Page 577 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

CHENNAI  575

0 Adyar
S of San Thomé, across Adyar river.
Theosophical Society: Tel (044) 2491
2474. Open 8:30–10am & 2–4pm
Mon–Fri & Sat am. Brodie Castle:
Open daily.
Few places in Chennai
offer greater serenity than
the sprawling gardens of the
Theosophical Society, situated
in the city’s Adyar neighbour­
hood, on the banks of the Adyar
river. Founded in New York in
1875, the Society moved here
seven years later, when it
acquired Huddlestone Gardens.
Built in 1776 by John Huddlestone, The 400-year-old banyan tree in the gardens of the Theosophical Society
a wealthy civilian, this large
mansion is today the world various faiths. The greatest airy houses with broad pillared
headquarters of the Society. Its attraction here, however, is the verandahs, set in sprawling
magnificent 108­ha (268­acre) 400­year­old banyan tree, whose wooded gardens, were
estate comprises several spreading branches cover an characteristic of colonial Chennai.
19th­century buildings, one of immense area of 4,180 sq m This house later became the
which is the former home of its (44,993 sq ft). Over the decades, home of the first Chief Justice
founder Colonel Henry S Olcott. many of the Society’s meetings of the Madras High Court.
The main building houses and spiritual discourses were Further north of Brodie Castle
the Great Hall, almost spartan held under its canopy. is the Madras Club, built by
in its simplicity, where prayer Unfortunately, a terrible storm George Moubray, who came to
meetings are held. Bas­reliefs, in 1989 destroyed its main trunk. India as an accountant in 1771.
representing the different faiths, Brodie Castle, north of the He acquired 42 ha (104 acres) of
and engravings of verses taken Theosophical Society, is an land on the banks of the Adyar,
from the holy books of all world imposing white structure on and built a house with a central
religions can be seen here. the banks of the Adyar. Now cupola, surrounded by a
There are also marble statues known as Thenral, it houses the beautiful garden. Known as
of the founders, Colonel Olcott prestigious College of Carnatic Moubray’s Cupola, this was
and Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Music. Built in 1796 by James once the exclusive preserve of
as well as one of Annie Besant, Brodie, an employee of the East the city’s European population.
who became president in 1907. India Company, it is said to be Indians were only allowed
The Adyar Library and among the first “garden­houses” membership in 1964, after it
Research Centre, founded by built in the city. These spacious, merged with the Adyar Club.
Olcott in 1886, is one of the
finest libraries in India. Its
collection of 165,000 books The Theosophical Society
and 20,000 palm­leaf and In the 1870s, Colonel Henry S Olcott, a veteran of the American
parchment manuscripts has Civil War, met the Russian aristocrat and clairvoyant, Madame
made it a valuable repository Helena Petrovna Blavatsky in Vermont (USA) at the farm of the
for Indological research. The Christian Scientist,
surrounding tranquil gardens Mary Baker Eddy. Soon
have shrines dedicated to after, they launched a
movement to foster
the spirit of universal
brotherhood, aiming to
create a Utopian society,
in which people of all
castes, creeds and colour
could live in harmony. The Theosophical Society
movement attracted great
thinkers and intellectuals, among them Dr Annie Besant, president
of the Indian National Congress in 1917. The idea of forming a
national political party was, in fact, first voiced in the 1890s at
the Society’s headquarters in Adyar, under the banyan tree, by
the British civil servant AO Hume. The famous philosopher
Pillared entrance of Brodie Jiddu Krishnamurti was also associated with the Society.
Castle in Adyar

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