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O WHAT OSHO
Jayita Bandyopadhyay

The Daily Pioneer
March 10, 2005

If you thought Osho is only about nudist camps and flowing Sufi robes, think again! The clothes corner at Osho World, Ansal Plaza, displays designer clothing to help meditation!

The competitively priced collection - Haiku - launched around three years ago, is the source of the Osho sandal fashion frenzy which rocked the Capital last summer. This year, the brand's short linen kaftans, cape-styled tops and varied stoles should catch the fancy of flea markets and stores alike.

Straight robes in maroon, black and white dominate the new collection. Made from simple cotton cloth to luxurious linen, they have cowls, pleats and folds to add to the flow. The embroidery runs mostly in fluid lines, circles or depicts leaves, flowers and Osho's signature. "We mostly work with natural fibres like cotton, silk, linen and wool. But to make the garments more comfortable, we have used rayon, viscose and georgette," says Charu, designer incharge.

The line also has smart dresses with minimalistic embroidery that can be worn to a party or a meditation camp. A white crushed cotton sleeveless gown with a short transparent georgette jacket would be more suited to a Paris ramp. While a flowing skirt paired with a short Moroccan-styled semi-fitted top and a wrinkled stole is perfect for a leisurely outdoor brunch.

The collection also offers crinkled pyajamas, kimono-styled short shirts, tussar silk tops and kurtis - but mostly for women and in shades of maroon, white, black, ochre and Krishna's peacock colours.

With a label like Sunita Shankar (who also sells from posh outlets), the ensembles follow Osho's words, "Dress is the very style of life."

But what's the need of designer clothes to meditate? "We believe that clothes can do or undo a person. And when Osho followers wear robes or the loose garments throughout the day, they like variations," says Charu, but accepts that most of her clients are either from abroad or not from the faith.

The brand is now more Western in its silhouettes but will include salwar kurtas. "We will pair pieces for the bottom with kurtas," adds Charu.
Though she insists that the clothes and home furnishings aren't commercial, the designs have huge selling potential.

MIND,BODY,TEMPLE
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The Pioneer:
New Delhi
14th March 2005
                                 

Osho takes us through the legend behind Khajuraho's erotic sculptures and considers them as depicting emptiness of desire.
The most graphic, erotic and sensuous sculptures the world has known are on the temple walls of Khajuraho. Every facade - wall, window, pillar, and ceiling - of Khajuraho is carved with figures of mythical and historical origins, and many depict the innocent form of love on these walls.
Built over 1,000 years ago, the grandeur, beauty and art of these temples leaves one in awe. Equally intriguing are erotic sculptures from Kamasutra.
Big-bosomed and beautiful young women and hefty men are shown in positions even the acrobats may find impossible to get into. Legend has it the creators of Khajuraho claimed descent from the moon. Hemavati, the beautiful young daughter of a Brahmin priest, was seduced by the moon god while bathing in the river one evening.

The child born of this union between a mortal and god was a son, Chandravarman. Harassed by society, the unwed mother sought refuge in the dense forest of Central India where she was both mother and guru to her young son. The boy grew up and founded the Chandela dynasty. When he was established as a ruler, he had a dream of his mother, imploring him to build temples that would reveal human passions, and bring about realisation of the emptiness of human desire.

This is clear from the lack of expressions on their faces in various poses of sex.

If the temples of Khajuraho can be said to have a theme, it is woman. A celebration of woman and her myriad moods and facets: writing letters; applying kohl, dancing with joyous abandon, playing with her child.

Woman-innocent, coquettish, smiling- infinitely seductive, infinitely beautiful. Depicted in detail, sharply etched, sculpted with consummate artistry, these statues have a blank expression. With eyes glazed, it seems they are not having pleasure from what they are engaged in.

Or could it be that they have gone beyond pleasure in a state of ecstasy? Discovered in the last century, these temples have always created controversy about the philosophy of showing sexual poses on their outer walls.Osho explains...

These temples in Khajuraho have, on the outer side, beautiful women, beautiful men, and all in love postures... Inside there are none. The idea is unless you pass through sexuality with full awareness in all its phases, in all its dimensions-unless you come to a point when sex has no meaning for you...only then you enter the temple.

Otherwise you are outside the temple, your interest is there. If you are still interested in sex, then the temple is not for you.

But the message is not against sex; it is the outer wall of the temple, the temple is made of it, and you have to pass through the door and go beyond. And the beyond is nothing but utter emptiness.