Hindu

Theosophical Society

About: 

The Theosophical Society was founded by Madame H. P. Blavatsky and Colonel Olcott in New York in 1875. In 1882, the headquarters of the Society were established in Adyar, near Madras (now Chennai) in India.

Theosophy was a philosophy combining mysticism and spiritualism (with heavy influences from Buddhist and Hindu thought) with metaphysics. The Society was fashioned as a 'brotherhood' promoting unity. The Society was also concerned with preparing the world for the coming of the 'World Teacher' when he arrived on Earth.

Published works: 

The Theosophical Society produced a number of periodicals, see http://www.austheos.org.au/indices/pindex.htm

They include: 

Lucifer (1887-1897), ed. by H. P. Blavatsky and then Annie Besant.

The Theosophical Review (1897-1909), ed. by Annie Besant and G. R. S. Mead.

The Herald of the Star (1912-1927),  nominally ed. by Jiddu Krishnamurti.

The Star Review (1928-9), ed. by Emily Lutyens.

 

Secondary works: 

Besant, Annie, Theosophy (London: T. C. & E. C. Jack, 1912)

Ransom, Josephine, A Short History of the Theosophical Society (Adyar: Theosophical Publishing House, 1938)

Sinnett, A. P., The Early Days of Theosophy in Europe (London: Theosophical Publishing House, 1922)

Date began: 
01 Jan 1875
Precise date began unknown: 
Y
Archive source: 

Theosophical Society Achives, Adyar, India

The Theosophical Society in England, London

The College of Psychic Studies, South Kensington

Dharm Sheel Chowdhary

About: 

Dharm Sheel Chowdhary originally came to England to do postgraduate medical studies, having received a basic medical qualification from Lahore Medical College. He studied at Edinburgh University and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, before joining Dr Gilder’s medical practice in Laindon, Essex, as a GP. In 1933, shortly after his Indian wife joined him in Laindon, Chowdhary bought the practice. The couple went on to have two children, remaining in Britain for the rest of their lives.

According to his wife Savitri Chowdhary's memoir, Chowdhary worked around the clock, also offering dentist work, eye tests and a counselling service. He became a hugely popular doctor and hired a number of assistants to help him with his practice over the years. Chowdhary also served in the Civil Defence and the Home Guard in the Second World War. While the Chowdharys had numerous English friends in Laindon, they were also closely connected to the Indian community in London, making frequent excursions there for meals at Veeraswamy’s, Shafi’s and the vegetarian restaurant Shearn’s, and to attend social functions at the Hindu Centre and the India Club both of which he and his wife helped to establish. An Arya Samaj Hindu and trained as a Hindu priest in India, Chowdhary also officiated at Hindu marriage ceremonies, including that of Indian and English acrobat pair, Dickie Pather and Maisie Rogers.

Chowdhary died in 1959, aged 57, and was mourned by the people of Laindon. In 1966, some years after his death, the Chowdhary County Primary School was opened in Laindon and named after him. The plaque on the school (now closed) read: ‘To honour the memory of Dr Dharm Sheel Chowdhary who gave devoted service to the people of Laindon and the local schools throughout the period from 1931–59.’

Date of birth: 
01 Jan 1902
Connections: 

Savitri Chowdhary (his wife), Sir Learie Constantine, Krishna Menon (both visited India Club), Dickie Pather, Paul Robeson (visited India Club).

Precise DOB unknown: 
Y
Secondary works: 

Chowdhary, Savitri, I Made My Home in England (Laindon: Grant-Best Ltd, n.d.)

Chowdhary, Savitri, In Memory of My Beloved Husband (Laindon: Grant-Best Ltd, n.d.)

Visram, Rozina, Asians in Britain: 400 Years of History (London: Pluto, 2002) 

Involved in events: 

Celebration of Indian Independence at the Albert Hall, 1947

City of birth: 
Jullundur, Punjab
Country of birth: 
India
Other names: 

Dr Dharm Sheel Chowdhary

Location

Laindon, SS15 6ET
United Kingdom
51° 34' 31.3176" N, 0° 25' 20.0028" E
Date of death: 
01 Dec 1959
Precise date of death unknown: 
Y
Date of 1st arrival in Britain: 
01 Jan 1928
Dates of time spent in Britain: 

1928-59

Savitri Devi Chowdhary

About: 

Having worked as a high school teacher in her native Punjab, Savitri Chowdhary arrived in Britain in 1932 after a four- or five-year separation from her husband, Dr Dharm Sheel Chowdhary, who had come to Britain for postgraduate medical studies and recently begun work at a practice in the small Essex town of Laindon. On arrival, she found her husband had, to a large extent, adapted to English life and encouraged her to do the same. Shedding her saris for dresses and cutting her hair short, Chowdhary sought to fulfil the role of a doctor’s wife in an English town and to immerse herself in community life.

However, she also remained in touch with her Indian self, wearing saris for evening engagements, cooking curry at home, and socializing with the middle-class Indian community in London. Not only did she and her husband help establish early British Hindu organizations such as the Hindu Association of Europe and the Hindu Centre, but Savitry Chowdhary, on the encouragement of an English friend, Miss Cresswell, also became involved with the India League, attending – and occasionally speaking at – political meetings in London.

In the early 1950s Savitri Chowdhary published one of the earliest Indian cookery books with Andre Deutsch, subsequently giving talks on Indian cooking and even making television appearances to demonstrate her skills.

Published works: 

I Made My Home in England (Laindon: Grant-Best Ltd, nd)

Indian Cookery (London: Andre Deutsch, 1954)

In Memory of My Beloved Husband (Laindon: Grant-Best Ltd, nd)

Example: 

Chowdhary, Savitri, I Made My Home in England (Laindon: Grant-Best Ltd, nd), pp. 7, 9, 65

Content: 

In her memoir, Savitri Chowdhary recounts her experiences of migration to and settlement in Britain in the 1930s. She describes her adaptation to the role of a doctor’s wife, and then to that of a mother, in the rural Essex town of Laindon, and the ways in which she balanced Indian cultural practices with English provincial life. Her involvement with the Indian community in London, and participation in V. K. Krishna Menon’s India League, is also documented, as are the effects of the Second World War on the local community. Finally, she recounts her first return trip to India thirteen years after migration.

Connections: 

Dharm Sheel Chowdhary, Sir Learie Constantine, Agatha Harrison (involvement with India League), Krishna Menon (involvement with India League, both visited India Club), Paul Robeson (visited India Club).

Extract: 

[Sheel] had mostly mixed with the English people, got accustomed to their way of life…He liked the various styles of dresses worn by the British ladies and the bobbed hair seemed to have a great appeal to him…I kept my beautiful saris for wearing on our days off, when we went to London to see our Indian friends and for evening wear in Laindon. After I got over the initial strangeness of English dress, I found I could move about and work more freely in that than in a sari. After a little hesitation, I consented to have my hair cut short as well. So now I was all ready to get down to my duties’ (pp. 7, 9)

It wasn’t easy to belong to two countries…Was it possible, or even wise for a person like myself, who had been born and brought up in India, a country which had its own strong culture and traditions, to get completely absorbed in this country…? (p. 65)

Secondary works: 

Visram, Rozina, Asians in Britain: 400 Years of History (London: Pluto, 2002)

Relevance: 

These extracts, and the memoir in general, are interesting for what they reveal about one early migrant’s response to issues of integration and assimilation. Savitri Chowdhary appears to balance a desire to adapt to normative British culture (and to please her husband who clearly wishes her to do this) with a keen recognition of the importance of maintaining Hindu Indian cultural practices and traditions. Ultimately, despite her self-conscious westernization, she doesn’t seem to perceive a contradiction in belonging to two countries or cultures.

Involved in events: 

 

Celebration of Indian Independence at the Albert Hall, 1947

 

India League meetings

City of birth: 
Multan
Country of birth: 
India
Current name country of birth: 
Pakistan

Location

Laindon, SS15 6ET
United Kingdom
51° 34' 31.3176" N, 0° 25' 20.0028" E
Date of 1st arrival in Britain: 
01 Jan 1932
Precise 1st arrival date unknown: 
Y
Dates of time spent in Britain: 

1932 until death

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