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Leading them to a vision
A reader who rather belatedly caught up with my item on Huddlestone Gardens (Miscellany, May 21), recently sent me an article by C.V.K. Maithreya which narrates how the brothers Soobiah and Narasimhulu, the sons of Justice Muthuswamy of Salem, had “invited” Blavatsky and Olcott to visit Huddlestone Gardens, which was up for sale at the time. When they got there, Mme Blavatsky had “an inner call to establish the international headquarters of the Theosophical Society at the place.” With the help of Iyaloo Naidu and Justice Muthuswamy the sale was put through and the Theosophical Society put down roots on the banks of the Adyar. Soobiah, Maithreya, states was called by Blavatsky as her “son” and he was present by her side at all the subsequent purchases that were made to expand the Huddlestone Gardens property.
Soobiah who was one of the founders of the Young Men’s Indian Association, was an officer in the Department of Sea Customs. Despite his official position, he involved himself with Annie Besant’s Home Rule movement.
When Gandhiji visited Adyar, it was Soobiah who showed him around. Justice Muthuswamy, for his part, was associated with The Pioneer of Lucknow, edited by A.P. Sinnett, through a mutual friend, the Theosophist, Alan Octavian Hume.
In April 1882, Soobiah, the spiritualist in the family, Narasimhulu, their father and other family members enrolled themselves as members of the Theosophical Society. Today, the sixth generation of the family is represented in the Society’s membership by Upasika and Aditi Maithreya.
With an unbroken line of membership through six generations, Justice Muthuswamy’s family is the oldest family associated with the Society.
S. MUTHIAH
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