On June 1, 1981, Osho left India for the United States. The move was orchestrated by his personal secretary, Ma Anand Sheela, an Indian-American woman with a talent for organization and strong ambition .
In August 1981, Sheela negotiated the purchase of a 64,229-acre ranch in Wasco County, Oregon, for $5.75 million. The property, formerly known as the Big Muddy Ranch, was intended to be a new utopian civilization .
A New Civilization
The community was renamed and successfully incorporated as a city in May 1982. The development was rapid and massive.
At its peak between 1983 and 1984, Rajneeshpuram had approximately 7,000 residents. The community built schools, farms, factories, a medical center, its own police force, fire department, and an airport .
This commune is not an ordinary society; it is an experiment in consciousness, a laboratory of human transformation. We are trying to create an oasis in the desert where human beings can live without fear, without the past, and without greed.
During this period, Osho lived in strict seclusion. Sheela became the de facto leader, running day-to-day operations with increasing authoritarian control. Osho communicated primarily through Sheela, demanding complete surrender and obedience from his followers.
Tensions with Local Residents
The rapid influx of caused immediate tension with the local residents of Wasco County. Concerns over land use, zoning laws, and the commune's aggressive legal tactics led to fierce opposition from groups like "1000 Friends of Oregon" .
The conflict escalated into attempts to influence local elections, culminating in the 1984 Salmonella bioterror attack in The Dalles (see Bioterror Attack).
Collapse and Federal Intervention
In September 1985, Sheela and several members of her inner circle abruptly fled the commune for Europe. Osho broke his silence, publicly expelled her, and encouraged followers to report her crimes to the authorities .
Subsequent criminal investigations by state and federal authorities revealed immigration fraud, wiretapping, and the bioterror attack. By November 1985, Osho was arrested on immigration fraud charges .
An intentional contamination of salad bars in The Dalles, Oregon, by leaders of the Rajneeshpuram commune, which sickened over 750 people.
Osho’s deportation from the United States, his period of global exile, his return to Pune, and his sudden death in 1990.
Primary References & Archival Records (5)
- [1]Charisma and Control in Rajneesh CommunitiesacademicLewis Carter. (2011). Cambridge University Press.
Sociological analysis of commune dynamics, leadership structures, and group psychology.
- [2]Cities on a HillbookFrances FitzGerald. (1986). Simon & Schuster.
Chapter on Rajneeshpuram among four American utopian communities. Pulitzer Prize-winning author.
- [3]Rajneeshees: Investigative SeriesjournalismThe Oregonian (Les Zaitz et al.). (1985). The Oregonian.
Multi-part investigative series on Rajneeshpuram, 1985–1986. Pulitzer Prize finalist.
- [4]United States v. Rajneesh et al., Case CR 85-0150primaryU.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division. (1985). U.S. District Court, District of Oregon.
Criminal case including immigration fraud charges against Rajneesh. Alford plea entered Nov 14, 1985.
- [5]Rajneeshee Movement Investigation ReportsprimaryOregon Attorney General. (1986). State of Oregon.
Official investigation reports covering 1984–1986, including bioterror attack findings.