Originally published on OshoNews.com on May 24, 2022
https://www.oshonews.com/2022/05/24/osho-search-hindi-english/
Antar Rahi, the creator of the Search Osho web app, writes about his project.
The long-awaited search engine for all available Hindi and English books by Osho is now available as a cloud software.
The seed of the Search Osho web app was sown in 2004 (around 18 yrs back). I was at the Osho Ashram in Gujarat when an ex-Chief Minister of the State, who was an Osho lover, came to visit the place.
When he arrived, I remembered that Osho had mentioned his name in one of the discourses and the thought crossed my mind to present to him the quotes where Osho had mentioned his name. It took me around an hour to find the quotes. I printed them out and gave them to him. He was shocked and surprised at the same time. These were his words: “How did you find these quotes so quickly?” and he kept on praising me in awe. This incident had a great impact on me and so I decided to make a search engine where anyone can find from Osho’s invaluable insights what they are looking for.
From then on I started collecting all available Osho literature in any available form. The process has been long, but has been worth it.
The project, however, would not have started in the actual sense, if I had not received immense support from Ma Yoga Neelam (Osho’s secretary for India). It was her project as well, because on one occasion she had mentioned the need for an online Hindi & English archive (particularly for Hindi). She also thought that it would be immensely helpful if people could search among Osho’s discourses and find answers – helpful for seekers as well as facilitators who are spreading Osho’s vision and message of meditation and love.
Later I explained to her that it was possible; that the preparation was already done, and that it just needed to go through the development and coding process. She immediately gave me all possible help. In her last days, she wanted to see the app online, available for all Osho lovers and sannyasins. Just a week before she left the body, the app was launched.
Once the database was ready, in 2012, with the support of Neelam, I started building a prototype of the app and began with the actual web app work in 2014. It took 5-6 years to complete it.
Currently, it is available as Beta version (a version to be tested by a few users). It is in full working mode and available to all. Being a Beta version, it will surely need improvement, while the development process continues.
The search engine holds many amazing future updates which will be published as version 1 and version 2 in coming years. To complete these phases requires support from Osho lovers, sannyasins, and their friends, in the form of contributions via subscriptions for the app.
In Version 1, all available audios will be linked to the chapters. In the current freely-available audio and text scenarios, there is much confusion because of frequent title changes, and shifting of chapters from one book to another. Even if the audios are available, it is often difficult to find the audio file for a particular book. So, this issue will be resolved and the user will get the right audio for all chapters and book titles.
In version 2, audio files will be linked to the search. This means that the user will be able to extract the exact audio of the searched paragraph(s). Isn’t that amazing? But again, this needs time, at least 1-2 years – and enough funding. This function will be very useful for all seekers, and particularly for facilitators because they often need Osho quotes and discourses to play in their workshops.
The main features of the app are:
- Reading
- Search (basic and advanced search for exact terms and answers)
- Research (history and details of each book)
- Audio & Video (subject to availability)
The app has and will have all available texts from Osho’s books, and is being updated regularly.
Earlier and currently, some friends have been providing a similar kind of solution, but there have been some issues which have now been solved with this web application. Also, in future, there will be many incomparable features available.
Subscription: For more details about this web application and subscription please visit: www.oshosearch.in. You can request a 3-day fee trial before subscribing.Disclaimer: Please note that we do not accept any money in the form of a charge, fee, price, payment, contribution, or subscription for any of Osho’s works, including books, text, audios, and video. The contribution / subscription mentioned in the above link is only for the search engine’s basic and advanced search feature, as well as other services supplied through the web application. This ensures that you will not be charged in any form for any of Osho’s material.