200 disciples of a guru
want to start a city called
RAJNEESHRJRAM
Story by DAWN GARCIA
Photos by STEVE DYKES
Emerald reporter Dawn Garcia and
photographer Steve Dykes spent one
day last week with the people of the
controversial commune. Rajneeshpur
am. a group which is trying to incorpor
ate as a city 107 miles southeast of the
Dalles
A community ot guru followers is not
what most people would call run-of-the-mill
neighbors
Maybe in Poona, India, where most of
the 200 disciples of Bhagwan Shree Raj
neesh come from, but not in northeastern
Oregon where the brilliant red and maroon
clothes they wear contrast the grey sage
brush-covered hills they now call home
But the group’s colorful garb is not what
is causing apprehension and opposition
from their neighbors; it is the group's
attempt to incorporate their commune.
Raineeshpuram, into a city
Eighteen dusty miles away from the tiny
community of 40 at Antelope—is the
64,000 acre ranch bought by the Chidvilas
Rajneesh Foundation for $6 million last
July The inhabitants—followers of a
49-year-old guru—wear long, wood-bead
necklaces called "malas —with a photo of
the Bhagwan at the end along with their red
clothes, another spiritual symbol
Why reef7
"It s the color of the rising sun, ” explains
one disciple or sannyasin, as they call
themselves "It attracts energy and gives
off energy "
Although it may be unique to be clad in
red from head to toe the style of their
clothes is nothing out-of-the-ordinary
sweaters, corduroy pants, sweatshirts, and
overalls
They claim to be an agricultural com
munity but want to incorporate the arid
ranch into a city Then they want to con
struct a school, a library, a medical clinic, a
store and other facilities
They already have won part of the battle
for incorporation The Wasco County
Commission approved the city boundaries
of the 2,100 acre area inside the ranch and
also approved an election May 18 to vote
on the proposed incorporation The out
come of the election is a foregone conclu
sion since the only ones voting will be
members of Rajneeshpuram
But their Antelope neighbors—
represented by the 1000 Friends of
Oregon, a citizens land-use watchdog
organization—are taking issue with Wasco
County over the vote and have asked Gov
Vic Atiyeh to sue the county over the
decision
‘ In order to create a city, you have to
demonstrate a need to do so. and we feel
these factors have not been met, " says
1000 Friends’ lawyer Mark Greenfield
"You don’t need a city to run a farm."
This seems to be the concern of many
Antelope ranchers who fear incorporation
will turn their tranquil hills into a metropolis
"We re mostly concerned that they're
going to dump a whole bunch of people on
us and go against the zoning laws, " says
rancher Kelly McGreer, whose family has
lived in Antelope for five generations
His wife, Rosemary, agrees
"It would totally overtax this small com
munity, " she says
Perhaps an even greater concern is
what effect the Bhagwan’s philosophy will
have On the community The Rajneesh's
views on sex as a technique for shattering
selfhood received a lot of publicity in his
earlier days in India
That publicity, coupled with the release
of the movie, "Ashram " has increased
public apprehension about the commune
"Ashram" is a German-made documentary
on the counseling methods used by Bhag
wan
Scenes of followers beating each other
in the nude have attracted big audiences to
see the movie
"We re afraid that the followers of the
Bhagwan will have some effect on the
young people, McGreer says
Despite the apprehension, McGreer
says that he has found the people to be
friendly in his contacts with them, and was
impressed by the construction of the build
ings they are doing
Construction to set up cover for the
community before winter sets in is their
main concern right now, the followers say
The prominent impression of the activities
at the commune is one of busy
craftsmanship—people, most of them in
their 30s, building tables, sewage systems,
plowing fields, caring for the animals and
doing other work amidst stacks of wood
and supplies
At present the commune has purchased
$2 million worth of mobile homes, con
struction equipment and communication
machinery
A few farm-style houses and buildings
originally on the ranch remain, but the rest
of the place has been altered considerably
Cafeterias and other facilities .are being
raised quickly from the ground as crews
work 12-14 hours per day, seven days a
week
OKABTOB-AES** ■ 1 - -T*
- . -^^. 1
Two followers of the 49-year-old guru. Rajneesh, work to erect a fence. Members
get one day off per month which they often spend working.
One look at this destroys any mental
pictures that Ra)neeshpuram is similar to a
commune left over from the 1960s; the
organization and modern facilities, which
include two twin-engine planes and a
landing strip, indicate more sophisticated
structure
Smiles are the norm as people pass each
other in their daily work, even after the long
hours
“I got one day off last month, but I wasn't
doing anything, so I came and worked
anyway," says one sannyasin, smiling
The members have been chosen to
come to Rajneeshpuram for what skills they
can add to the community as a whole, says
Ma Yoga Nirmal. one of the guides who
escorts reporters and curious visitors
around the ranch Although Antelopers
complain the commune will be expanding
into the "Tens of thousands of people, ”
Nirmal and others claim they are not trying
to recruit more members now and only
accept people needed for work
The racy philosophy of free love and
unrepressed sex seems not as important as
the philosophy of "being total and cele
brating life, " as Nirmal describes it.
“It’s really very practical and nourish
ing.” she says as she hugs a fellow san
nyasin.
Warm and frequent hugs are a common
greeting in Rajneeshpuram, as is calling
each other "love," and although they do
not deny their "free love" philosophy ex
ists, “it's entirely up to the individual and
comes out of a sense of responsibility, says
Shanti Bhadra, one of the disciples who
works at the reception trailer the group
owns within the city limits of Antelope
Because of zoning restrictions on making
commercial sales, the groups use their
Antelope office to sell more than 300
books, video tapes and cassettes of the
Bhagwan's teachings to people worldwide
It was one of these tapes that convinced
Shanti “B ", as she calls herself, to join the
religious sect
"I was running a health food store when I
heard the Bhagwan on tape and fell in love
with his voice," she says in her unmistak
able Australian accent. "It's as simple as
that"
Continued on Page 5
Ma Yoga Nirmal stoops by the John Day River
Oregon Dally Emarakl
Commune members take a break from the difficult task of building a city from scratch.
Page 3