that children have voices and opinions. I was working from my heart, rather than my head, in fighting for the right of children to make their own choices instead of being told what to do, when to do or how to do, he says over phone from Dharamshala, where he has been living in retirement since 2015.

READ MORE

How social media kills information by overproducing it

What do you do with dead information? Not information that is no longer valid. Not information that is no longer relevant. Not information that has fallen out of fashion. But the information that has become truly and profoundly dead scrambled in an irreversible glitch, corrupt on fickle storage devices, residing in formats that nobody reads, written in machine languages that are long since forgotten. What do you do with information that is inaccessible, illegible, and not intelligible?

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Why animals fear us more than we could ever fear them

When faced with danger, every living creature responds in two ways, only one of which can be used at a time fight or flight. Usually, when the threat is smaller and weaker, the creature will fight and vanquish it. At times, the threat is on a par with it and the animal has to decide whether its worth getting injured in a do-or-die fight or to simply retreat and live to fight (a weaker enemy) another day. Sometimes, of course, tempers short-circuit and a fight to the death commences: usually, no one comes off a clear winner. The loser may lose its life and the winner limp away, ready to be taken on by another challenger, which it is, now, in no condition to do.

READ MORE

The essential Louise Glck reading list

After its controversial selection of Peter Handke for the 2019 Nobel Prize for Literature, the Swedish Academy returned on course this year with a Laureate who met with all-round approval: Louise Glcks mastery at laying bare the inner life of the individual has long been acknowledged. Heres a list of four collections that give a glimpse of Glcks poetic genius:

The House on Marshland (1975)

Glcks second book of poetry, which came seven years after her debut volume, Firstborn, is considered to be the one that announced the arrival of a powerful new voice in American poetry. One of the poems in the collection, Gretel In Darkness, in particular, drew both censure and acclaim for its exploration of the theme of familial and cultural trauma, told from the perspective of Gretel, one of the protagonists from the Grimm Brotherss fairytale.

READ MORE

Did the First Amendment to the Constitution lay the foundation for an authoritarian state?

The story of Indian politics is one of continuities more than ruptures contrary to the popular imagination, bolstered by arguments by several mainstream political analysts that the period since 2014 has paved the way for a new regime that has jeopardised democracy and tarnished the idea of India. Singhs book, which narrates the story of the passage of the First Amendment to the Indian Constitution by theJawaharlal Nehrugovernment in June 1951, provides an important interruption to this narrative.

READ MORE

Manbeena Sandhu: Ma Anand Sheela is still the queen of her kingdom

She was 16 when she accompanied her father to meet godman Rajneesh in Baroda, the beginning of a complex relationship that endured until she fled his ashram in the US in 1985. From setting up a commune in a wild outpost of Oregon and unsettling a conservative local community along the way, the flamboyant Ma Anand Sheela (born Sheela Ambalal Patel) was personal secretary to Osho, as Rajneesh later came to be called, and the face of the movement till her falling out with him, which ended in a 39-month prison spell for a series of charges, including immigration fraud, wiretapping and poisoning. In this interview, Manbeena Sandhu speaks on what led her to document the story of an unconventional life and the inner world of a controversial cult.

READ MORE

How Gandhis assassination left one family not only shocked, but also politicised

I like to call myself and those of us who were young adults in India in the 1950s, the before midnights children. Unlike Salman Rushdies protagonists who were born at the very midnight hour of August 15, 1947, the moment that India was declared free from British rule, I was born in 1933 and was a teenager at the time of Independence, and a young adult as we threw ourselves into the work of a new and free India. I would say that we experienced an India which we still fantasize about, and which also shaped our politics profoundly. I would go further and suggest that we got deeply attached to some ideas, ideologies and aspirations that were born of that experience that we are not able to shed, even today, in our eighties.

READ MORE

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Sunday Long Reads: Of coding, Gandhis assassination, Louise Glcks best books, and more - The Indian Express

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The Line Of Duty cast appears to be having a hoot behind-the-scenes of filming the long-awaited sixth series thats if Vicky McClures latest video is anything to go by.

The actress recorded herself dancing with her co-stars Adrian Dunbar and Martin Compston as they took a break in-between shooting scenes, and its exactly what we needed today.

Good day at work with my besties! Vicky captioned the footage on Twitter.

Taking to Instagram as well, she added: Breaking these two gently into TikTok! When Im down Im gonna watch this on loop!!!

Former Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips was impressed by the trios moves and commented: 10 for effort and actually making this happen.

Meanwhile, Line Of Duty fans couldnt get over Adrians skills and flooded social media with compliments.

Adrian has loose hips, observed one, while another wrote: Mr Dunbar has the moves.

Echoing a similar sentiment, another penned: Ive had a crush on Adrian Dunbar (Hastings) for the best part of 30 odd years! And the way he moves those hips, confirms I always knew he was a hottie!

The Line Of Duty team has resumed production on the hotly-anticipated sixth series and have been sharing all the goings-on from behind-the-scenes on social media.

Earlier this week, Vicky was seen pointing a gun at Martin, while showrunner Jed Mercurio teased explosive scenes are coming our way as he shared images of stunts.

Line of Duty fans spot huge Steve Arnott spoiler in series six photos

Line Of Duty season 6: Vicky McClure points gun at Martin Compston in new BTS pics

Line Of Duty fans fear for DS Steve Arnott's safety as showrunner shares stunt pics

The upcoming season will also see newcomers Shalom Brune-Franklin, Perry Fitzpatrick, Andi Osho and Prasanna Puwanarajah join the cast.

We knowLine of Dutyfans are desperate for series 6 and we hope we can get it on air as soon as possible, Jed wrote.

Thanks so much for your patience in these difficult times.

Line Of Duty is available to stream on BBC iPlayer

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If youve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with theMetro.co.ukentertainment team by emailing uscelebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page wed love to hear from you.

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Africa Initiative for Governance (AIG) has announced the recipients of the 2020/2021 round of the AIG Scholarships, the organisations fully funded scholarship programme for young, outstanding West Africans with a passion for public service.

Every year, since 2017, AIG has made available at least five scholarships to talented West Africans from all academic backgrounds, who are passionate about the public sector, to pursue the Master of Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford. Upon graduation, AIG Scholars are expected to return to their home country and apply their learning experience as change agents in their countrys public sector. For the fourth round, six AIG Scholarships were awarded.

The 2020/2021 AIG Scholars are Adejoke Are, Murjanatu Mohammed Audu, Uchechukwu Nwokediuko, Chioma Oparadike, Folasade Osho and Victoria Udom.

AIG has a vision of a public sector in Africa that is effective, values-driven, service-oriented and results-focused, said Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Founder and Chairman of AIG.

To support the attainment of this vision, we are proud to invest in the development of a critical mass of transformation champions who can lead this transformation process.

In June 2016, AIG signed a partnership with the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford, based on a shared vision of improving the world through good governance and public leadership.

AIG also awards the AIG Fellowships at the School, to outstanding senior public service officials from West Africa. To date, twenty-five men and women have benefited from AIG Scholarships and Fellowships.

The AIG Scholarships selection process is particularly rigorous and, each year progressively attracts exceptional talent with potential for great achievement, said Chienye Ogwo, Chief Executive Officer of AIG.

We are pleased to announce this new cohort of five women and one man, and honoured to support their commitment to public service.

I am beyond grateful for the opportunity that AIG has given me, said Murjanatu Mohammed Audu, a first-class graduate of Law from the University of Liverpool, United Kingdom, and one of the 2020 AIG Scholars. I have a passion for public service and believe in my ability to lead transformations in the public sector. The AIG Scholarship provides me with a platform to build my capacity and contribute to the emergence of an effective and efficient public service in Nigeria.

I believe the public sector is a platform through which I can make an impact at scale, said Uchechukwu Nwokediuko, another 2020 AIG Scholar and first-class Electrical and Electronics Engineering graduate of Covenant University, Nigeria.

One of the things I hope to gain at the Blavatnik School of Government is a refreshed way of thinking on how to deliver positive change through governance, especially in uncertain and difficult times.

AIG also today, announced the opening of the application window for the 2021/2022 AIG Scholarships. The application window will close on Thursday, October 15, 2020.

For media enquiries, contact: Modupe Phillipsor send a mail to[emailprotected]

ABOUT AFRICA INITIATIVE FOR GOVERNANCE (AIG)

Africa Initiative for Governance (AIG) is a not-for-profit founded to inspire the transformation of Africas public sector. AIG works with governments, academic institutions and other partners to improve governance and transform public sector performance.

AIGs pioneering initiative brings proven private sector innovation, leadership and funding to the public sector, in a private-public partnership that seeks to attract, inspire and support future leaders of Africas public sector. With AIGs continuing support, these high-calibre individuals will be able to drive best practice standards of governance in Africa, ensuring sustainable economic growth and social justice.

For more information, visit http://www.aigafrica.org.

ABOUT THE BLAVATNIK SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT

Founded at the University of Oxford in 2010, the Blavatnik School of Government exists to inspire and support the government better and public policy around the world. The Blavatnik School teaches current and future public leaders through innovative programmes conduct deep research into pressing issues facing policymakers around the world and convenes leaders and experts to foster better public policy.

With a strong global outlook, the school combines insights from a range of academic disciplines and derives lessons from the public, private and third sectors. http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk

-Sponsored Content.

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Applications are On for the 2021/2022 AIG Scholarships for Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxfor - BellaNaija

Akshaye Khanna says he respects Osho and his teachings despite his father Vinod Khanna leaving the family behind for the commune.

Countless celebrities from all of the world joined the controversial Rajneesh Movement in the 1970s, becoming sworn followers of the cult and disciples of their leader, Osho or Bhagwan Rajneesh. Those on the list included The Beatles, Parveen Babi, Mahesh Bhatt and late actor Vinod Khanna. Tuesday marks Vinods 74th birth anniversary.

Vinod became a disciple of Osho in 1975, moving to Oregon and leaving his family--a wife and two kids behind in Mumbai. Vinods elder son, Akshaye Khannna was just a toddler at the time and unable to process why his father had left them. It was only when he turned 15 or 16 that he realised who was Osho and the Rajneeshis.

Talking about Oshos influence over his fathers life, Akshaye said in an interview to Mid-Day in January, (The influence) To not only leave his family, but to take sanyaas (renunciation). Sanyaas means giving up your life in totality family is [only] a part of it. Its a life-changing decision, which he felt that he needed to take at the time. As a five-year-old, it was impossible [for me] to understand it. I can understand it now.

In the sense that something must have moved him so deeply inside, that he felt that that kind of decision was worth it for him. Especially, when you have everything in life. And when life doesnt look as though theres much more that you can have. A very basic fault-line/ earthquake has to occur within oneself to make that decision. But also stick by it. One can make the decision and say this doesnt suit me lets go back, he said.

ALSOWATCH | Gandhi Jayanti: Films to relive the Mahatmas journey

Akshaye added that unlike the common belief that Vinod returned after growing disenchanted with the movement, his father came back after the US government disbanded the commune. t was just the fact that the commune was disbanded, destroyed, and everybody had to find their own way. Thats when he came back. Otherwise I dont think he wouldve ever come back, he said.

Even though Vinod left the family for Osho, Akshaye still had respect for the spiritual leader. I dont know if sanyaas is something that I could do. But that doesnt mean I cant enjoy his discourses, respect his intellect, oratory skills, and his way of thinking. I have deep respect for him, he said.

Also read:Bigg Boss 14: Sara Gurpal calls Sidharth Shukla Punjab ka jeeja, leaves him blushing at the thought of Shehnaaz Gill

Vinod died on April 27, 2017 at the age of 70 after battling cancer. He made his Bollywood debut in 1968 film Mann Ka Meet, which was produced by Sunil Dutt, who was reportedly struck by Vinods good looks. He was noticed for his portrayal of Shyam in Gulzars 1971 film Mere Apne, where he stood out as a disillusioned young man.

He got his first break as a hero in Hum Tum Aur Woh (1971). A great many films followed including hits such as Elaan and Mera Gaon Mera Desh. He made his political debut in 1997 with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and served as a minister in Atal Bihari Vajpayees government.

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What Akshaye Khanna said about Vinod Khanna leaving family for Osho: Something must have moved him... - Hindustan Times

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Apart from looking after Chinmaya, Sheela was now spendingmost of her time travelling around India and abroad. Bhagwan [Osho], who had outgrown his space only a few short years after moving to Poona, had instructed Laxmi early on to search for a new pieceof land where his ever-growing commune could swell and stretch ceaselessly.

For the last two years, Laxmi had been searching in Gujarat, its surrounding areas and other parts of India and Sheela had accompanied her on several occasions for official meetings, land hunting, etc. Obtaining land permits in India to expand Bhagwans work now seemed like an insurmountable task since the Guru had offended many politicians with his polemical words, and a brooding negative sentiment regarding Bhagwan and his work now permeated through the bureaucratic arenas of thecountry.

Sheela had once accompanied Laxmi on a trip to Delhi, to pay a brief visit to the then prime minister, Indira Gandhi. Even though Indira Gandhi had never visited the Ashram in Poona, she was highly intrigued by the New Age Gurus philosophy and had invariably accepted his books with a nod of gratitude. By the tail end of the 1970s, Bhagwans notoriety had assumed gigantic proportions nationwide, and Indira Gandhi, who was a highly circumspect politician, was too intimidated to actively promote or encourage the growth of his work in his home country.

One hot summer day, Laxmi and Sheela stood upright in a semi-circle in the Prime Ministers drawing room, patiently waiting for her arrival. Although distinct from afar, the two orange-robed women were amongst a dozen other visitors who had come with their individual requests. Indira Gandhi strode into the room and then slowly shuffled past the guests, addressing each visitor individually before moving on to the next one. As she approached the two sannyasin women and stood in front of them, Laxmi craned her neck, briefly narrated her land-woes in the Prime Ministers ear and then handed her a letter that lucidly stated all their requests. After the Prime Minister had nodded, Sheela proffered her a few of Bhagwans latest books, to which the Prime Minister genially smiled and bowed, expressing her gratitude.

Also read: I was part of Oshos spiritual whorehouse cult & flushed his mala in disgust: Mahesh Bhatt

Apart from meeting the Prime Minister, Sheela had also been entertaining numerous dignitaries and state officials in the luxurious restaurants and swanky bars of various five-star hotels of India. The famous Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Bombay was one of Sheelas regular haunts, where she would dine with several bigwigs and schmooze with the top guns in order to secure lucrative deals for the expansion of the Ashram. Unfortunately though, the hotel would soon close its doors on all orange-robed sannyasin women, after a number of them were repeatedly caught in a prostitution racket, bringing defamation into the fancy foyer of this prestigious five-star hotel. But the top-cat Sheela was exempted of course.

Bhagwans promulgation of a promiscuous lifestyle and his relentless provocative speeches had turned him into a dartboard for the prudes. Many conventional bitter-enders were itching to teach the god-man a lesson. The meek ones would do it subtly by cutting the Guru with razor-blades under the guise of touching his feet, while the fuming swashbucklers would be equipped with daggers to throw at the Guru at any given time.

It had happened once in Bombay, in Bhagwans Woodland apartment days during his evening discourse, when an infuriated man in an inebriated state had attempted to enter Bhagwans flat with a knife in his hand. And the second time was at the Ashram.

On the slothful morning of 22 May 1980, Bhagwan, who was majestically seated on the podium, flanked by kneeling bodyguards, was delivering his discourse in the Buddha Hall. The crowd sat still, silent and stupefied. Sheela had as usual, positioned herself uncompromisingly, in the direct vision of her Bhagwan in the front row, and was sitting in silent ruptures as she ogled at her beloved unblinkingly.

Fifteen minutes into Bhagwans lecture, a young Indian man stood up, about twenty yards from Bhagwan. All the startled heads turned in the direction of the man as he ferociously yelled from afar, You are ridiculing our religion and then stormed towards the Guru with bloodshot eyes and a savagely contorted face. A few bodyguards pounced upon the man and grabbed him in a vice-like grip. Another accomplice leapt up from behind, to the rescue of his ally; and amidst all the scuffle and tussle, an arm flailed above the grappling bodies and a sharp knife flew towards Bhagwan, but fortunately missed its target. Bhagwan had continued lecturing calmly until the people in the hall had erupted in an uproar, whimpering and screaming frantically.

After Bhagwans bodyguards had carried the men out of the hall, Bhagwan raised his hands and placidly called out, Shanti! Shanti and then resumed his morning discourse.

Also read: India needs to talk about stress because now even gurus are killing themselves

It was later brought to light that the man with the knife, Bitthal Vilas Tupe, belonged to a Hindu fundamentalist group and had allegedly co-conspired this attack along with five of his allies. Though, in the subsequent court case, the attackers were not proven guilty. In the light of this attack, security measures in the Ashram were made more stringent. The number of security guards was doubled and several metal detectors were ordered from the US to be deployed on doors and various entrances. The atmosphere was now tense and not as lax as before.

One of Bhagwans bodyguards who had jumped up to the Gurus rescue during the attack was named Kirti, aka Prince Welf Ernst of Hanover, the cousin of Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales. Kirti had been living in the Ashram for quite some time along with his wife and a young daughter, serenely tending to Bhagwans garden before he was transformed into a samurai. During the same year, Prince Charles had visited India and Kirti had gone to Bombay to briefly visit his cousin, dressed in his flamboyant orange garb.

A month later, Kirti collapsed during a morning karate practice session in the Ashram and became paralyzed. He died of cerebral haemorrhage on 10 January 1981, at the age of thirty-three. Kirtis body was cremated in the traditional Hindu ritual on a funeral pyre while his devastated parents and brother watched over the glowing flames. Their grief had been strangely aggravated by the queerness and unfamiliarity of the foreign custom.

After the death of the prince, his young daughter and wife stayed back in the Ashram. The wife worked as an assistant to Teertha in his encounter groups. The daughter later became the bridesmaid at Princes Charles wedding to Lady Diana, in July 1981. While the daughter was still in England, the BBC broadcast a programme about the Ashram, which showed the Princess of Hanover in an encounter group, wearing inappropriate clothing and vehemently smacking another participant. Because of the shocking behaviour, the Princes parents fought and gained custody of their granddaughter. The Princess stayed put in the Ashram as a disciple of Bhagwan, whereas her alienated daughter moved on to live with her extended family in Europe.

This excerpt from Nothing To Lose: The Authorised Biography of Ma Anand Sheela by Manbeena Sandhu has been published with permission from HarperCollins India.

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When Ma Anand Sheela met Indira Gandhi to talk of land woes and Oshos ashram - ThePrint

Throughout the years, Line of Duty fans know exactly what's about to happen when those doors close, the tape recorder is switched on, that long ominous beep rings out, and the members of AC-12 sit down to do their thing.

During five seasons of Jed Mercurio's beloved police drama, we've seen countless bent coppers and crooks breakdown and confess after being examined by Ted Hastings, DS Steve Arnott, and DI Kate Fleming.

For example, DCI Tony Gates, Lindsay Denton, John Corbett, DIMatthew "Dot" Cottan, and DCI Roz Huntley have all experienced the pressure-cooker of the famous glass box, but with the new season currently filming, it's time that we meet our new antagonist.

As always, the next season of the hit police thriller will feature a brand new case for AC-12 to investigate and this time around, they're pursuing DCI Joanne Davidson (Kelly Macdonald), the senior investigating officer on an unsolved murder case.

Taking to Twitter, the show's writer/creator Jed Mercurio gave us our first look at the star of Trainspotting and No Country For Old Men facing off against AC-12.

In terms of an official synopsis, Davidson has been described as an enigmatic" senior investigating officer on an unsolved murder case, where she quickly becomes a new suspect.

Welcoming her to the series, Mercurio said, DCI Joanne Davidson will prove the most enigmatic adversary AC-12 have ever faced.

Here's the first look at her on set.

Elsewhere, Shalom Brune-Franklin, Perry Fitzpatrick, Andi Osho and Prasanna Puwanarajah have also been added to the cast for Season 6, which is set for release in 2021.

These new characters join series favourites Steve Arnott (Martin Compston), Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure) and Ted Hastings (Adrian Dunbar) in the new season.

Speaking about the show's return, showrunner Jed Mercurio said: "We know Line of Duty fans are desperate for Series 6 and we hope we can get it on air as soon as possible. Thanks so much for your patience in these difficult times."

Mercurio has also teased fans with some other images of the cast and crew on set.

Martin Compston (DS Steve Arnott) echoed Mercurio's statement when he said: Its been a long few months and it will be a different way of working from when we stopped, but Im delighted to be back on the case with the Line of Duty team!

Now that production on the new episodes has resumed, Vicky McClure (DI Kate Fleming) says: We've been sitting on these incredible scripts for some time now, so Im really looking forward to getting back to it and seeing the Line of Duty family.

Season 6 had already started production in Belfast before it had to be shut down due to COVID-19.

A few months ago, Mercurio said that the delay may result in his scripts having to be re-written to accommodate social distancing guidelines.

Simon Heath, the Executive Producer for World Productions, says: Its been almost six months since we stopped shooting, but following our implementation of all the industry COVID protocols, were delighted to be able to resume filming series six safely.

"Together with independent health and safety consultants, in full consultation with industry partners, and in accordance with all current government guidelines on Covid-19, the Line of Duty production team will adhere to comprehensive protocols to ensure that the new series is produced in a safe and responsible manner."

We'll leave the last happy words to the gaffer, Adrian Dunbar (Supt. Ted Hastings).

Even with the imposition of COVID restrictions, I can't hide my excitement at getting the team back together. So many people wonderingwhat happens next?" he said.

We're just one of them.

Read more:
First Look At The New Season Of Line Of Duty Has Been Released - Balls.ie

As a seeker, I try my best to decondition my mind and open the windows of my consciousness. I am aware that it is an exceedingly difficult task. I fail repeatedly. There are many reasons. To begin with, my academic identity as a sociologist often limits my thinking; it is not always easy to free myself from the trap of its methods and techniques, discourses and texts, and modes of argumentation and theoretical construction. Likewise, our political ideologies often obstruct the creative flow of ideas: the ability to see beyond Marx or Ambedkar, liberalism or socialism, atheism or religion, and socialism or feminism. Yes, I realize that I too feel tempted to establish my belief with some sort of egotistic pride, and, as a result, become terribly non-dialogic. However, this awareness of my conditioning and limitations has also helped me to unlearn many things, become somewhat non-judgmental, and with compassionate listening, evolve a relationship with even Oshothe much-talked about controversial spiritual guru. I know that the circle I belong to is unlikely to be sympathetic towards Osho; possibly, he would be condemned and castigated; and many stories would be repeated about his wealthy disciples, their life-styles, and their experiments with love, sexuality and meditation.

Yet, I believe that dance transcends the dancer; and even if the controversy surrounds Oshos life, his deep insights and explorations into the interiority of human existence are illuminating. Why should I deprive myself of the sublime beauty of his speeches or writings, even if I am not always very easy with many practices associated with his ashrams? Osho, as I see, is not merely a guru with the galaxy of Rolls- Royce carsan enemy of Ronald Regan or Morarji Desai, or the priests of organized religions. Osho, I feel, is also a teacher-philosopher, and insights and revelations, I have no hesitation in saying, are illuminatingthe way the snow-clad Himalayan peak illumines us. With philosophy and literature, and mysticism and psychologyhe looks like a flowing river. Unlike what academicians do with the burden of knowledge, Osho communicates, whispers into my ears, and heals me. Unlike the priests of organized religions, Osho doesnt burden me with moralism or ritualism; and he tells a rhythmic story filled with laughter and humour, and religiousness and literary sensibilities. The beauty is that I need not be his disciple; yet, I can engage with him.

In this article, I will make an attempt to share the tales of my journey with him. Yes, this is yet another beautiful evening; I take his books, and allow myself to be nurtured by the song he sings

Preparation, Purification and Perfection

Preparation does not mean preparing for a verbal examination or a written examination. Preparation means preparing for an existential examination; it means going deeper into meditation.

Osho, The World Beyond Time , Sterling Publishers, New Delhi, 2008

As a student/teacher, I am familiar with what our education system regards as examinations. These examinations, we are told, evaluate our ability to memorize select texts, think logically, apply the skills we learn, and acquire the specialized knowledge in academic disciplines. Yes, examinations are everywherefrom play schools to doctorate programs. And our top ranking universities produce knowledgeable personsphysicists and historians, mathematicians and biologists, or anthropologists and geologists. Yet, the world we live in is extremely violent; and there seems to be no positive correlation between ones educational achievement and ones psychic/spiritual health. Envy, aggression, narcissism, petty politics and competitiveness: we the educated classare not free from these negative emotions.

I have often asked myself: Is there any other way of looking at studentship, education and life-trajectory? No academic journal has given a meaningful answer to my question; no expert has satisfied me; and seminars/conferences have seldom gone beyond dry facts and soulless theories. However, this evening as I begin to contemplate on what Osho regards as preparation, purification and perfection, I experience a sense of joy; I begin to feel that possibly I too was waiting to receive this wisdom.

Well, we often prepare for school/college examinations; and these days, coaching centres or the traders of knowledge help us to prepare for these examinations. Preparation, for all practical purposes, means the ability to acquire the exam strategyhow to become smart and efficient, and solve quickly the riddles relating to physics and mathematics, or English grammar and general knowledge. When I am tired of this psychic violence that goes on in the name of preparation, Osho tells me a different story. Yes, real studentship is like preparing for an existential examination. And this means a great deal of unlearning. The mind has already been burdened with texts and scriptures, or tales of success and failure. No preparation is, therefore, possible without deconditioning the mind. As Osho says,

Preparation means that you drop all your conditionings, you drop your prejudices, you drop what you think you know and you do not know: you get as innocent as possible. Your innocenc will be the preparation.

In a way, it is like becoming a child once again. However, as Osho reminds us, a child need not necessarily be always pure. In fact, children are not free from anger, hatred, greed and jealousy. If one child has a doll, the other becomes so jealous that they will start fighting. In fact, there are many ugly instincts we have inherited with nature, and with our birth. And this is the reason why preparation alone is not sufficient; we must go through a process of purification. School Principals or Vice-chancellors have never spoken of the process of purification. Instead, we have been continually asked to be competitive, or to be winners, achievers and leaders. We have normalized the ethos of competitiveness; and as a result, we negate our specificity and uniqueness; we imitate the toppers; we evolve some sort of sadomasochism. Hence, purification is needed.

Purification is almost going through a fire of understanding in which all that is instinctive and ugly burns down. And it is a great experience that only the ugly burns. That which is beautiful blossoms. In purification you lose all trace of hate and instead, suddenly a spring of love bursts forthas if the rock of hate was preventing the spring.

Indeed, purification is a deeper meditation than preparation. Because it can turn greed into compassion, or hate into love. And then, everything, says Osho, is light, fragrant and fresh. This invariably leads to perfection. One becomes awakened or enlightened.

Contrast this alchemy of human transformation with what the learning machine does these days. In a way, what the system regards as education destroys us. Awakened intelligence is not its goal; deconditioning or purification hardly matters; what is important is the cultivation of instrumental rationality. We get degrees; we become clever, strategic and instrumental; we become doctors, engineers, managers and professors; we make bombs, cause war, pollute the environment; and we manufacture theses and books on our decay. But then, Osho makes me see the absurdity of the entire thing. I hear the call from the distant peak

Celebrating the Spirit of Meditative Education

God is not a manufacturer, he is a creator. He does not manufacture people like cars on an assembly line. You can have many Ford cars exactly alikethats the difference between a machine and a man. A machine can be duplicated, a man cannot be duplicated, and the moment you start duplicating, imitating, you become more like a machinethen you are no longer respectful toward your humanity.

Osho, Learning to Silence the Mind, St. Martins Griffin, New York, 2012

We live in a society that loves to hierarchize and stigmatize. Not solely that. Here is a society that is eager to normalize and standardize people. Think of it. Your child is silent and introvert. She looks at the sky, observes a tree carefully; and she is not very efficient in mathematics and history. Even if you are a sensitive parent, it is quite likely that schools and neighbours would pressurize you, and remind you that what is happening to your child is not good; she must be smart and pushy; and she must impress her teachers through her knowledge in physics and geography. In other words, she ought to be like what an achievement-oriented society wantsambitious, extrovert and competitive. In a way, we loathe uniqueness; we do not want a child to evolve and grow in her own way. Instead, a sort of uniformityor the societal definition of normalcygoverns our educational practices. What do these schools, coaching centres and management/engineering colleges seek to do? They manufacture products: well-fed/well-clothed employees. And Osho captures it so beautifully:

Every child starts that waywith awe, with wonder, with great inquiry in his heart. Every child is a mystic. Somewhere on the way of your so-called growing you lose contact with your inner possibility of being a mystic, and you become a businessman or you become a clerk or you become a collector or you become a minister. You become something else, and you start thinking that you are this. And when you believe it, it is so.

No wonder, Osho reminds us repeatedly of the dangers of conditioning. In fact, true meditation is not indoctrination; it is to make one aware of the treasure within. However, we destroy this possibility. We make them believe that success is what matters. Moreover, we teach them that they are Hindus, Muslims or Christians. This indoctrination destroys the natural intelligence of the child. The result is that they start losing their natural rhythm, their natural elegance, and they start learning plastic behaviour.

Is it possible to change this pattern? Can education be a meditative experience? In a society that conditions the mind, fills it with all sorts of bookish knowledge and thoughts, and equates religion with the ritualism of Hinduism, Islam or Christianity, Oshos approach to meditative education might annoy our priests, ideologues and teachers. Yet, I feel, it is wonderful.

Meditation is a way to go within yourselves to that depth where thoughts dont exist, so it is not indoctrination. It is not teaching you anything; in fact, it is just making you alert to your inner capacity to be without thought, to be without mind. And the best time is when the child is still uncorrupted.

Epilogue

Your truth is not to be thought about, it has to be seen. It is already there. You dont have to go anywhere to find it. You dont have to think about it, you have to stop thinking so that it can surface in your inner being. Unoccupied space is needed within you so that the light that is hidden can expand and fill your being.

Osho, I Teach Religiousness, Not Religion, Hind Pocket Books, Delhi, 2000

My evening with Osho, I realize, is immensely beautiful. It is a song. No television news. No academic anxiety to perform. No burden of the intellect. I feel like reading his booksthe way I see a mountain peak, a flowing river, a tiny bird flying in the sky. It seems I have become empty. With the lightness of being, I am silencing the noisy mind. And is it that I have ceased to become a Hindu, a Muslim, a Marxist, a sociologist, an intellectual? And then, I feel he is whispering:

You need a total let-go, an utterly peaceful, tensionless, silent state of being. And suddenlythe explosion.

Avijit Pathak is Professor of Sociology at JNU.

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An Evening with Osho - The New Leam