G. N. Chakravarti: Difference between revisions
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[[File:G. N. Chakravarti.jpg|right|160px|thumb|Professor Chakravarti]] | |||
'''Ganandra Nath Chakravarti''' was an Indian Theosophist and scholar who greatly impressed the world with his excellent lectures at the [[World's Parliament of Religions (1893)|1893 World's Parliament of Religions]] in Chicago. | '''Ganandra Nath Chakravarti''' was an Indian Theosophist and scholar who greatly impressed the world with his excellent lectures at the [[World's Parliament of Religions (1893)|1893 World's Parliament of Religions]] in Chicago. | ||
== Personal life and career == | |||
== 1893 Parliament == | |||
in 1893, the [[Theosophical Society]] sent a delegation of speakers to the [[World's Parliament of Religions (1893)|1893 World's Parliament of Religions]] in Chicago, led by vice president [[William Quan Judge]]. Official delegates included [[Annie Besant]], [[G. N. Chakravarti|Professor G. N. Chakravarti]], [[Anagarika Dharmapala|the Anagarika Dharmapala]], [[Henrietta Müller|Miss F. Henrietta Müller]], and [[Isabel Cooper-Oakley|Mrs. Isabel Cooper-Oakley]]. | |||
<blockquote> | |||
Prof. G. N. Chakravarti represented Brahmanism, bringing credentials from three Brahmanical Sabhâs. He was Professor ot Mathematics at the University of Allahabad (ancient Prayaga), and a member of the T.S. Branch in that city.<ref>Sven Eek and Boris de Zirkoff, compilers and editors, "William Quan Judge: His Life and Work" ''Echoes of the Orient: The Writings of William Quan Judge'' (Pasadena, California: Theosophical University Press, 2011), xlv.</ref> | |||
</blockquote> | |||
The Professor traveled by train from New York with Mr. Judge and Mrs. Besant. On September 9, they made a stop in Ohio and lectured at the dedication of the new Theosophical Hall of the [[Cincinnati Theosophical Society]]. Their lectures were outlined in the lodge's minutes book, which they all signed.<ref>Minute Book of the Cincinnati Theosophical Society. September 5-19, 1893. Cincinnati Theosophical Society Records. Records Series 20.02.01. Theosophical Society in America Archives.</ref> | |||
== Chakravarti and Annie Besant == | |||
It has been suggested that around the time of the Parliament, Chakravarti influenced a susceptible [[Annie Besant]] – that he cast a "glamour" over her in a manner close to black magic. Sven Eek and Boris de Zirkoff summarized this viewpoint: | |||
<blockquote> | |||
It so happened that Annie Besant was especially strongly impressed by the personality of Chakravarti, and from that time on her opinions became colored by his point of view. Playing on her desire for occult powers, Chakravarti "captured" Mrs. Besant in less than two months. Judge watched his growing ascendancy over her mind with anxiety, as he intuitively felt that a subtle attempt was being made then to divert her efforts from the genuine line of occultism into a sectarian offshoot. He became more uneasy when, on Mrs. Besant's return to England with the party that included Chakravarti, she prepared to go to India on a long lecture tour, and he warned her that it was not an auspicious tie to go. Before leaving, she spent some time in London during which she saw a good deal of the Brahmana; the latter leter for India shortly before Mrs. Besant and [[Constance Wachtmeister|Countess Wachtmeister]] started for the Orient.<ref>Sven Eek and Boris de Zirkoff, xlv.</ref> | |||
</blockquote> | |||
== Notes == | == Notes == | ||
Revision as of 02:48, 11 May 2020
Ganandra Nath Chakravarti was an Indian Theosophist and scholar who greatly impressed the world with his excellent lectures at the 1893 World's Parliament of Religions in Chicago.
Personal life and career
1893 Parliament
in 1893, the Theosophical Society sent a delegation of speakers to the 1893 World's Parliament of Religions in Chicago, led by vice president William Quan Judge. Official delegates included Annie Besant, Professor G. N. Chakravarti, the Anagarika Dharmapala, Miss F. Henrietta Müller, and Mrs. Isabel Cooper-Oakley.
Prof. G. N. Chakravarti represented Brahmanism, bringing credentials from three Brahmanical Sabhâs. He was Professor ot Mathematics at the University of Allahabad (ancient Prayaga), and a member of the T.S. Branch in that city.[1]
The Professor traveled by train from New York with Mr. Judge and Mrs. Besant. On September 9, they made a stop in Ohio and lectured at the dedication of the new Theosophical Hall of the Cincinnati Theosophical Society. Their lectures were outlined in the lodge's minutes book, which they all signed.[2]
Chakravarti and Annie Besant
It has been suggested that around the time of the Parliament, Chakravarti influenced a susceptible Annie Besant – that he cast a "glamour" over her in a manner close to black magic. Sven Eek and Boris de Zirkoff summarized this viewpoint:
It so happened that Annie Besant was especially strongly impressed by the personality of Chakravarti, and from that time on her opinions became colored by his point of view. Playing on her desire for occult powers, Chakravarti "captured" Mrs. Besant in less than two months. Judge watched his growing ascendancy over her mind with anxiety, as he intuitively felt that a subtle attempt was being made then to divert her efforts from the genuine line of occultism into a sectarian offshoot. He became more uneasy when, on Mrs. Besant's return to England with the party that included Chakravarti, she prepared to go to India on a long lecture tour, and he warned her that it was not an auspicious tie to go. Before leaving, she spent some time in London during which she saw a good deal of the Brahmana; the latter leter for India shortly before Mrs. Besant and Countess Wachtmeister started for the Orient.[3]
Notes
- ↑ Sven Eek and Boris de Zirkoff, compilers and editors, "William Quan Judge: His Life and Work" Echoes of the Orient: The Writings of William Quan Judge (Pasadena, California: Theosophical University Press, 2011), xlv.
- ↑ Minute Book of the Cincinnati Theosophical Society. September 5-19, 1893. Cincinnati Theosophical Society Records. Records Series 20.02.01. Theosophical Society in America Archives.
- ↑ Sven Eek and Boris de Zirkoff, xlv.