A PASSAGE TO INDIA: 95. THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY

After a 3 day sojourn in Pondicherry (Post 94), the group headed to Chennai for the 135th International Convention of The Theosophical Society (TS) the purpose of my 11th foray to India. I last attended such a gathering in year 2k

Suburb of Adyar, Chennai (Madras)

The TS holds a special place in my heart. Almost 15 years ago when I got really earnest in my research on the purpose of existence, I read a book on Baba, given to me by a devotee I had just met at a Sai center. It was written by an Australian devotee in which he related his personal encounters with Baba. In the book he mentioned in just 1 sentence, the TS, and he was in Adyar, Madras, to attend a convention before heading to visit Baba.

I gathered the TS was a spiritual organisation but made no attempt to find out more.

That same period in time, as I flipped through the day's papers, a very small ad caught my eye - The Singapore Lodge Theosophical Society was conducting its 1st basic Theosophy course, initiated by it's newly elected Committee. I was most surprised that a Lodge exists in Singapore and has been for more than a 100 years. If I hadn't read that book I wouldn't know this Society's name. Intuition told me Baba was pointing me to a direction.

Theosophy resonated with me - it was esoteric science, it was spiritual science, it was profound, it was abstruse, it blew my mind.

As a new member, I explored its library. I discovered that behind this Society were 2 Indo-Himalayan Masters, Kootumi and Morya, who had the task of bringing the knowledge of Theosophy to Westerners. Their conduit was a Russian woman, Helena Blavatsky. Together with some western founders, they had the unenviable task of bringing forth this precious Ancient Wisdom to many Doubting Thomases at a time in 18th Century very Christian England, Europe and America when people were highly prejudiced, egotistical and bigoted towards women (and a Russian woman at that) and what they assumed, were 2 'dark skinned' Asian 'barbarians' living in some mountains who never showed their faces.

I've been a member 10 years now and am convinced my source of learning is derived from Vedic science and my Teachers are all from the Indo-Himalayan region - as related in earlier posts.

The Master Koothumi (left) and Master Morya (right)

The Adyar River - the International HQ of the TS sits by the banks of this river. The local government and developers are eyeing this property in the suburbs of Madras. Across the river are new condos. The corridors of Leadbeater Chambers overlook this river, this is where we were housed.

St.Thomas Basilica - Thomas was one of the original apostles of Isa (Esa) (better known as Jesus). Following in the footsteps of his Teacher, he travelled into India and spent some time there. His original tomb lies beneath the foundations of this Basilica. For an original apostle of the Master Isa, not much or none is mentioned of him by churches and other Christian literature perhaps because of his link to India.

The Adyar museum has a wonderful collection of knick knacks associated with the Masters and the founders who have all spent extended time in Adyar, writing and researching. They were handpicked by the Masters working through Helena P. Blavatsky (HPB) and were all dedicated Light Workers.
The location of Adyar was picked by HPB who was led to the place very likely by the Masters.

The rooms have these few pieces of old furniture with really interesting shapely legs (above). They don't make 'em like this anymore! This daybed (right, below) has a writing bureau attached. The founders wrote tomes and more tomes and will definitely need to stretch out to rest!

HPB was Russian but she wrote volumes in English on such abstruse subjects as cosmology and cosmogenesis and other topics on metaphysical science and anthropogenesis, much of which I'm still trying to grasp. Such insight would have come only from those in the know.

Adyar's a huge sprawling estate pretty much left to grow organically. The flora and fauna is varied and diverse. It's like an oasis to come back to after braving the noisy sooty streets.

The compound has one of the largest, if not, perhaps, the oldest banyan tree in India, spreading out wide and continues to grow over the grounds. Our dining area is surrounded by its wonderful roots and branches spreading over us like a canopy.

My love affair with majestic old trees continue and thankfully the Indians know and understand them to not cut them down. They can be spooky too and movie makers make use of them for good scary effects. These 2 below look like something from Harry Potter.

At dusk when the birds return to roost, the bats get ready to party...

The convention was over Christmas 2010 and New Year's Day 2011.

Here they prepare rangolis on the pavements wishing everyone a good year. The Indians use their right brain a lot, their many artforms show this.
Their thinking can get complicated too....it gets exhausting sometimes when a yes can mean no

The festivals of Christmas and New Year are not celebrated in a big way here, definitely not as commercialised but our group created our own party on the terrace rooftop of our chambers.

The glorious colours of the Holi festival. The Indians are not afraid of colours but when it comes to cars, they pick them in black or white.

Free range pigs below - the Indians do not eat pork and these roam free in the compound of an ashram we visited of another enlightened soul - Vallalar.

He left his earthly existence by disappearing without a trace from a windowless room, its door bolted from the outside. He had prophesied the coming of Helena Blavatsky and a co-worker Col. Henry Steel Olcott, who will work tirelessly to found the TS.

When the heat gets too much, just take a skinny dip

Some colonial buildings in Madras used by the government or Indian Railways

After work get a ride home

Water rationing. We take so very many things for granted and complain endlessly and just keep wanting more.

This kitsch castle is for a fair. Smack in front there's the inevitable face of a politician - this is the Indian way....or else

Chidambaram Temple

....has 1600 years of history. It's busy facade is testament to the right-brain complicated way of visualising artforms but it does produce beautiful art...

Only Hindus are allowed into the inner sanctum but a generous tip changed that and we were blessed many times over in an hour long ceremony. We left looking like Chinese Hindus complete with sashes, garlands and ash on our foreheads.

In Adyar, the laundry service was efficient, Just overnight, my washed and pressed clothes were returned in one piece folded neatly.

Note the iron which works on charcoal power - so nostalgic - still working beautifully in such countries. I don't want to know where my clothes were washed, it could have been a river where they were beaten on the rocks, or some drain. There have been instances on other trips where my clothes were missing buttons after they got back from a dhoby!

Despite limited resources, buildings within the Adyar compound are well kept. Below - Leadbeater Chambers where we were housed, just across from here is the dining room which is opened on all sides so it's very close to Nature. Ashrams which receive many foreign visitors are usually maintained, with flush toilets, a lift has been added and lights along the footpaths. Last here in year 2k, I needed a touch lest I walk into the bushes...

Annie Besant lived here, it says. So did HPB, CW Leadbeater , Col. HS Olcott, J Krishnamurti, AP Sinnett - the main Workers of Light associated with the TS. Their tireless effort brought Ancient Wisdom to the world and particularly to Westerners. The Masters Morya and Koothumi carried out their task and now watch quietly from behind the scene as Theosophy gains momentum, particularly in America.

Annie Besant