Few
Places in Chennai offer greater serenity than the sprawling gardens
of the Theosophical Society, situated in the city's
Adyar neighbourhood, 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,
a wealthy civilian, this large mansion is today the world headquarters
of the Society. Its magnificent 108-ha estate comprises several
19th Century buildings, one of which is the former home of its founder
Colonel Henry S Olcott. The Main building houses the great hall,
almost spartan in its simplicity, where prayer meetings are held.
Bas-reliefs, representing the different faiths, and engravings of
verses taken from the holy books of all world religions can be seen
here. There are also marble statues of the founders Colonel Olcott
and Helena Petrovana Blavatsky, as well as Annie Besant, who became
President in 1907. Anna
University and Tamilnadu College of Music are located in the banks
of Adyar.
The
Adyar Library and Research Centre, founded by Olcott in 1886, is
one of the finest libraries in India. Its Collection of 165,000
books and 20,000 palm-leaf and Parchment manuscripts has made it
a valuable repository for Indological research. The surrounding
tranquil gardens have shrines dedicated to various faiths. The greatest
attraction here, however is the 400-years old banyan tree whose
spreading branches cover an immense area of 4,180sq m (44,993 sqft).
Over the decades, many of the Society's meetings and spiritual discourses
were held under its canopy. Unfortunately, a terrible storm in 1989
destroyed its main trunk.
Brodie Castle north of the Theosophical society, is an
imposing white structure on the banks of the Adyar. Now known as
Thennral, it houses the prestigious College of Carnatic Music. Built
in 1976 by James Brodie, an Employee of the East India Company.
It is said to be among the first "Garden -Houses" built
in the City. These spacious, airy houses with broad pillared verandahs,
set in sprawing wooded gardens, were characteristic of Colonial
Chennai. This house later became the home of the first Chief Justice
of the Madras Supreme Court. Further, north of Brodie castle is
the Madras Club built by George Moubray, who came
to india as an accountant in 1771. He acquired 42 ha of Land on
the banks of the Adyar, and built a house with a central cupola
surrounded by a beautiful garden. Known as Moubray's Cupola, this
was once the exclusively preserved by the city's European Population.
Indians were only allowed to have membership in 1964, after it merged
with the Adyar Club. |
