Jeevan Jagruti Kendra People in Mumbai
~ An excerpt from ch 2 of Blessed Moments with Osho, by Sw Chaitanya Sagar (Laherubhai), entitled Life Awakening Center ~
When I went to listen to Osho's discourse in Mumbai in 1967, I met some of my friends there, Shri Harshadbhai, Shri Ishwarbhai, Shri Anopchandbhai, etc. From them I got some tapes of his discourses recorded before 1967. I brought these tapes and copied them in my tape-recorder for myself. In those days recording used to be done in spool tape recorders. Cassette tapes were not available then.
After meeting Osho for the first time, much inquisitiveness arose in me to know more and more about him. Shri Harshabhai knew Osho from 1961-62, and I got more information about Osho and his work from him.
Since 1961-62, some institutions in Mumbai had arranged Osho's discourses. Most of the people who listened to Osho were Jains. During their religious festivals, Mahavir Jayanti and Paryushan, Osho was invited from Jabalpur for discourse series organized initially by Bharat Jain Mahamandal and then by Mumbai Jain Yuvak Sangha.
According to Shri Harshadbhai, he had listened to Osho for the first time at Birla Matushree Hall in Mumbai on the occasion of Mahavir Jayanti. Osho was a guest at Shri Rishabhdasji Ranka's house at that time. When he went to meet him at his place, Shri Chimanbhai Chakubhai Shah and Shri Dharmveer Bharti from 'Dharmyug' (a Hindi monthly magazine) were discussing something with Osho. Shri Jatubhai Mehta, Shri Tarachand Kothari, etc were also there.
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In 1967-68 Shri Ishwarbhai and Shri Himmatbhai Joshi were trustees of Jeevan Jagruti Kendra and eight to ten other friends were working as committee members. Whenever Osho used to come to Mumbai from Jabalpur, Shri Harshadbhai and Shri Anopchandbhai took the responsibility of receiving him from or sending him to station or airport. Shri Premchandbhai Maheshwari and Shri Vasanjibhai Lodhaya used to arrange his discourses and recordings. Shri Ishwarbhai Shah used to do publication of books and other management of Jeevan Jagruti Kendra. I used to help all of them in their work.
