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| '''Rao Saheb G. Soobiah Chetty''' was an Indian member of the [[Theosophical Society (Adyar)|Theosophical Society in Adyar]] who held a government post. He and his brother helped the [[Founders]] to locate land in [[Adyar, India|Adyar]] where the headquarters was established.
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| == Early years == | | <td width=33%> |
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| Chetty was born around 1857 as the son of Judge [[G. Muthuswamy Chetty]].<ref> L. Davidge, "H. P. Blavatsky: An Unpublished Letter," ''The Theosophist'' 57.2 (November, 1935), 149.</ref> He had two brothers, [[G. Narasimhulu Chetty]] and Castur Chetty, who knew [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky|H. P. Blavatsky]] and [[Henry Steel Olcott|Colonel Olcott]]. Subbiah Chetty joined the Society in 1882:
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| after hearing Colonel Olcott deliver his first Madras lecture: "Theosophy: The Scientific Basis of Religion," which was published in his volume of Asiatic lectures under the title ''Theosophy, Religion and Occult Science''. Mr. Chetty spent much time with H.P.B. and H.S.O. about this period. He was of a mustical turn of mind. As a youth he had had visions and experiences, and H. P. B. confirmed his impression that some years previous - in 1874, to be precise - he had been visited b a Master. With the two founders and other members he made a journey to Tiruavallum, where the Master Jupiter is said to reside. Immediately afterwards he accompanied H.P.B. to Nellore, and it was on the return journey that the purchase of the present Headquarters, then known as Huddleston Gardens, was discussed. The place was visited by the founders and considered suitable, and it was "While inspectting the main house," Mr. Chetty affirms, "That H.P.B. received instruction from her Master to buy the place; she said: 'Subbiah, Master says, Buy the property'." The purchase was completed on November 17, 1882, and on the 17th December the founders took up their abode on the new premises.<ref> L. Davidge, "H. P. Blavatsky: An Unpublished Letter," ''The Theosophist'' 57.2 (November, 1935), 145.</ref>
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| == Contacts with the Mahatmas == | | <table> |
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| Soobiah and his brother [[Narasimhalu Chetty]] met [[Morya|Master Morya]] in his physical body even before the founding of the Theosophical Society, when the Mahatma visited Madras in 1874. He wrote:
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| <blockquote>. . . 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. 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.<ref>G. Subbiah Chetty, "Master M.'s Visit to Madras in 1874" at http://www.blavatskyarchives.com/chetty1925.htm </ref></blockquote> | | <td width=33%> |
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| He also saw the [[Masters of Wisdom|Masters]] in 1883 in a couple of occasions:
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| <blockquote>H.P.B.’s intense desire was to attract the attention of men of position to Theosophy. For this purpose she worked hard and succeeded eventually. One day as we were discussing as to how this object could be secured, a very strong influence was felt. This was due to the appearance of Master M. in the room. He materialised partly, and I was able to see a hazy form and though hazy I saw His arm clearly handing something to H.P.B. My surmise that He had come there to give directions as to how the desired object could be gained was found to be correct. H.P.B. told me so. | | <td width=33%> |
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| During the same year also Master K. H. appeared in my house in Mylapore. Early next morning when I met H.P.B. at Adyar, she told me that the same Master had appeared before her about the same time and presented her with yellow roses which she showed me. Let me say that yellow roses were then very rare, in fact unobtainable in Madras.<ref>[http://www.blavatskyarchives.com/mastersencounterswith.htm# A Casebook of Encounters with the Theosophical Mahatmas] Case 36, compiled and edited by Daniel H. Caldwell</ref></blockquote>
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| == Friendship with the Founders == | | <td width=11%> |
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| On [[May 31]], 1882, Chetty and his brother [[G. Narasimhulu Chetty|Narasimhulu]] took [[Founders#The Founders|the Founders]], then visiting Madras, to see a piece of property next to the Adyar River that they recommended as the new [[Adyar (campus)|headquarters]] site for the [[Theosophical Society]]<ref>Adele Algeo, "Blavatsky at Adyar--From her Letters", The Theosophist 129:9 (June 2008),340.</ref>
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| [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky|H. P. Blavatsky]] spent the summer at home of [[William Gordon|William and Alice Gordon]] in Ootacamund, in 1883. While there, HPB asked [[G. Soobiah Chetty]] to join her, in order to discuss how "men of position" could be attracted to the Theosophical Society. He wrote,
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| It was here that H.P.B. very kindly proposed to me to give up my family ties and take up work for The Theosophical Society as [[Damodar K. Mavalankar|Damodar]] had done; she promised to take upon herself any karma that might result from my taking this course. I failed to avail myself of this rare opportunity, and failure such as that generally results in misfortunes both temporal and spiritual. Subbiah Chetty was no exception to this rule. Domestic troubles and misfortunes followed, many of them.<ref> L. Davidge, "H. P. Blavatsky: An Unpublished Letter," ''The Theosophist'' 57.2 (November, 1935), 148.</ref>
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| Until HPB left for Europe in 1884, she received daily visits in the Adyar headquarters from the Chetty brothers. They corresponded after her departure, and she playfully referred to Narasimhalu as "Verysimilar" and another brother, Castur, as "Castor Oil."<ref> L. Davidge, "H. P. Blavatsky: An Unpublished Letter," ''The Theosophist'' 57.2 (November, 1935), 149.</ref>
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| == Work at Adyar ==
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| Chetty kept in contact with [[Henry Steel Olcott|Colonel Olcott]] after HPB left India, and when [[Annie Besant]] became President, she asked him to become "Superintendent of Headquarters," residing at Adyar. This work continued until 1910, "when he was recalled by Government to his old office, though he continued to live on the Adyar Estate in obedience to the President's wish."<ref>J. L. Davidge, 149.</ref>
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| == Later years ==
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| At the time of the Society's [[Diamond Jubilee]] in 1935, Mr. Chetty was 78 years old. The commemorative edition of ''The Theosophist'' said "A grand old man is Rao Saheb Subbiah Chetty, one of the few living links with the founders, and with over fifty years of uninterrupted membership of The Society to his credit."<ref>. L. Davidge, 149.</ref>
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| == Writings ==
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| *[http://blavatskyarchives.com/chettyreminiscence.htm# A Reminiscence of H.P.B.]
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| *[http://www.blavatskyarchives.com/chetty1925.htm# In the Days of H.P.B. - Master M.'s Visit to Madras in 1874]
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| *[http://blavatskyarchives.com/chettypersonalmemorieshtm.htm# H.P.B.'s Birthday]
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| *[http://www.blavatskyarchives.com/chettyodl.htm# Old Diary Leaves]
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| *[http://www.blavatskyarchives.com/chettypurchase.htm# The Purchase of Adyar Headquarters: A Reminiscence of H.P.B.]
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| *[http://blavatskyarchives.com/chetty1931.htm# Reminiscences of H.P. Blavatsky]
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| *[http://blavatskyarchives.com/chetty_some_personal_memories_of_madame.htm#1 Some Personal Memories of Madame H.P. Blavatsky]
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| == Notes ==
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| <references/> | |
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| [[Category:People who encountered Mahatmas|Chetty, G. Soobiah]]
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| [[Category:Nationality Indian|Chetty, G. Soobiah]]
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| [[Category:Associates of HPB|Chetty, G. Soobiah]]
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| [[Category:Received Mahatma Letters|Chetty, G. Soobiah]]
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