In an interview with The Guardian, Sheela (who is still alive, BTW) revealed that she never watched the entire Netflix series that she took part in. Sheela, who turn 50 on Tuesday, has been in Switzerland since late 1988, when she was released from federal prison after serving 29 months for assault, attempted murder, arson, wiretapping and causing a food poisoning epidemic in The Dalles that made about 750 people ill. She was also Bhagwan's personal secretary and confidant. Why did the story of Ma Anand Sheela intrigue you? Sheela was extradited from Germany where she had fled and was charged with attempted murder among other crimes. Now as a caretaker for the disabled, the antihero of Netflix's hit documentary claims that everything she did was for the sake of the commune. I was in love with him all these years, but things just crystallized over that time. What is the concept? Sheela was released for good behaviour after serving just under three years of her 20-year sentence. Elaborating on how she started her nursing homes, Sheela said that she rented a home and took in five elderly people. Ma Anand Sheela (alias Sheela Birnstiel) is an Indian-born American-Swiss. Under a plea bargain arrangement, Sheela and Ma Anand Puja another senior figure in the group admitted their roles in a 1984 food poisoning attack that affected more than 750 people, which was intended to influence a local election and remains the largest biological terror attack in US history. But walking around, you never saw people openly having sex. Ma Anand Sheela plead guilty to orchestrating it, eventually serving 29 months of a 20-year sentence. Ma Anand Sheela and Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. Follow Us. Ma Anand Sheela was the second secretary of Osho (Rajneesh) after Laxmi. Not just running. Sheela, the controversial former personal secretary of mysterious godman Bhagwan Rajneesh (Osho), talked about working with him, her life lessons, and managing her nursing homes in Switzerland, where she now resides. In the fall of 1985, days after Sheela fled to Europe, Rajneesh accused her of arson, wiretapping, poisoning, and attempted murder, adding that she was the one who wrote the book Rajneeshism and published it under his name. Ma Anand Sheela used to manage all day-to-day business matters of the Rajneesh Foundation. Glamour may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. In her month there, Sheela is shown being feted at literary events and invited to high society residences. People sell meditation and enlightenment. Investigation completed into mid-air collision between two IAF fighters, 1947: Madras Devadasis (Prevention of Dedication) Act passed, Irani Cup HIGHLIGHTS MP vs Rest of India Day 1: RoI 381/3 at stumps; Jaiswal, Easwaran slam big centuries. Why are people punished? He asked me if I was the same Rajneeshpuram Sheela and when I confirmed his hunch he changed his article from senior homes to me. Though, she was released on parole for good behaviour after serving 39 months in jail. Ltd. Today, Sheela runs two residential homes for disabled people, near Basel in northwest Switzerland. This article originally appeared on VICE Switzerland. After escaping imprisonment for her crimes, the 69-year-old now lives in Switzerland managing a nursing home. She was involved and led the commune in the $5.75 million Oregon deal that would help them to establish a utopian town called Rajneeshpuram.. Our Reporter Was One of Them. (Multnomah County Archives). A confirmation e-mail has been sent to your address. Zurich native Vijay Kumar likes Indian whisky and his mothers cooking. "I dont miss it, though. I found her phone number and called her up. They would call me up and say, Stop being rude with the media! And I would tell them, Dont give me advice, I have another adviser, and thats my bossBhagwan. She served as personal secretary of Osho and a principal spokesperson of the Rajneesh movement, during the 1980s. A portrait of Bhagwan hangs prominently near the entrance to the care home. Netflixs Searching for Sheela is an hour-long documentary wherein the controversial Ma Anand Sheela, one of the top aides/secretary of Indian mystic Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, aka Osho, seems to present her side of the story. After his demise in 1980, she married John Joseph Shelfer, another American. After Sheela remained relatively anonymous during her first three years in Switzerland. He'd then say, 'These stupid people and their enlightenment!' It reminds me of what she said about her past actions when we were sat together on the floor of her room: "I don't think that any of us acted criminally," adding with a smile: "If I really had criminal instincts, I would still be committing crimes now.". Sheela Birnstiel, formerly known as Ma Anand Sheela, or more simply Sheela, emerged as by far the most colorful character in the Duplass Brothers' " Wild Wild Country " documentary. More than 7000 followers moved to Rajneeshpuram, which was a city in itself and had facilities like an airstrip, public transport, restaurant, malls, police force, fire department, townhouses, post office, and even a zip code. Make sure to check back here for updates on casting news, trailers, and more. It was my honour to be living close with men like Bhagwan. I think journalists are people who cannot work for a living but only make money out of other peoples lives. When the worlds most controversial guru builds a utopian city in the Oregon desert, a massive conflict with local ranchers ensues; producing the first bioterror attack in US history, the largest case of illegal wiretapping ever recorded, and the worlds biggest collection of Rolls-Royce automobiles, the Netflix description reads. As years passed, Sheela lost her husband, remarried another co-follower, John Shelfer, became the gurus secretary, and even helped him establish an ashram in Wasco County, Oregon. "Everything I did was based on Bhagwan's teachings," Sheela explains. Thats all we know for now. She could sense my openness and non-judgemental attitude. They could not understand what they were seeing me as on television. Read More: Where is Ma Anand Sheelas Daughter Now? Just as Im about to pet the horses, I hear my name being called. After her departure, Rajneesh broke his vow of silence and accused her and her close aides of poisoning local residents with salmonella bacteria to swing the outcome of the local election. Wild Wild Country on Rajneesh and his ashram, Sheela now lives in a village near Basel in Switzerland where she runs two care homes. Gracious and kind, she received us at the airport with her chauffeur. It was a cool July day in 1986 when Ma Anand Sheela strolled into a courthouse in Oregon to plead guilty to attempted murder, grievous bodily harm, wiretapping and immigration fraud. Urs Birnstiel died of AIDS after his marriage with Ma Anand Sheela. I have served my time gracefully and now people should leave the thing, she once said. She pointed to the many framed pictures of her past on the walls of her home. But other photos where I get my inspiration are from my parents. Matrusaden is a non-profit foundation and patients get government support to cover whole or part of the CHF8,500 ($8,854) monthly fees for their care. Ma Anand Sheela runs two nursing homes in Switzerland. She built up her reputation as a competent carer and five years later she moved to a bigger place and was responsible for 16 patients. She stuck with me over the phone as I wrote page after page, chapter after chapter. Fearlessness comes from my father-mother. As personal secretary to the spiritual guru Rajneesh aka Osho, Ma Anand Sheela ran the ashram town of . Personal. Marc Harris Silverman was 21 years of age when he met Ma Anand Sheela and suffered from lymphoma disease. She managed the city Rajneeshpuram in Oregon, United States, where she was involved in many notorious acts including attempted murder and the infamous Rajneeshee bioterror attack of 1984. Twenty years ago, two Swiss villages were the scene of the mass deaths of 48 members of the esoteric Order of the Solar Temple cult. There were no specific instances which escalated matters but it kept building up till I reached a stage where I decided to go on my own. And now, Sheela is independent and thriving in Switzerland, practicing Oshos way of communal living through her work. Ma Anand Sheela on love. Sheela had acquired Swiss nationality through her marriage in 1984 to a Swiss national who was in charge of the Zurich Rajneesh commune. He knew that when he gave my dad a task, it would be done properly.". Sheela probably wont watch it. I can understand her hostility. Ma Anand Sheela met with Indira Gandhi for talks to set up an ashram in India in order to expand their movement and popularizing the religious cult among the masses. Now based in Toronto, where she is an addiction counsellor, the 46-year-old author describes her just-released book Free shipping for many products! That act never troubled me, because I embraced it. I am proud to say his training comes in handy but this is my life's work. Ma Anand Sheela . I am me. Please click the link in the e-mail to reset your password. As soon as I enter the building, I see a large photograph of a bearded man. Sheela Birnstiel, formerly known as Ma Anand Sheela, or more simply Sheela, emerged as by far the most colorful character in the Duplass Brothers' " Wild Wild Country " documentary. (She pleaded guilty only to wire-tapping and immigration fraud.) Ma Anand Sheela, one of the latest, . To revisit this article, select My Account, thenView saved stories. It was Sheela who organized the largest bioterror attack in U.S. history by infecting the salad bars at 10 local restaurants with salmonella, poisoning 751 individuals. He is also a private detective for hire with an intimate knowledge of the SWI swissinfo.ch offers a selection of Swiss films in English chosen from the Swiss streaming platform Play Suisse. He, the book says, had a litany of demands that petrified Sheela. Sheela with Bhagwan when she was still his secretary. These things happened so long ago and yet the press cannot leave her in peace, she says. SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR. Sheela probably won't watch it. And, she moved to the U.S at the age of 18 to attend Montclair State College in New Jersey. Hans Habltzel renounced worldly ambitions to embark on a spiritual journey from Switzerland to India, never to return. He died in India in 1990 at age 58, of congestive heart failure. After all, she will turn 70 this year. Earlier this year, it was also rumoured that Priyanka Chopra will be playing the lead inthe Amazon Studios dramaSheela, directed and co-produced by Barry Levinson. There is an inner preparation for acceptance of this reality of death. "They took drugs with Bhagwan, which he eventually became addicted to. Manbeena Sandhu switched on her laptop on the flight taking her back home to Toronto. One by one they introduced themselves and shook my hand. I'm the founder of . Rajneesh was also briefly arrested but handed a 10-year suspended sentence for immigration fraud and ordered to leave the US. He defended Tonya Harding in the Nancy Kerrigan case, and then-Mayor Sam Adams during the Beau Breedlove scandal. Talking about the time when she worked with. It is hard to imagine she still has affection for the man who blamed her for carrying out terrorist acts against the American government and the commune. Ma Anand Sheela, spiritual guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh or Osho's personal secretary, talks about handling crisis and more. It is now the comparatively sedate Southpark Seafood. From discussions with Karan Johar on her much-talked-about relationship with Osho, to a conversation with Barkha Dutt on the aftermath of being abandoned by Bhagwan, the now public snippets of Searching for Sheela take watchers deeper into the world we first learnt of in Wild Wild Country, with a strong spotlight on the woman who stood by Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh from 1981 through 1985. This angered Osho (Rajneesh), who broke the vow of silence and accused her of several crimes, which turned out to be true. She was the one, who initiated the largest bioterror attack in American history causing health problems to 750 US citizens. For Bhagwan, it was not strong enough. If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch. Sheela tells me it was her father and the picture next to it her mother. Thirty Years Ago, "Geek Love" Author Katherine Dunn Scored a Jailhouse Interview With Rajneeshee Mastermind Ma Anand Sheela. He also claimed she had stolen $55 million from the commune. We have patients who have visited 15 other homes and no place has functioned for them, says Sheela. It's surprising how dumb people could be some of them had doctorates. The former are not her cup of tea and the latter require special infrastructure that is difficult to provide in a small home. "But there came a point when I wasn't willing to compromise my integrity. I plod on with growing apprehension of meeting the notorious Sheela. Sheela Birnstiel, formerly known as Ma Anand Sheela, or more simply Sheela, emerged as by far the most colorful character in the Duplass Brothers Wild Wild Country documentary series, released by Netflix in 2018. The only patients that Sheela turns away are drug addicts and those suffering from tetraplegia. In Wasco County 1984, the Rajneeshees were denied to build a city and expand their territory after moving to Oregon in the United States by the local residents. "My main aim was always to protect Bhagwan," she said then, of her spiritual leader Osho Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, still grinning as she was led away in handcuffs. This is where the most severely handicapped patients spend the night, so they dont feel isolated. Also known as Osho or Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, the Indian spiritual guru gained a following in Mumbai from 1970 onwards before relocating to nearby Pune where his followers built a retreat for him. ", If sex was encouraged, having children was not. Prison was my highest qualification and I don't consider it time wasted. I think Rajneeshpuram's training does come handy. Ma Anand Sheela runs two nursing homes in Switzerland. She continues to claim that her guilty plea was only to protect the Bhagwan. Seela [he called her that], buy me thirty new Rolls Royces this month, he said. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. We are known for dealing with difficult patients who have not found a place in other institutes due to their handicap. One of the homes is Wohnheim Matrusaden, perched on a hill that's surrounded by a forest, looking over the small, 900-strong village of Maisprach. A German lawyer, who she had an affair with, refused to leave his wife and start a new life with her. Her Wikipedia pageExternal link, that I had consulted earlier, does her no favours. "One of my lovers was South African. But my first visit to the Pune ashram in 1993-94 left me disappointed. They were my inspiration to create nursing homes., Born Sheela Ambalal Patel in Vadodara, the 71-year-old was once married to Marc Harris Silverman, an American citizen who moved with her to India to pursue spiritual studies. Rewind mode: Manbeena Sandhu (right) realised that Ma Sheela was looking for an author she could trust, Govt hikes domestic LPG prices by 50 per cylinder; ATF prices slashed, Stocks that will see action on March 1, 2023, Steel ministry worried over RINLs financial viability. Her interviews are central to the Netflix documentary series Wild Wild Countryand she's now giving more. After serving in prison, she moved to Switzerland and married a fellow Rajneesh devout Urs Birnstiel, and became a Swiss citizen. Your data is used to pre-fill some form fields. The old couple were in their eighties and helped soothe my heart, she says. A Look At Where Five of the Key People and Places in the Rajneesh Cult Saga Are Now. When you manage a huge place like that, this home looks like a joke, she says. She overlooked Rajneeshpuram ashram in Wasco County, United States. I don't think his views were harsh or unfair.". The more one sees of Ma Anand Sheela, the less one feels one knows her. Their opinions will not change me.. Her interviews are central to the Netflix documentary series Wild Wild Countryand . Every hour of my existence now hasfragrance of Bhagwan's teachings that I have carried in my heart and my brains." She had named her two homes for the disabled Matrusaden (mothers home) and Bapusaden (fathers home) in honour of their memory. Contributions under this article have been turned off. In her memoirs, By My Own Rules , Ma Anand Sheela bares all-her life, her lessons, her . Ma Anand Sheela and her husband Marc Harris Silverman purchased 64000 acres of land in Oregon (US) to establish a recreation center called Chidvilas Rajneesh Meditation Center for Rajneesh devotees to propagate his philosophy to the western world. This event is also known as the infamousRajneeshee Bioterror Attack. When she wanted to see me in person, we I, along with my very supportive husband and children packed our bags and flew to Switzerland in June 2019. You were allowed to be yourselves and have other relationships if need be., In 1986, Ma Anand Sheela pleaded guilty to attempted murder for her part in the 1984 Rajneeshee bioterror attackknown to be one of the biggest of its kind in American historyand was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison. Sheela served 38 months of a 20-year jail sentence for attempted murder of Commissioner Matthew and Judge Hulse. A lot of mentally disabled people have a massive anxiety of dying. What Sheela eventually forwards me is a letter from a former member of Rajneeshpuram, who details a conversation that he apparently had with Bhagwan in August of 1986. In the '80s, she was Rajneesh's. Ma Anand Sheela lived with her husband Marc Harris Silverman, in America before moving to India to pursue her spiritual studies and became a disciple of Osho (Rajneesh) and started being called Ma Anand Sheela and her husband took the name of Swami Prem Chinmaya.. Sheela today considers herself absolved. The fine lines on her countenance reflected wisdom and her eyes glinted with the sparkle of many untold stories that I was holding my breath to hear. While the home can only admit patients between 18 and 64, they can stay as long as needed. Later on, she rented a house and took in six elderly disabled patients in 1990. As I have said, I have tried to stay as non-judgemental as possible. When I arrive, Sheela is sitting at a table at the front of the house, chatting and drinking coffee with a small group of people. But the psychologically healthy think that they're going to achieve enlightenment or be led to enlightenment" She breaks off and smiles. I assume it is Sheelas former guru, Rajneesh, but on closer inspection realise I am wrong. I started writing on my flight back from Switzerland. He then went into private practicewith even more high-profile clients. Home By My Own . Sheela received a sentence of 59 years total in prison for her charges but was later released after serving less than three years. When we met, I realised that she wanted to find someone she could trust. "Bhagwan always got so angry when I told him that members thought they were now enlightened. Would she recommend marriage to younger generations? It is also a stratagem to normalise dying by exposing the residents to the death of other patients in the room. The couple came back to India in 1972 to pursue spiritual enlightenment under Guru Rajneeshs guidance. Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. Now shes getting her own biopic. After all, Sheela had first met him through her father when she was 16-years-old and had become instantly devoted. For four years, Sheela was the group's spokesperson and head of the movement's commune in Wasco County, Oregon, known as Rajneeshpuram. Oct 25, 2016 The one aspect of Sheelas story that has never wavered, though, is that she was in love with Osho. "Of course we kissed and cuddled in public. So, before you watch the doucmenatry on Netflix, here are some interesting facts about her that will give you a sneak peak into her drama-filled life that was not no less than a Bollywood film. And I have done my best to create a neat melange of Mas words and experiences and things as they happened. It is good to be conscious of this event instead of denying it. And even now, thats why I can enjoy life so well, You should see some of the photographs and see how he looked at me. But Bhagwan was even bigger as an orator., She did not mind giving offense. Articulation comes from Bhagwan. The Hollywood Reporter confirmed the news on February 19, revealing that Chopra Jonas will be starring as the terrorist behind the 1984 Rajneeshee attack in Oregon. Now we have to move on.. She opens it gently and flicks through until she finds a letter. I knew she was in Switzerland but didnt know where. They should come in contact with it to see that it is nothing to be afraid of, says Sheela. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. He asserted that Sheela was simply power-hungry. After his death in 1980, she married her second husband, American John Joseph Shelfer. And opposite my working desk, too. Bhagwan had always made it clear that children were a distraction from his spiritual path. Sheela today runs two nursing homes in Switzerland. Sheela, Ma Anand. At the end of our day together, I feel like I've gotten to see a compassionate side to Sheela. Feel free to change the random generated username. The Rajneeshees' Onetime Compound is Now a Christian Summer Camp. This content was published on Oct 5, 2014 Im there for strangers, for my audience who are so curious about me.. After a short stint in Portugal she settled in Switzerland in 1989. She asked me to visit her in Maisprach, a charming Swiss village near Basel where she lived. If there is anything truly enigmatic in Sheela, it is her enduring ability to look an interviewer in the eye and answer without hesitation, deviation or self-pity, but still appear to leave much unsaid. The location footage is spliced with Sheela speaking unflinchingly to camera from Switzerland where she is the owner-operator of two care homes for the geriatric and demented. However, she has said she was merely following the wishes of her "boss", Bhagwan. Wild Wild Country was released, she was in the open. My life here is quiet and relaxed. Chopra Jonas will take on the role of Sheela as well as act as a producer on the film. She eventually pleaded guilty to the charges of immigration fraud and illegal interception of telephone calls and served 39 months of her 20-year sentence. In 1981, he appointed India-born Sheela as his secretary and she was tasked with finding a new location for the commune in order to expand. Swissinfo.ch's India specialist covers a wide range of issues from bilateral relations to Bollywood. She argues that shes served her time and, therefore, can no longer be considered a criminal. Sheela Birnstiel, previously known as Ma Anand Sheela, was, in the early 1980s, personal secretary to Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, the guru and leader of the Rajneesh movement. That is not my approach, or attitude.. Book Specification Item Code: UAO132 Author: Anand Sheela Publisher: Penguin Random House India Pvt. It is the love of my parents that I have received that must be shared with people, she revealed in an interview with Vogue. Our journalists will take your contribution on board for their coverage and may follow up with you via email. The controversial Ma Anand Sheela served Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh in his Ashram in Oregon and then did 39 months in a US prison, accused of serious crimes. "You can complain about it only when you can do something about it," she said, adding that it's the same passion which inspires her to start a sanitation drive in India. She later moved to Switzerland and ran two nursing homes. Please click the link in the e-mail to activate your account. Watch on. He was told that he had only two years to live by the doctors but, he lived well beyond the tenure that was mentioned by the doctors. People sell meditation and enlightenment. At 70 years old, she moves fast and purposefully, as if she's late to an important appointment. As keen as I am to sample the coffee and cake the patients are given at 3pm, I do not want to overstay my welcome. It was a very intense period, she recalls. Sheela Biernstiel - aka Ma Anand Sheela - has created a new life for herself in Switzerland as a carer for the mentally disabled, leaving behind her notoriety as the suspected mastermind. That means an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.". Contact Details. Sheela has lived and worked here for more than 20 years. To revisit this article, visit My Profile, thenView saved stories. Just before I leave, Sheela suddenly tries to convince me that she never did anything wrong, offering to send me an email she received from Bhagwan just before he died as proof. I learned patience there. . Ma Anand Sheela was the figure that towered above all in the stories I heard. ", All these years later, Sheela is still trying to convince the world that she's somehow innocent. "Either she'll eventually kill herself because of her guilt, or she'll spend the rest of her life in prison.". Nevertheless, as she's shown in the past, she can be manipulative when it comes to her interactions with others. The couple sealed the deal with an on-flight wedding ceremony while on their way to Mumbai, most likely while flying over Turkey. Almost three decades later, she is still in love with Bhagwan and his teachings. Yes, the charismatic villain of Wild, Wild Country, Ma Anand Sheela, is getting the Hollywood treatment, courtesy of Amazon and Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Sheela today runs two nursing homes in Switzerland. "The way I run my nursing homes, there is same love and same intensity," she added. Inspired by her parents . 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