Theos-Talk Archives (February 2005 Message tt00544)

G. Soobiah Chetty 
December 24, 1882, 
Adyar, Madras, India 

Abridged from Chetty, G. Soobiah. "Master 
M.'s Visit to Madras in 1874." Adyar Notes 
and News, October 25, 1928, p. 2.] 

HPB and Col. Olcott arrived in Madras on December 
19, 1882. A few days after their arrival, on a 
Sunday morning, Madame Blavatsky was unpacking, 
assisted by "the boys" --- Damodar K. Mavalankar, 
Narasimhulu and Soobiah Chetty, and Krishnaswami, 
known as "Bhavaji." Among the articles were 
found two portraits; and Narasimhulu and Soobiah 
were examining them intently, as they recognised 
in one of them a sadhu they had seen some years 
before. Noticing them handling the pictures, HPB 
pounced upon them and forbade it, saying they were 
pictures of the Masters. The two brothers said they had seen the 
person portrayed in one of them. HPB declared this could not be 
true; but a fortnight later she was told that they had indeed seen 
the Master M. in 1874; that He had visited the city of Madras in His 
physical body; and that they were two of the four persons who had 
seen Him then. She asked them to describe the visit. 

They said that early one morning a sadhu entered their home 
unannounced. A strikingly tall man, clothed in a long white dress 
and white pagri, with black hair falling on his shoulders, and black 
beard, stood within the door. Of the three persons present one left 
the room, and the other two --- Narasimhulu and Soobiah --- drew 
near to him. He made certain signs which the brothers did not 
understand, but remembered vividly. He asked for one pice; and when 
they went to the money-box they found it contained exactly one pice, 
which they gave to Him. He turned and left the house, followed by 
the two brothers, and suddenly disappeared, to their great 
astonishment. They could find no trace of Him in the street. It was 
this sudden and mysterious disappearance that impressed the visit so 
deeply upon them that they always remembered it in detail. 

HPB added the information that He was on His way to Rameshvaram, one 
of the great places of pilgrimage in India. 

Quoted from the Blavatsky Archives
http://blavatskyarchives.com/compitems3.htm

Daniel H. Caldwell