Theos-Talk Archives (April 1998 Message tt00121)

April 7th 1998

Dallas writes:

Concerning the Adyar property.

This what I recall history says about it:

The Adyar property was purchased (around 1880/81) by H.P.B. and
Col. Olcott using their own private funds, they used the property
and the houses on it, as it was their joint property, to house
the T S. headquarters.

It is situated about 11 miles south of Madras Fort, and is just
south of the Adyar river on the sea coast.

The S.P.R. Hodgson Report came out in December 1884 and created a
furor -- HPB returned to India early in 1885 to demonstrate that
she had nothing to fear and, to defend the honor of the T S and
of the Masters.

When in 1885 HPB was "banished" by the Council who refused to let
her take the risk of appearing in a court case involving the
Madras missionaries who slandered her,
( reviving the old "Russian Spy" theory, which the Indian
Government had verified was wrong ), Col. Olcott had her sign a
legal declaration whereby she "renounced" all ownership in Adyar
property or its effects. She gave this so that if a judgment
against her were made, her ownership would not entail the said
property. She left, very ill with Dr. Franz Hartman and another
friend who was her Doctor as companions for her to be with and
help her on the voyage.

Years later when requested by some of the Indian theosophists to
return she wrote a letter and asked Bertam Keightley to carry it
with him to Col. Olcott to be published in THEOSOPHIST. Bertram
Keightley was visiting India in April 1890, and he carried this
letter in which she carefully explained the situation and why she
could not return to India although urged to do so by many after
the period of 1885, when there had been a change of heart and
fear had been banished.

It was entitled:

 WHY I DO NOT RETURN TO INDIA.

It was not immediately published in THEOSOPHIST (as it ought to
have been) but was privately circulated to a few.

Many years later, after her death, it was published in
THEOSOPHIST for October 1898 pp 23-4, and again in July 1929.

It is currently in print on p. 106 of the 1st Vol. of HPB
ARTICLES, published by Theosophy Company, Los Angeles.

It reviews the exact sequence of affairs in India and the measure
of the Masters' influence is made plain there.

It is a letter that every student of Theosophy ought to be
acquainted with, and if desired I can publish it for all to read
here.

 Best wishes, Dallas