ShawnHiggins

TeachingHindushowtobeHindus
TheTheosophicalHistoryofCentralHinduCollege

Intro
FromthetimeEuropeansfirstarrivedinthesubcontinent,aprojectoftransculturationemerged,
withmultipleagentsexchangingscholasticdiscoveries,spiritualinsightsorvyingforcontrolofpower
andknowledge.Duringthefindesicle,multipleHindureformmovementsemergedasananswertothe
questionsposedbytherapidlymodernizingWestandnationsundertheyokeofEuropeancolonialism.
Many,ifnotall,ofthesereformmovementshadelementsofnationalism;Thispaperarguesthatthe
TheosophicalSociety,withitsuniqueresources,institutionalizedareligiousnarrativethatwasinfluenced
byromanticorientalism,contemporaryscienceandWesternesotericism.AmajorTheosophicalSociety
project,wasthecreationofHindunationalschoolstofurtherTheosophicalHinduismandpromotehome
rulenationalism.Themotivesforsuchschools,whileseeminglypatriotic,hideanotherlayerof
theologicalcomplexity;onelinkedtoesotericprophecyandracialeschatology.Theliberationpromoted
bytheseschoolscamewiththehiddenpromiseofmillenarianpaternalism.Thispaperwillfocusonthe
trajectoryleadingtothecreationoftheCentralHinduCollegeandwhatitmeantforbothTheosophists
andHindus.
Hinduism
By1757,TheEastIndiaCompany,theBritishcorporationandprecursortotheRaj,had
establishedamilitaryfootholdintheIndiansubcontinent.Usingitsownprivatearmies,thecompany

wrestledcontrolfromnativepeoplesandsetthemselvesupasthedominantrulersofland. 1Intheirefforts
ofbuildingthemachineryofgovernance,theBritishattemptedtocategorizeandstudytheirforeign
subjects...
Itwasclear,earlyon,thatthecustomsoftheIndianswereverydifferentthananythingtheyhad
encounteredinEurope.AnearlyattemptatbuildingalawfellonWilliamJones,aSanskritistand
SupremeCourtJudge,whocreatedaprojecttotranslatetheDharmashastrasofManu.Itwashis
misguidedbelief,thatthisworkrepresentedthelawsofallHindus.Topreventtheculpablebiasofthe
localpandits,hisplanwastotrainanduseEuropeansastranslators. 2UnderthepatronageoftheRoyal
AsiaticSociety,andincollaborationwithnativeelitistcommunities,suchasscholarlyBrahmincastes,
morereligiousworksweretranslated.Thistransculturalcollaboration 3alteredthenatureofIndian
religiosityandprovidedthescaffoldingforwhatwouldemergeasHinduism.WesternOrientalists
cametobelievethatBrahmanicalliteratureandculturewerethetotalessenceofHindureligiosity. 4Since
AngloProtestanttheologyfavoredtextasalocusofreligion,Orientalistsplacedaheavyemphasisonthe
literaryaspectsofIndianculture.
Thisorientalistdiscoursewasdividedintotwocamps:Thosewhowereantagonisticandbelieved
inEuropeansuperiorityandthosewhoaremoreaffirmativeandenthusiasticofAsiancontributions.
WilliamJones,fellintheaffirmativecamp.AsTejaswiniNiranjananotes:

1 Jon Wilson, The Chaos of Empire: The British Raj and the Conquest of India (New York:
PublicAffairs, 2016), 102.

2 RichardKing,"OrientalismandtheModernMythofHinduism,"Numen46,no.2(1999):167.
3 BrianK.Pennington,WasHinduismInvented?Britons,Indians,andColonialConstructionofReligion,(Oxford:
OxfordUniversityPress,2005)####

4 RichardKing,"OrientalismandtheModernMythofHinduism,"Numen46,no.2(1999):168.
2

ThemostsignificantnodesofWilliamJonesworkare(a)theneedfortranslationbytheEuropean,sincethenatives
areunreliableinterpretersoftheirownlawsandculture;(b)thedesiretobealawgiver,togivetheIndianstheir
ownlaws;and(c)thedesiretopurifyIndiancultureandspeakonitsbehalfInJonesconstructionofthe
Hindus,theyappearasasubmissive,indolentnationunabletoappreciatethefruitsoffreedom,desirousofbeing
ruledbyabsolutepower,andsunkdeeplyinthemythologyofanancientreligion.

TheRomanticOrientalistprojectmapsalmostimperceptiblyintotheUtilitarian,
VictorianenterpriseofimprovingthenativesthroughEnglisheducation. 5Withthediscoveriesbeing
madeinlinguistics,scholarsdiscoveredacommonalitybetweenSanskritandotherIndoEuropeans
languages.Thisrevolutionizedculturaltheory;EuropecouldnowclaimlineagetoanancientAryanpast,
andimplicitlydivorceitselffromSemiticreligions.DisillusionedwithWesternspiritualityinthefaceof
modernity,manypeopleprojectedtheirhopesonanewmysteriouspast.AsGavinFloodstates:
ThesethinkersarenotconcernedwithaccuratereadingsofHindutextsandphilosophy,butareinterestedinusing
Hinduthoughttobackuporcontributetotheirown.ThelegacyofthistraditionisalsofoundinnovelsofHerman
HesseandthepsychologistCarlGustavJungwhoconstructedIndiaashumanitysspiritualhome. 6

Thisleadtoaproject,thatRomilaThaparcallsSyndicatedHinduism,aphenomenonwhich
soughttohistoricizetheincarnationsofthedeities,encouragecentrallysacredbooks,andtorecognizethe
ecclesiasticauthorityofsectsprevailingoverall.ThisnewHinduism,anchoredwithaBrahmanicalbase,
combinedtheritualelementsofuppercasteworshipwithaneyeonChristianandIslamicmodelsand
thoroughlyinfusedwithpoliticalandnationalisticemphasis. 7

5 TejaswiniNiranjana,"Translation,ColonialismandRiseofEnglish,"EconomicandPoliticalWeekly,25no.15
(1990):77379.

6 GavinFlood,AnIntroductiontoHinduism(Cambridge:CambridgeUniversityPress,1996),269.
3

Theworksbeingproducedduringthistimewouldbecirculatethroughouttheworldandsparka
dialoguebetweenEastandWest.8Newtraditionsandinterpretationswouldarise,furtherreinforcingor
augmentingHinduism.
Theosophy
EuropeansfashionedHinduismintheirownimage.Dependingontheirperspective,thestudyof
HinduismcouldproduceaworkcomparabletoanundogmaticProtestantismoraworkofesoteric
mysticism.9
MadameBlavatskyandColonelH.S.OlcottsTheosophicalSocietywasformedinNewYork
Cityin1875.ThetwofoundershadahistorywithintheglobalSpiritualistcommunitybutdevelopedan
increasingantipathytowardsthesourceofmysteriousphenomena. 10Theaimsofthesocietywereto
explorethepsychicpowerslatentwithinman,topromotethestudyofcomparativereligion,andtodefend
humanbrotherhood.11

7 RomilaThapar,ImaginedReligiousCommunities?AncientHistoryandtheModernSearchforaHindu
Identity,ModernAsianStudies,23no.2(1989).224.citedinRichardKing,"OrientalismandtheModernMythof
Hinduism,"Numen46,no.2(1999):172.

8 BrianK.Pennington,WasHinduismInvented?Britons,Indians,andColonialConstructionofReligion,(Oxford:
OxfordUniversityPress,2005),321.

9 P.J.Marshall,TheBritishDiscoveryofHinduismintheEighteenthCentury(Cambridge:CambridgeUniversity
Press,1970),4344.citedinRichardKing,"OrientalismandtheModernMythofHinduism,"Numen46,no.2
(1999):159.

10 MichaelGomes,"H.P.BlavatskyandTheosophy."InTheCambridgeHandbookofWesternMysticismand
Esotericism,ed.GlennAlexanderMagee(Cambridge:CambridgeUniversityPress,2016),##

In1878,thesocietyrelocatedfromNYCtoBritishIndia.Thefoundershadinitiallycometostudy
philosophywithDayanandaSaraswati,buttheireclecticmlangeofEasternbeliefsprovedtobeanillfit
withtheaustereAryaSamaj.12
Nevertheless,theSocietyflourishedinthesubcontinent;by1885therewasanetworkninetyfive
branchesthroughoutIndiaandCeylonandpermanentheadquartersinAdyar(Chennai).TheSociety
attractedmembersfromadiversecrosssectionoftheEmpire.
Theosophicalpublicationswereprolific,butthetwomostimportantworks,atthetime,were
BlavatskysIsisUnveiledandTheSecretDoctrine.BoththesetextsBlavatskyclaimedtohavechanneled
fromhiddenMahatmasresidingintheHimalayas.13Thefirstofthesetwobookswasapractitionersguide
totheWesternEsoterictradition.ThemesfromvaryingfromNeoplatonism,Mesmerism,Hermeticism,
andtheKabbalah,totheincarnationsofVishnu,andthelawsofManuweresomeofthesubjectscovered.

11 MarkBevir,"TheosophyasaPoliticalMovement."InGurusandTheirFollowers:NewReligiousReform
MovementsinColonialIndia,ed.AntonyCopely(NewDelhi:OxfordUniversityPress,2000)###

12 MichaelGomes,"H.P.BlavatskyandTheosophy."InTheCambridgeHandbookofWesternMysticismand
Esotericism,ed.GlennAlexanderMagee(Cambridge:CambridgeUniversityPress,2016)###

13 IsaacLubelsky,CelestialIndia:MadameBlavatskyandtheBirthofIndianNationalism(Sheffield:Equinox,
2012),7980.

Thelatterwork,TheSecretDoctrine,wasacomprehensiveocculthistoryoftimeandspace.A
workthatelaboratedonMaxMuellersAryanphilology, 1415moderngeologicaltimescales,andtheoryof
evolution.Inthiswork,themanifestedworldisbutaradiationoftheDivineEssence.16Itisgenerated
cyclically,anditretreatsintothisprimordialessenceafterasevenfoldevolutionaryrotation.Physical
manifestationsaredevelopedthroughaseriesofhierarchiesrangingfromdivinetoelemental.Inthis
scheme,humanityisthecrownofcreation,becausetheMonad(thedivinespark)afterpassingthrough
mineral,vegetable,andanimalstages,comestofullselfconsciousnessinthehumanform.
AccordingtoTheSecretDoctrines,Humanityasweknowit,isinitsfourthstageofdevelopment
andevolvesinamicrocosmicsevenfoldpattern.Blavatskycallsthispresentform,thefifthformof
humanity,theAryans.17WhatmakesIndiaunique,intheosophicalcosmology,isitsconnectiontothe
Aryanpeoples,whofirstsettledinIndia.TheAryanswereanoffshootoftheearlierAtlanteanraceand
possessedaknowledgeofanolder,purerandmoreaccuratespirituality;aPriscaTheologia.In
theosophicaleschatology,(ifwecancallacyclicalevolutionanendtime)Indiawillbearestoredtothe
gloryandsovereigntyofhermythicpast,withtheTheosophicalSocietysguidance,ofcourse. 18

14 TomokoMasuzawa,TheInventionofWorldReligions,Or,HowEuropeanUniversalismWasPreservedinthe
LanguageofPluralism(Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,2005),chapter7.

15 See also KumariJayawardena,TheWhiteWoman'sOtherBurden:WesternWomenandSouthAsiaduring

BritishColonialRule(NewYork:Routledge,1995),110115.

16 HelenaBlavatsky,TheSecretDoctrine:TheSynthesisofScience,ReligionandPhilosophy,(Pasadena,
California:TheosophicalUniversityPress;Reissueedition,1963),223.

17 Theprevioushumantypeswerethe1.Etheric,2,Hyperborean3.Lemurianand4.Atlantean
6

TheosophicalpropheciesforetellofatimewhentheBritishEmpirewillruleovertheentire
world.India,however,willbeanautonomousandproudnation,reminiscentoftheutopianAyodhyaof
theRamayana.ThereisasymbioticrelationshipthatreadslikethecolonialfantasyoftheRomantic
orientalists;Britainistheintellectoftheworld,whileIndiaisthesoul;thetwolineagesofagreatAryan
familysynthesizedbytheTheosophists.Theprophecycontinuesbyrevealingathirdactor;theUnited
States.Whenthesegeopoliticalconditionsarerealized,the6 thRootRacewillemergeinthelong
pregnantU.S.;BlavatskyshiddenteacherwillincarnateasthenextManuandanidyllicsocietywill
growunderthesagacityofthetheosophicalspirituality. 19

AppealofTheosophy
Blavatskyhadmanagedreconfiguretheancientwisdomtraditionstodirectlyrespondtothe
encroachingscientificandmoraldoctrinesthatwereproducingacrisisoffaith. 20
TheosophyappealedtoIndiansbecauseitassuredthemoftheirworthandthevalueoftheir
culturalheritage.Sheinterpretedandrepackagedthisheritageinsuchawaythatquelledtheanxieties
raisedbycontactwithmodernWesternideasandpractice.Thetensionbetweenreligioustraditionsand
apparentscientificandethicalrationalism,createdanexperienceofculturaldislocationwithinthe
WesterneducatedHindus.Theosophywasawayinwhichtonavigatethisdislocation.Blavatsky,like
SwamiVivekanandaandSriAurobindo,praisedtheHindutraditionwhileatthesametimeadvocating

18 Annie Besant, and C. W. Leadbeater, Man: Whence, How and Whither; a Record of
Clairvoyant Investigation (Chicago, Illinois: Theosophical Press, 1922), 437.

19 Ibid.
20 MarkBevir,"TheosophyasaPoliticalMovement."InGurusandTheirFollowers:NewReligiousReform
MovementsinColonialIndia,ed.AntonyCopely(NewDelhi:OxfordUniversityPress,2000),168.

forreformofcorruptionsfoundinitsmodernexpressions. 2122Blavatskyclaimedtohavedirectaccessto
thispurefaithbymeansofsupernaturalpowers;shecouldseetheworldbeforetheapostasyplagued
modernity.SheclaimedshecouldteachtheHindus,indeedtheworld,wherespiritualityhadbeen
corrupted.ShecouldteachtheIndianshowtoberealHindusagain.
SheputforthaHinduismthatincorporatedamonotheisticandevolutionaryworldview;a
cosmologyinwhichthedivinecouldbefoundmanifestwithinallthings.Sheconjuredupamythical,
utopian,pastinwhichIndiansocietywasaharmoniousexpressionofapure,originalHinduism.She
wantedmodernIndianstoreturntothistrueHinduismbycleansingtheirsocietyofperversionslikechild
marriageandSati.Hinduism,inhertheosophicalinterpretation,notonlyincorporatedmodernscience
andrationalethic,buthadbeentheirsourceoforigin.TheNeoHinduismofTheTheosophicalSociety,
TheRamakrishnaMovement,Aurobindo,andTheAryaSamaj,wereresponsestothestress
modernizationandforeignbeliefsystems.Theirswasanattempttofashionanewspiritualityto
amelioratethestressposedbycolonialruleandmodernscientificdiscoveries. 23WhattheTheosophical
Societywasuniquelycapableof,however,wastheabilitytoconnectwithAngloIndiansandtheWest,
andusethoseconnectionstoinfluenceandcraftadominantnarrative 24.TheaimoftheTheosophical

21 Ibid.
22SeealsoJ.N.Farguhar,ModernReligiousMovementsinIndia(Delhi:MunshiramManoharlal,1967)###
23MarkBevir,"TheosophyasaPoliticalMovement."InGurusandTheirFollowers:NewReligiousReform
MovementsinColonialIndia,ed.AntonyCopely(NewDelhi:OxfordUniversityPress,2000),169.

24 IsaacLubelsky,CelestialIndia:MadameBlavatskyandtheBirthofIndianNationalism(Sheffield:Equinox,
2012),9495.

societywastoteachthetruereligion.Withtheirfundingandinfrastructure,theywouldbeabletocreate
aneducationnetworkthatcouldevenclaimJawaharlalNehru,IndiasFirstPrimeMinister,asastudent. 25
AnnieBesant
By1907,thefoundersoftheTheosophicalSocietyhadpassedaway.Achangeofleadershipmeantnew
perspectivesandinsightsonhowtofurtheraccomplishthegoalsofthesociety.Whilethesocietyhad
always,unofficiallyatleast,aligneditselfwithprogressivesandnationalistagitators,ithaddeftly
managedtoavoidcontroversywiththeBritishleaders.ThischangedwhenAnnieBesant,thesocietys
secondpresident,begantosteertheorganizationintoamoreactiveroleinpoliticsand,especially,
education.26
Besanthadalreadymadeanameforherself,backinEngland,beforeevenbecomingaTheosophist.She
wasaprominentspeakerattheNationalSecularSociety,anoutspokencampaignerforunionsand
womensrights,achampionofbirthcontrolaFabianSocialistandanunrepentantatheist. 27Itmayseem
strangethatasecular,atheist,womancouldeverfindtheTheosophyappealing,butonceshereadThe
SecretDoctrinethefutureoftheorganizationandherlifewouldbeforevermarried. 28
Socialandpoliticalreform,alone,couldnotsatisfyBesantsyearningforanallencompassingtruth.She
wasintroducedtoTheosophyandbecameenthralledwithitssenseofcosmicjustice.Captivatedby

25 ArthurH.Nethercot,TheLastFourLivesofAnnieBesant(Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,1963),7576.
26 PeterWashington,MadameBlavatsky'sBaboon:TheosophyandtheEmergenceoftheWesternGuru(London:
Secker&Warburg,1993),107.

27 AnneTyler,AnnieBesant:ABiography,(Oxford:OxfordUniversityPress,1992),94,175.
28 Ibid,222240.
9

Blavatskysreframingofkarma,reincarnationandHinducosmology,herfascinationwiththisnew
religionsooneclipsedhersecularworkinBritain. 29
Shejoinedthesocietyandquicklyrosetothetopintheinstitutionalhierarchy.Blavatskyschoseforher
heiracelebratedpoliticalagitatorwhowouldcrusadeforHomeRuleandworktirelesslytoreformthe
IndianEmpire.30Hergenuinedevotiontothefaith,weddedtohercommitmentforsocialjustice,createda
rhetoricthatsoundedmorethanalittlebitliketheRomanticOrientalismofWilliamJones.Onboardthe
shipKaisariHind,enroute,forthefirsttime,toIndia,shewrote:
WhenIthinkofIndiaIthinkofherinthegreatnessofherpast,notinthedegradationofherpresent.Fortodaybut
fewofherchildrenknowanythingofhergreatphilosophy.Tothemassofherpeoplehermightyreligionisveiled,
becomingtotheignorantmanyasuperstition,tothecultivatedfewbutapoeticalallegory.Nolongertheverylifeof
thepeople,itisaformratherthanaspirit.AndsoIndiafallenistheIndiaofthepresent,whilethe'IndiatowhichI
wouldwinyourthoughtstonightisIndiaunfallen,Indiaasshewasinherpast,assheshallbeinherfuture
motheroncemoreindaystocome,asinthedaysbehindus,ofartandofknowledge,motherofspirituallifeandof
truereligion.31

Shewouldsoonputherinexhaustibleenergyandorganizationalabilitiestouse.Shewouldcreate
curriculumsandinstitutionsthatwouldteachHindushowtobeHindus, 32andhopefullyTheosophists
too.Forifshecouldfindnoproofforadivineexistencebefore,shewasnowintentontakingona
messianicroleherself;toliberateIndiaandtousherinanewage.
CentralHinduCollege

29 Ibid,240258.
30 PeterWashington,MadameBlavatsky'sBaboon:TheosophyandtheEmergenceoftheWesternGuru(London:
Secker&Warburg,1993),107.

31 AnnieBesant,India,HerPastandHerFuture,"Lucifer,13no.77(1894):36167.
32 ArthurH.Nethercot,TheLastFourLivesofAnnieBesant(Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,1963),62.
10

ForBesant,theancientHinducivilizationshouldberestoredtoassurelongtermstability,butalsoto
prepareforthecomingofthe6throotrace.Theancientsystem,onebasedoffcaste,wastoBesant(and
Blavatskybeforeher),theperfectmodel.Thesocialstructurehaddegeneratedandatrophiedover
millenniaofcorruption,butwouldberecoveredwhenBrahminsceasedtobetheoppressorsofthepeople
andbegantobetheirservants,oncemore33.TheTheosophistsbelievedthattheBrahminshadprohibited
othercastesfromreadingthescriptures,andpervertedtheoriginalmessageoftheVedastoconsolidate
wealthandpower.Furthermore,theydistractedtheHinduswithanendlessseriesofritesandsilly
ceremonies.34InkeepingwiththeTheosophicalworldview,however,oneofreincarnationandkarma,
theymaintainedtheexaltedstatusoftheBrahmincaste. 35
Besantdiffered,perhaps,fromhercontemporaries 36;HereffortstopromoteHinduismhadadistinct
antiChristianagenda.ThesocietyofthemythicalAryancivilization,oncerevised,wouldnotmixorbe
integratedwithChristianityorChristiansociety.37HerprojecttopromoteandfuseTheosophywithHindu
civilizationwouldmanifestineducationplatforms.

33 AnnieBesant,India,HerPastandHerFuture,"Lucifer,13no.77(1894):36167.
34 KumariJayawardena,TheWhiteWoman'sOtherBurden:WesternWomenandSouthAsiaduringBritish
ColonialRule(NewYork:Routledge,1995),120122.

35 IsaacLubelsky,CelestialIndia:MadameBlavatskyandtheBirthofIndianNationalism(Sheffield:Equinox,
2012),256.

36 GavinFlood,AnIntroductiontoHinduism(Cambridge:CambridgeUniversityPress,1996),269
37 IsaacLubelsky,CelestialIndia:MadameBlavatskyandtheBirthofIndianNationalism(Sheffield:Equinox,
2012),257.

11

ShepitchedtheideaofstartingaschooltowealthyIndiansinRawalpindi,Pewshawar,andLahore,
thegoalwastoestablishacollegeforHindusonly,basedonHindutraditionsandculture 38.Herconstant
fundraisingeffortssecuredheragenerouslandgrantandabeautifulsummerpalace,fromtheMaharaja
ofBenares.3940In1898,intheholiestoftheoldestcities,CentralHinduCollegewasborn.Theaimofthe
schoolwastoraiseyoung,localleadersandgroomthemtobeheirstotheAryankingdom,bynurturing
themwithbestofEasternandWesternideas. 4142TheHindusofRawalpindi,soimpressedwithBesants
ideaandzeal,endeavoredtocreatetheAnnieBesantSanskritLibrary 43
ShearguedthatpurelywesternmodelsofeducationwouldbeunsuitableforIndiaortheIndians.The
correctnationaleducation,forthesefuturestewards,wouldbebasedontraditionalcultureandfortified
withlessonsinSanskritandscience.44Tothatend,Dr.ArthurRichardson,asciencegraduatefrom

38 ArthurH.Nethercot,TheLastFourLivesofAnnieBesant(Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,1963),62.
39 Ibid,68.
40 KumariJayawardena,TheWhiteWoman'sOtherBurden:WesternWomenandSouthAsiaduringBritish
ColonialRule(NewYork:Routledge,1995),124125.

41 IsaacLubelsky,CelestialIndia:MadameBlavatskyandtheBirthofIndianNationalism(Sheffield:Equinox,
2012),258.

42 UrmilaSharma,andS.K.Sharma,IndianPoliticalThought(NewDelhi:AtlanticPublishersandDistributors,
1997),197.

43 ArthurH.Nethercot,TheLastFourLivesofAnnieBesant(Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,1963),62.
44 KumariJayawardena,TheWhiteWoman'sOtherBurden:WesternWomenandSouthAsiaduringBritish
ColonialRule(NewYork:Routledge,1995),124125.

12

England,wasinstalledastheschoolsfirstprincipal,anotherEnglishstaffmembertaughtmathematics
andscience,andthreeIndianstaughtSanskrit,logicandhistory. 45
ThemoralandspiritualattitudeatCentralHinduCollegewasdisciplinedandrigorous;andcaste
lineswerestrictlyobserved.Asenseofresponsibility,distinctionandselfworthwasactivelycultivated
intheirdressuniform.NeatandgentlemanlyuniforminIndianstyle. 46Everymorningbeganwitha
prayer,aHindustyleservice.Thiswasfollowedbystudentrepresentativesfromeachgreatreligionin
theorderofestablishment,Hindu,Zoroastrian,Buddhist,Christian,Muslimtoreciteaprayer. 47The
missionoftheschoolwastorecalibratethemoralfiberofanation.Thetheosophicalidealofeducation
isthateachchildwhocomesintotheworldshouldreceiveaneducationsuitedtodevelophisparticular
faculties,andsuchaneducationaswillmakehimusefulinhisfuturelifetohiscommunityandtohis
country.48
Shewroteupherspeechesandusedtheminhercurriculum. 49
Asageneration,yourepresentthefutureofIndia,andthefateofyourMotherlandwillbeinyourhandstomakeor
mar.Iwishintheselecturestoholduptoyouridealswhichmayhelpinguidingyourconduct,ininspiringyour
lives,forIndiacanonlyregainherrightfulplaceamongthenationswhenherchildrenlearntounderstandhergenius
andtobuildforherfeetasurecauseway.50

45 Ibid.
46 ArthurH.Nethercot,TheLastFourLivesofAnnieBesant(Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,1963),69.
47 Ibid,68.
48 UrmilaSharma,andS.K.Sharma,IndianPoliticalThought(NewDelhi:AtlanticPublishersandDistributors,
1997),196.

49 ArthurH.Nethercot,TheLastFourLivesofAnnieBesant(Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,1963),69.
50 AnnieBesant,HinduIdealsfortheUseofHinduStudentsintheSchoolsofIndia.Vol.III.CentralHindu
CollegeLectures(Benares&London:TheosophicalPublishingSociety,1904),2.

13

She used the epics that mapped onto Theosophys project of utopian remembrance and
rebuilding.TheBritishRajarguedthatIndiacouldneverbeindependentorunitedbecausetheIndian
peoplebelongedtodiversefaiths,regions,castes 51.Besant,arguedthatnotonlyhadIndiabeenaunified,
independentkingdominafaroffgoldenage,itwasintheprocessofbecomingoneoncemore.The
Ramayanawasafavoritestoryofherssheusedtodemonstratetheidealking,myth,andhistory.5253
AmagazinethatwascreatedbyColonelOlcott,AryaBalaBodhini(TheHinduBoysJournal)
wasretrofittedandrenamed,toserveastheschoolsmouthpiece.NowtitledTheCentralHinduCollege,
AJournalforHinduBoys54,itwasfullofnewsabouttheschool,butitwasaimedatawidereaching
audienceofHinduyouth.ThepublicationwassubsidizedbytwowealthyTheosophistsandachieveda
circulationof15,000.55

51 MarkBevir,"TheosophyasaPoliticalMovement."InGurusandTheirFollowers:NewReligiousReform
MovementsinColonialIndia,ed.AntonyCopely(NewDelhi:OxfordUniversityPress,2000),169.

52 ArthurH.Nethercot,TheLastFourLivesofAnnieBesant(Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,1963),69.
53 AnnieBesant,ShriRamaChandra,theIdealKing;SomeLessonsfromtheRamayanafortheUseofHindu
StudentsintheSchoolsofIndia.FromNotesofLecturesOriginallyDeliveredattheCentralHinduCollege,
Benares.Vol.II.CentralHinduCollegeLectures(Benares&London:TheosophicalPublishingSociety,1902)###

54 ArthurH.Nethercot,TheLastFourLivesofAnnieBesant(Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,1963),68.
55 Jayawardena,Kumari.TheWhiteWoman'sOtherBurden:WesternWomenandSouthAsiaduringBritish
ColonialRule.NewYork:Routledge,1995),124125.

14

In1901,UniversityofAllahabad,underwhichjurisdictionTheCentralHinduCollegefell,wasgranted
thecollegetheaffiliationofB.A.standard.Onceagain,BesantappealedtoIndiansandEuropeans,alike,
forfinancialcontributions.Themoneywasneededtoassistintheexpansionthatcamewiththe
promotion.Theschoolgrewtoastaffoftenandastudentbodyofover100. 56By1905theUniversityof
AllahabadhadgrantedCentralHinduCollegeanM.A.forSanskritandEnglish. 57
By1905severalotherschoolsadoptedtheCentralHinduCollegemodel.Besantmadethecasefor
nationaluniversitiesandaskedwealthyHindustoendowscholarshipsfortalentedstudentsintheir
provinces.ThesecretaryoftheMaharajaofKashmir(TheosophistRajaDayaKishanKaul)helped
reorganizethedeterioratingHinduHighSchoolandrenamedittheSriPratapHinduCollegein1906. 58
OtherschoolsthroughoutIndiawouldfollowsuit.
Conclusion
In1913,BesantorganizedtheTheosophicalEducationaltrustunderthesupervisionofherassociate,
ErnestWood.ItspurposewastoencourageandadministertheeducationworkoftheSocietywhichhad
nowgrowntobealargeandcomplexenterprise.59Manymoreschoolswereestablished,financedand
administeredbytheTheosophicalSociety.60Herhierarchicalplanmirrored,inmanyways,the
bureaucraticstructureoftheTheosophicalSocietyitself,callingforVillageeducationtosupplyingthe

56 ArthurH.Nethercot,TheLastFourLivesofAnnieBesant(Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,1963),69.
57 Ibid,88.
58 Ibid,86.
59 ChittaranjanVihariAgarwal,andRichardWilliamsBrooks,andVicenteHaoChin,andPhilipSydneyHarris.
"EducationandTheosophy."Theosopedia.AccessedNovember27,2016.http://theosophy.ph/encyclo/index.php?
title=Education_and_Theosophy.

60 Ibid.
15

needsofthevillageinthevillagetothenexttierintown,allthewaythroughtothemetropolis
culminatingintheNationalUniversity.61WhatbeganwithTheCentralHinduCollege,ledtothe
VasantashramaGirlsSchoolatBenares,AngloSanskritHighSchoolatBankipr,SanatanaDharmaHigh
SchoolandTheosophicalHighSchool.62Whilemanyoftheschoolshavebeenturnedovertostate
authorities,afterIndianindependence,therearestilltenschoolsoperatingunderindependenttrustsor
groupssuchastheOlcottEducationalSociety,BesantEducationalFellowshipandseveralbranchesofthe
TheosophicalOrderofService.63
InalettertothepoetHirendraNathDattainSepember.1905Besantwrote:TheneedsofIndia
are,amongothers,thedevelopmentofanationalspirit,andaneducationfoundedonIndianidealsand
enriched,notdominatedbythoughtandcultureoftheWest.64TheschoolsthatBesantdevelopednot
onlypromotedHindueducation,buttheyalsoconnectedpupilstoliberalWesternthought;Manyofthe
Theosophicalfaculty,EuropeanandAmericanTheosophists,heldradicalopinionsandweresympathetic
toliberationandworkingclassstruggles.Theyfosteredandnurturedtheseedsofpatriotismandnational

61 UrmilaSharma,andS.K.Sharma,IndianPoliticalThought(NewDelhi:AtlanticPublishersandDistributors,
1997),197.

62 Ibid.
63 ChittaranjanVihariAgarwal,andRichardWilliamsBrooks,andVicenteHaoChin,andPhilipSydneyHarris.
"EducationandTheosophy."Theosopedia.AccessedNovember27,2016.http://theosophy.ph/encyclo/index.php?
title=Education_and_Theosophy.

64 UrmilaSharma,andS.K.Sharma,IndianPoliticalThought(NewDelhi:AtlanticPublishersandDistributors,
1997),196.

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identity;torelieveyoungIndiansfromslavementality 65andreviveinthemtrueunderstandingof
Hinduism,andhelplayafoundationforlaterpoliticalmovements. 66
Theosophytaughtareverenceforallinauniversalbrotherhood.IntrueTheosophicalfashion 67,Besants
goalattheCentralHinduCollegewastobringmenofallreligionstogetherunderbrotherhoodtopromote
Indianculturalvaluesandpromotepeaceandunderstandingunderthedifferentsectionsofthe
population.68InhelpingconstructaunifiedIndia,TheosophyandBesantwerepreparingIndianotonly
forIndependence,butalsofortheeschatologicalemergenceofthenextwaveofhumanity.

65 Ibid,197.
66 KumariJayawardena,TheWhiteWoman'sOtherBurden:WesternWomenandSouthAsiaduringBritish
ColonialRule(NewYork:Routledge,1995),117.

67 Helena P. Blavatsky, The Key to Theosophy: Being a Clear Exposition, in the Form of
Question and Answer, of the Ethics, Science, and Philosophy, for the Study of Which the
Theosophical Society Has Been Founded (London: Theosophical Publishing Society,
1914),Sect. 13.

68 UrmilaSharma,andS.K.Sharma,IndianPoliticalThought(NewDelhi:AtlanticPublishersandDistributors,
1997),197.

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