For a man ordained God by the oceanic cult he spawned, mortality has indeed proved a flimsy aberration. Bhagwan Rajneesh lives on-moulding thought, glorifying Mammon. And time, the dimension he sought to transcend, has only served to accentuate his legacy. But in a mocking footnote to immortality, the debate that swamped Osho's empire, as much as his credo, during his lifetime continues to rage.

Pyramidal problem: The imposing new building (above) is attracting devotees (below) but the demolition of old structures has angered many

The most recent debate centres on Paradise Revamped. Founded by Osho in 1975, the Bhagwan Rajneesh Ashram at Koregaon Park in Pune has acquired a new face, and as a corollary, a new name-Osho Meditation Resort. The commune has given way to India's first five-star spiritual spa. The New-Age Bhagwan, propagator of sensual pleasures aside from the spiritual, would have sighed in approval, in joy.

The 40-acre ashram, upgraded at a breathtaking Rs 50 crore, does indeed approximate the gratifying bliss of paradise. Claimed to be the world's largest centre for meditation and personal growth, the resort combines sensuality and spirituality, the trademark of the Osho movement. The western architecture houses oriental therapies for the body, mind and spirit to cash in on the global demand of spiritual seekers. Without Osho's discourses to bank on, the ashram has expanded its spiritual repertoire to include esoteric sciences, martial arts, tantra, Zen, Sufism and meditative therapies.

The quieting therapies are complemented by the mass of virgin greenery amid which sits the silent ashram. The new pyramid-shaped auditorium dominates the complex while the 60-room guesthouse would put most five-star hotels to shame. With the 18,000 sq ft expanse of green marble lining the soundproof meditation centre-cum-dance floor, the pyramid is a platform where foreigners more than Indians discard inhibitions to dance with gay abandon. The mood is enhanced by the computerised acoustic system and psychedelic lights that project images of prisms, sunflowers and stars. Swaying among the crowd is Roopa Kathirvelu, managing director, Transcend Apparel India. "The place fills the body with sounds, aromas and organic flavours of nature," she says.

But not everyone is happy with the ashram's new avatar. The development of commune as a resort, construction of new structures like the nine-storeyed pyramid, and the demolition of old buildings is cause for much concern and anger among some members. In carrying out the changes Osho's last wish has been fulfilled, claims the Osho International Foundation (oif). An unregistered body that has 21 trusts under it, the oif manages the commune affairs while handing out some other operations to private companies. However, the Osho Friends International, a breakaway group that includes Rajneesh's personal secretary in India, Ma Yoga Neelam, is enraged. The group left the commune two years ago standing up to "over-commercialisation" and the new managing committee controlled by foreigners. Now it is protesting against the demolition of the dhyan mandir in the Buddha Hall because of its spiritual and heritage value, as well as the shifting of venue for meditation and discourses from the hall to the pyramid.

Meditation tool: Zen archery is one of the modern techniques to heal the body, mind and spirit

DEBATE:Khanna (in specs) with other protesters

Backing the rebel group is Union Minister of State for Tourism Vinod Khanna, an Oshoite himself. "I was a part of it, so I understand and respect the feelings of those who felt deeply hurt by the destruction of the sacred place," says Khanna. Adds Neelam: "Money and power are not the issue. Destroying Osho's vision is an unpardonable act."

So Neelam, her daughter and 12 sanyasins have moved the Pune civil court challenging the demolition of the dhyan mandir. This, even as the heritage committee, comprising experts, archaeologists and environmentalists, approached the Supreme Court last month with the plea that all new structures fall under the heritage area of Koregaon Park. While the Pune municipal corporation has sent a notice to stop demolitions, Municipal Commissioner T.C. Benjamin says, "The management thinks it is its private fiefdom and no rules apply to it. It is mistaken." The charity commissioner's office, whose permission was mandatory for carrying out the modifications, is also looking into the legality of the renovation. Even the Union Government is probing the nationality and movement of the oif's foreign members.

Notwithstanding the controversy, the new vision is in tune with the times. The landmark pyramid is described as a scientific laboratory to probe the various aspects of the self. "It is built not for believers but for experimenters," says Canada-born Swami Yogendra. For Rs 250, the beginners are given a quick orientation tour, Welcome Program, which includes a briefing of the various active meditation techniques to prepare the novice for the five-hour evening mediation. Another day trip, Being Here, is a one-day workshop on the art of living (Rs 700). It is an introduction to group sessions and individual therapies to cater to the demand for stress busters and alternative therapies for modern ailments.

Explains Ma Sadhna, a member of the management team: "It's all about holistic human progress via modified meditation tools." These include chi gong, the Chinese dance movements and Zen archery techniques to enhance the mind-body-spirit experience. The sessions may expand the mind, but the focus clearly is on increasing membership. Some 1,50,000 people visit the commune every year, another 50,000 take the daily tours and 20,000 participate in meditations. A large percentage of these belong to a hundred different nationalities.

Says Australian Steve who is sorting out his relationship problems: "It's incredible that you can treat any body-mind-emotional disorder under one roof with a dash of spiritually and global standards of living." To balance an overdose of spiritualism, the resort offers the choicest spirits at night and in the pyramid, the world's largest discotheque, members gyrate to popular music.

After all, believe Oshoites, meditation is not the only music for the soul. Modern amenities, much like a new house for their Bhagwan, may indeed be the road to salvation.