Episode 7: Inside the Compound

Now that the Rajneeshees own 125 square miles of remote land and control the cities of Rajneeshpuram and Antelope, we explore what they planned to do out on the ranch — and who they recruited to help them do it. We see what life was like for the hundreds of commune members who toiled from sun-up to sundown each day building their Master’s utopia. And later, we catch up with the big man himself. Bhagwan had entered into a silent phase before leaving India. So if he wasn’t talking… what was he doing in his secluded compound?

Episode Notes & Sources

Swami Deva Wadud 1983 deposition transcript (PDF)

Rajneeshpuram Comprehensive Plan link.

Audio of Bhagwan discussing his desire to build a small city comes from Sufis: The People of the Path Vol. 2 Ch. 10.

Audio of Bhagwan discussing families at the new commune comes from Sufis: The People of the Path Vol. 2 Ch. 12.

Audio of Sheela discussing Rajneeshpuram as “very beautiful city” comes from this video. (YouTube)

Audio of Ma Yoga Vidya discussing work assignments and Sheela saying nobody got paid at Rajneeshpuram comes from Town Hall: Inside Rajneeshpuram (November 1982). (YouTube)

Tom Stimmel’s November 15, 1982 Oregonian article about his audience with Bhagwan. (PDF)

Some details of the Rolls Royce trust come from the Oregonian’s 1985 investigative series into the Rajneeshees.

Audio of Bhagwan discussing The Ten Commandments comes from The Last Testament Vol. 1 Ch. 30.

Audio of Ma Prem Isabel’s question to Bhagwan about Sheela’s tactics comes from The Last Testament Vol. 3.

Music

When I Am Laid in Space by Rusty King (based on Dido's Lament from Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell)

Haunting Guitarist by Stefan Netsman

Piano Concerto in G-major, 2nd Movement by Maurice Ravel

Powerwalkin’ by Future Joust

All other music by Rusty King