Twinkies: Difference between revisions
mNo edit summary |
mNo edit summary |
||
(2 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown) | |||
Line 2: | Line 2: | ||
[[image:Twinkies-1.png | left | 300px | thumb | L-R: Jayamala, Veena, Sunshine, Punya, unknown, Rosalie, unknown]] [[image:RCC-Twinkies-1.jpg | right | 300px | thumb | L-R: Isabel, Sunshine, Moses, Samya, Rosalie, Sudipo, Sarita]] | [[image:Twinkies-1.png | left | 300px | thumb | L-R: Jayamala, Veena, Sunshine, Punya, unknown, Rosalie, unknown]] [[image:RCC-Twinkies-1.jpg | right | 300px | thumb | L-R: Isabel, Sunshine, Moses, Samya, Rosalie, Sudipo, Sarita]] | ||
The Twinkies were the "hostesses" who greeted and oriented visitors and journalists to Rajneeshpuram, showing them around, answering their questions and explaining what Osho and the | The Twinkies were the "hostesses" who greeted and oriented visitors and journalists to Rajneeshpuram, showing them around, answering their questions and explaining what Osho and the Ranch were all about, to the best of their well-trained ability. The name "Twinkies" was tongue-in-cheek and derived from an iconic American junk food product, [[wikipedia:Twinkie|Twinkies]], made by "Hostess Brands", and described as "golden sponge cake with a creamy filling". | ||
The Twinkies could be called an all-female team, though they did include one "honorary female", [[Sw Anand Anshumali]]. They were co-ordinated by [[Ma Prem Isabel]] and "anchored" by [[Ma Deva Jayamala]], who maintained [[Mirdad|Mirdad Welcome Center]], at first in a modest trailer next to the barn in downtown Rajneeshpuram, before it was moved to more expansive quarters. Jayamala entertained visitors until one of the mobile crew came to show them around. They included [[Ma Prema Veena]], [[Ma Prem Sunshine]], [[Ma Yoga Punya]], [[Ma Ananda Sarita]], [[Ma Dhyan Rosalie]], [[Ma Anand Bhagawati]], [[Ma Anand Sophia]], [[Ma Anand Margaret]] and Anshumali among others. | The Twinkies could be called an all-female team, though they did include one "honorary female", [[Sw Anand Anshumali]]. They were co-ordinated by [[Ma Prem Isabel]] and "anchored" by [[Ma Deva Jayamala]], who maintained [[Mirdad|Mirdad Welcome Center]], at first in a modest trailer next to the barn in downtown Rajneeshpuram, before it was moved to more expansive quarters. Jayamala entertained visitors until one of the mobile crew came to show them around. They included [[Ma Prema Veena]], [[Ma Prem Sunshine]], [[Ma Yoga Punya]], [[Ma Ananda Sarita]], [[Ma Dhyan Rosalie]], [[Ma Anand Bhagawati]], [[Ma Anand Sophia]], [[Ma Anand Margaret]], [[Ma Yoga Sampatti]] and Anshumali among others. | ||
The second pic at right has four of these ladies, along with three Chamber of Commerce folks, all with titles and job descriptions. One can see the intermingling of roles and mutability of hats that was a hallmark of Osho's people's putting themselves forward during this time. | The second pic at right has four of these ladies, along with three Chamber of Commerce folks, all with titles and job descriptions. One can see the intermingling of roles and mutability of hats that was a hallmark of Osho's people's putting themselves forward during this time. | ||
Line 109: | Line 109: | ||
==Bhagawati== | ==Bhagawati== | ||
Bhagawati's time in the group ran from mid-1983 through the end of the | Bhagawati's time in the group ran from mid-1983 through the end of the Ranch. Her sharing below also appears in two articles in Osho News: [https://www.oshonews.com/2020/08/15/the-road-to-twinkiehood/ Part One] and [https://www.oshonews.com/2020/08/22/return-to-the-ranch/ Part Two], with more Ranch pics and some additional material. | ||
{| class = "wikitable" style="margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 30px;" | {| class = "wikitable" style="margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 30px;" | ||
Line 274: | Line 274: | ||
:The work with the press was a fascinating dance of reality and unreality. Journalists would come and be very impressed by all that we were and had achieved. We had literally greened the desert! They would write a very positive article only to have it overturned by the editor of their magazine or newspaper. Many of the articles were simply a rehash of something written many years before with as many derogatory statements as possible. When we would question the journalists as to why they did this, they would throw up their hands in despair and say, “It is either print untruth or lose my job!” | :The work with the press was a fascinating dance of reality and unreality. Journalists would come and be very impressed by all that we were and had achieved. We had literally greened the desert! They would write a very positive article only to have it overturned by the editor of their magazine or newspaper. Many of the articles were simply a rehash of something written many years before with as many derogatory statements as possible. When we would question the journalists as to why they did this, they would throw up their hands in despair and say, “It is either print untruth or lose my job!” | ||
:And indeed, one evening a frequent visitor to the | :And indeed, one evening a frequent visitor to the Ranch who was a TV presenter, was relaxing in the bar / lounge after a long day of filming. I had been his press relations liaison for months and so we had developed a friendly working relationship. Everyone who stayed at Rajneeshpuram for any length of time got used to frequent hugs and he was no exception. I threw my arm around his shoulder in camaraderie as we shared a laugh. His film man shot this brief moment and the boss saw it the next day and freaked out. This poor TV presenter was taken off the job, accused of being ‘too friendly’ with the Rajneeshees! | ||
|} | |} | ||
Line 317: | Line 317: | ||
::The Twinkies’ office was now fifty yards down the road from its previous spot which had become the main road over Kabir creek. (The advantage of a trailer is that it can be moved!) It was now located close to the new ponds. | ::The Twinkies’ office was now fifty yards down the road from its previous spot which had become the main road over Kabir creek. (The advantage of a trailer is that it can be moved!) It was now located close to the new ponds. | ||
:In the meantime part of our Ranch had been incorporated and had become Rajneeshpuram. This meant that I had to update my notes from the previous year. E.g. the Mandir which was a ‘greenhouse’ the previous year, had not become a ‘meeting hall’ – these new instructions were then reversed when later Rajneeshpuram was disincorporated and declared an illegal town. I am describing my jaw-dropping experience after coming back and updating my notes in the piece called, [[https://www.oshonews.com/2018/03/20/rajneeshpuram-disincorporated/ Lakes, dams and new buildings], [with tons of facts about the | :In the meantime part of our Ranch had been incorporated and had become Rajneeshpuram. This meant that I had to update my notes from the previous year. E.g. the Mandir which was a ‘greenhouse’ the previous year, had not become a ‘meeting hall’ – these new instructions were then reversed when later Rajneeshpuram was disincorporated and declared an illegal town. I am describing my jaw-dropping experience after coming back and updating my notes in the piece called, [[https://www.oshonews.com/2018/03/20/rajneeshpuram-disincorporated/ Lakes, dams and new buildings], [with tons of facts about the Ranch] | ||
:During this second Festival I also got involved with some German journalists, but mostly with photographers. One experience I remember vividly has been published under, [https://www.oshonews.com/2010/10/27/photographers-rajneeshpuram/ A photographer’s breakthrough]. I was accompanying a grumpy photographer (he was utterly distressed and nervous about his career) who chose, to my astonishment, a far-away location to take a shot of the drive-by. He was so very lucky that Osho changed car at the perfect distance (the Rolls-Royces at that slow speed and in the desert heat tended to overheat and had to be replaced from time to time – but one never knew where). From there he took the perfect shot that was then distributed nationwide by one of the press agencies. I came to realise that only after the Festival while filing the hundreds of clippings with his photo. I was so happy for him! Career saved! | :During this second Festival I also got involved with some German journalists, but mostly with photographers. One experience I remember vividly has been published under, [https://www.oshonews.com/2010/10/27/photographers-rajneeshpuram/ A photographer’s breakthrough]. I was accompanying a grumpy photographer (he was utterly distressed and nervous about his career) who chose, to my astonishment, a far-away location to take a shot of the drive-by. He was so very lucky that Osho changed car at the perfect distance (the Rolls-Royces at that slow speed and in the desert heat tended to overheat and had to be replaced from time to time – but one never knew where). From there he took the perfect shot that was then distributed nationwide by one of the press agencies. I came to realise that only after the Festival while filing the hundreds of clippings with his photo. I was so happy for him! Career saved! | ||
Line 370: | Line 370: | ||
==Rosalie== | ==Rosalie== | ||
Rosalie also has an article in [https://www.oshonews.com/2020/10/24/rosalie-twinkie/ Osho News] on her Twinkie experience, from which we present a couple of excerpts. On her first day at the | Rosalie also has an article in [https://www.oshonews.com/2020/10/24/rosalie-twinkie/ Osho News] on her Twinkie experience, from which we present a couple of excerpts. On her first day at the Ranch, the first day of 1982, she was sent to join the Twinkies. Within minutes, Isabel came in and took her out to her car for a ranch tour, plunging her big-time into a Situation. She writes: | ||
{| class = "wikitable" style="margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 30px;" | {| class = "wikitable" style="margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 30px;" | ||
Line 384: | Line 384: | ||
:"What is that?" he asked. I explained with an air of pride and the unflappable stance of a natural born Twinkie. "Is he European?" "No," I replied, "he is from Texas!" Visibly annoyed that I was not the live fish he thought he had caught, he turned away from me. Isabel seemed to exhale, and said nothing, but I knew I had passed my first test by being thrown into the frying pan and surviving. Later I found out that the serious man was an FBI agent. That’s when I knew that the stakes were high and a wrong answer might jeopardize the existence of the commune. I got cold feet. The following morning I met with Vidya explaining, I am not right for the job." | :"What is that?" he asked. I explained with an air of pride and the unflappable stance of a natural born Twinkie. "Is he European?" "No," I replied, "he is from Texas!" Visibly annoyed that I was not the live fish he thought he had caught, he turned away from me. Isabel seemed to exhale, and said nothing, but I knew I had passed my first test by being thrown into the frying pan and surviving. Later I found out that the serious man was an FBI agent. That’s when I knew that the stakes were high and a wrong answer might jeopardize the existence of the commune. I got cold feet. The following morning I met with Vidya explaining, I am not right for the job." | ||
|} | |} | ||
Rosalie did other things for about four months but then felt confident enough to return to the Twinkies, where she remained until the end of the | Rosalie did other things for about four months but then felt confident enough to return to the Twinkies, where she remained until the end of the Ranch. She reports: | ||
{| class = "wikitable" style="margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 30px;" | {| class = "wikitable" style="margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 30px;" | ||
Line 403: | Line 403: | ||
:When I said goodbye to the visitors most often their eyes were bright and many hugged me. I congratulated them for taking the time to have a real experience. My wish was always that they would go out into their communities and tell their friends how awesome Rajneeshpuram was and that the orange people turned the Big Muddy into an oasis! | :When I said goodbye to the visitors most often their eyes were bright and many hugged me. I congratulated them for taking the time to have a real experience. My wish was always that they would go out into their communities and tell their friends how awesome Rajneeshpuram was and that the orange people turned the Big Muddy into an oasis! | ||
|} | |} | ||
[[Category:Rajneeshpuram]] | |||
[[Category:Sannyas]] |
Latest revision as of 04:47, 29 November 2023
The Twinkies were the "hostesses" who greeted and oriented visitors and journalists to Rajneeshpuram, showing them around, answering their questions and explaining what Osho and the Ranch were all about, to the best of their well-trained ability. The name "Twinkies" was tongue-in-cheek and derived from an iconic American junk food product, Twinkies, made by "Hostess Brands", and described as "golden sponge cake with a creamy filling".
The Twinkies could be called an all-female team, though they did include one "honorary female", Sw Anand Anshumali. They were co-ordinated by Ma Prem Isabel and "anchored" by Ma Deva Jayamala, who maintained Mirdad Welcome Center, at first in a modest trailer next to the barn in downtown Rajneeshpuram, before it was moved to more expansive quarters. Jayamala entertained visitors until one of the mobile crew came to show them around. They included Ma Prema Veena, Ma Prem Sunshine, Ma Yoga Punya, Ma Ananda Sarita, Ma Dhyan Rosalie, Ma Anand Bhagawati, Ma Anand Sophia, Ma Anand Margaret, Ma Yoga Sampatti and Anshumali among others.
The second pic at right has four of these ladies, along with three Chamber of Commerce folks, all with titles and job descriptions. One can see the intermingling of roles and mutability of hats that was a hallmark of Osho's people's putting themselves forward during this time.
Veena, Bhagawati, Sarita, Punya and Rosalie have generously shared some memories of their time with the Twinkies, below.
Veena
Veena's time in the group ran from late 1981 to 1983. Her article also appears in Osho News, with lots more Ranch pics.
|
Bhagawati
Bhagawati's time in the group ran from mid-1983 through the end of the Ranch. Her sharing below also appears in two articles in Osho News: Part One and Part Two, with more Ranch pics and some additional material.
|
Sarita
This is a rather smaller excerpt from Sarita's article in Osho News on her Twinkie experience. As most of her article features interior experiences more than purely factual information, the bulk of it has been left there for readers to discover independently.
|
Punya
Punya was a Twinkie in 1982 for a while, but was unable to stay "permanently" until some nine months later. Her Twinkie memories gathered here include a new area not previously mentioned, of dealing with press clippings, in addition to the regular showing people around. Lots more can be found in her article in Osho News, including short excerpts from her book On the Edge and links to other articles in ON with longer excerpts.
[ ... ]
Press Releases: Rolls-Royces and AIDS
|
Rosalie
Rosalie also has an article in Osho News on her Twinkie experience, from which we present a couple of excerpts. On her first day at the Ranch, the first day of 1982, she was sent to join the Twinkies. Within minutes, Isabel came in and took her out to her car for a ranch tour, plunging her big-time into a Situation. She writes:
|
Rosalie did other things for about four months but then felt confident enough to return to the Twinkies, where she remained until the end of the Ranch. She reports:
|