Episode 2: Oasis in Poona
In Episode 2: Oasis in Poona, we take a grand tour of Bhagwan’s first ashram in the city of Poona, India. Within a couple years of its founding in 1974, the ashram had expanded into one of the most popular — and controversial — ashrams in India, where people could meditate, commune with likeminded people, and be close to the man they called Master. We'll see how an unstoppable force of nature made it all happen: Bhagwan’s personal secretary, Ma Yoga Laxmi. We’ll stroll the grounds through the eyes of a newcomer to see what this place was all about. And we’ll explore about a new, lucrative, sometimes-terrifying method that Bhagwan developed to instruct his followers — and to keep them there.
Episode Notes & Sources
Audio interviews of Laxmi, Teertha, Savita, and Deeksha come from the 1978 film Ashram in Poona by Wolfgang Dobrovolny.
Audio of Bhagwan discussing "crazy Deeksha" is from The Dhammapada Vol 1.
Ma Yoga Laxmi, The Journey of the Heart (unpublished)
Map of Poona Ashram, University of Oregon - Oregon Digital
Krishna house reception, poona ashram
Ma Yoga Laxmi in her Office at Krishna House, Poona Ashram
Laxmi with Bhagwan
Ma Prem Deeksha in her cafeteria, Poona ashram
Music
Haunting Guitarist by Stefan Netsman
Piano Concerto in G-major, 2nd Movement by Maurice Ravel
When I Am Laid in Space by Rusty King (based on Dido's Lament from Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell)
Powerwalkin’ by Future Joust
All other music by Rusty King