Penguin Random House releases one of Osho’s most intimate and revealing works. Osho quotes may be everywhere—circulating across Instagram reels, meditation forums and self-growth pages—but the man behind the mystique remains surprisingly unknown. The spiritual iconoclast who questioned conformity, religious conditioning and fear was once a child shaped by wild freedom, curiosity and a grandmother who allowed him to challenge everything.

Penguin Random House India now opens a rare window into that early universe with Glimpses of a Golden Childhood, one of Osho’s most personal and unconventional books. Unlike his philosophical discourses, this collection offers a vivid, unguarded narrative of the experiences that forged his rebellious, playful and deeply intuitive spirit.

Set in rural Madhya Pradesh, the book revisits a world of dust paths, wandering monks, childhood pranks and moments of sudden insight. These stories—many of them shared spontaneously during Osho’s dental sessions—flow like unfiltered memories: humorous, tender, sometimes startling, always deeply human.

What the Book Explores

Rebellion as Innocence: Osho examines how questioning authority came not from defiance, but from an instinctive search for truth.

Family as a Space of Freedom: His grandparents’ unconditional love nurtured his individuality and fearlessness.

Humour as Wisdom: Laughter appears not as entertainment but as a doorway to clarity and presence.

Village India as a Universe of Wonder: Nature, silence and unstructured play shaped a child who would later speak to millions about consciousness.

Why It Matters

India has produced many thinkers, but rarely do we encounter their childhood selves with such openness. Glimpses of a Golden Childhood offers not the teachings of Osho, but the making of Osho—a narrative that demystifies the guru and brings forward the boy who lived before the phenomenon.

About Osho

One of the most influential spiritual figures of the 20th century, Osho (1931–1990) continues to inspire global conversations on meditation, freedom and inner transformation. His talks span personal psychology, politics, creativity, consciousness and the human search for meaning. Recognised by The Sunday Times as one of the “1000 Makers of the 20th Century,” Osho remains a voice that defies categorisation—mystic, rebel, scientist of the inner world.