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THE INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
International Offices Theosophical Publishing House and Vasanta Press The Shrines Educational and Welfare Activities Environmental Service The Theosophical Order of Service International Offices The President, who is elected every seven years by members all over the world, attends to a voluminous amount of work in Adyar, interspersed with intensive tours to every part of the theosophical world which he or she must undertake. Answering correspondence, meeting people, reading, writing, lecturing and talking, guiding and giving instructions on important matters relating to the Society, taking care of legal and social matters are some of the work a President handles. The work is both mundane and spiritual, for along with administration and organization, wise guidance must be given, and the tone of the Society's role and function must be set. Col. H.S. Olcott was the first President, then followed Dr Annie Besant, Dr G.S. Arundale, Mr C. Jinarajadasa, Mr N. Sri Ram, Mr John Coats and the present President, Mrs Radha Burnier-a succession of dedicated people with a record of selfless work. The Vice-President acts on behalf of the President as necessary and assists him or her in various ways. The Secretary handles a large worldwide correspondence, maintains records including statistics of the worldwide membership of the Society, its Lodges and Sections, and is responsible for producing an informative annual report. The Secretary is also the Secretary of the General Council and the Executive Committee of the Society. This Committee, which meets a number of times each year, implements the decisions of the General Council, and makes financial and administrative decisions relating to the Society's Headquarters. The Treasurer is responsible for the finances of the Society, and prepares an annual financial report. Go to Top Theosophical Publishing House and Vasanta Press The Theosophical Publishing House, a department of the Theosophical Society, started at the beginning of this century, has published over 700 titles dealing with Theosophy, different religions, philosophy, yoga, science, occultism, meditation, and so on by well-known authors like H.P. Blavatsky, H.S. Olcott, Annie Besant, C.W. Leadbeater, Geoffrey Hodson, N. Sri Ram, I.K. Taimni and others. Oriental works published by the Adyar Library and Research Centre are distributed by the Theosophical Publishing House. It has brought out, in addition, a large number of pamphlets and booklets. It distributes worldwide, The Theosophist, a monthly journal started in 1879 by H.P. Blavatsky, Wake Up India and the quarterly Adyar Newsletter. The Theosophical Publishing House also runs a well-stocked bookshop adjacent to the main gate of the Estate. In addition to theosophical literature, it offers for sale books from other publishing houses on religion, yoga, mysticism, philosophy and allied subjects. The Vasanta Press prints all the publications of the Theosophical Publishing House, The Adyar Library and Research Centre, and allied organizations. Its professional performance is of such quality that the first prize for excellence in printing was awarded to it in 1987 by the All India Printers' Conference. Go to Top The Shrines The Headquarters Building - Theosophy or the perennial wisdom, being the root of all religions, proclaims their unity. The Headquarters Hall symbolizes that unity. On entering the hall, one sees in the alcove behind a marble platform a figure in plaster of H. P. Blavatsky modeled from Schmiechen's portrait of her. The statue bears an inscription in Latin by Colonel Olcott: "HPB Amicitiae nostrae testimonium. H.S.O. 8.5.1899." When Colonel Olcott passed away in 1907, a plaster statue of him was placed by the side of Madame Blavatsky and an inscription engraved on the pedestal: 'The Founders of the Theosophical Society: Helena Petrovna Blavatsky 1831-1891-Henry Steel Olcott 1832-1907'. Along the walls of the hall are bas-relief symbols and figures: those on the north, east and west represent living religions-Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Taoism, Confucianism, Shintoism, and the Baha'i religion. The south wall represents the extinct religions. In the west is a large board on which are inscribed the names of all the Sections of the Theosophical Society with the dates of their formation. The Theosophical Society, with its motto, There is no Religion higher than Truth, is represented by its symbol on the south side. On the north side are pedestals bearing the busts of Colonel Olcott, the President-Founder, and Annie Besant, the second President. The Buddhist Shrine - Situated in the coconut grove by the Adyar River, not far from the Headquarters building, is the Buddhist shrine. It was built in 1925 under the direction of Mr Jinarajadasa, and enshrines a gray sandstone image of the Lord Buddha from Eastern India. This statue, given by Annie Besant, shows the Buddha as the Teacher of Dharma, turning the Wheel of the Law. Around his head is an inscription in Tibetan characters: "He taught the cause of all things as also the means of cessation." Directly facing the temple is a lily tank and beyond it a magnificent Bodhi tree (Ficus religiosa), grown from a sapling descended from the original tree under which the Lord Gautama attained Enlightenment. Nearby stood an ancient Buddhist gong, which used to be struck in the old days at six o'clock morning and evening. This is a place of great peace, where visitors can sit quietly on the stone benches of the precincts in silent contemplation. Church of St Michael and All Angels - This is an attractive, well-appointed church where services according to the rites of the Liberal Catholic Church are held on Sunday mornings and other important days. Members visiting Adyar for the Convention like to attend the beautiful and inspiring service held on Christmas Eve, followed by the Holy Eucharist on Christmas Day. The Bharata Samaja Temple-This architecturally beautiful non-sectarian Hindu shrine called the 'Temple of Light' contains no idol, only a flame. Here at sunrise every morning a small band of devoted worshippers gather to perform the 'Bharata Samaj Puja.' This reformed and simple ceremony, using profound and beautiful chants from the Veda, was formulated by learned Theosophist scholars, and has central to its theme the famous Gayatri mantra. The first to officiate at the ceremony was J. Krishnamurti in 1925. Go to Top Educational and Welfare Activities The Olcott Education Society is the body established by the Theosophical Society to carry out its educational and welfare work at the Headquarters. It includes distinguished educationalists and social workers, and has as its Chairman the President of the Theosophical Society. A large majority of its members belong to the Theosophical Society; the others are sympathetic to its aims. The Olcott Memorial School, the HPB Hostel, the Social Welfare Centre, and other activities, function under its aegis. The Olcott Memorial School - One of the first items of welfare work taken up at Adyar was the education of the poor and the deprived; for soon after the Founders came to India, Colonel Olcott began the pioneering work of establishing free schools for boys and girls from the lowest strata of society. After his death, two of these schools were aptly named Olcott Memorial Schools. They were later merged into one school catering for poor children in the Adyar area. The Olcott Memorial High School is located in the southeastern part of Besant Gardens. It provides free education for over 700 underprivileged children, both boys and girls, and also free textbooks, uniforms, a nutritious breakfast, and enriches a mid-day meal provided by the government. For further information, please visit the School website by clicking the following address: www.olcott-school-chennai.org A Craft Centre started in 1988 gives instruction in such skills as carpentry, plumbing, screen printing, gardening, home craft and tailoring. Music, dance, games and scouting are part of the program. The School seeks not only to give a good education and vocational training but also to instill a sense of confidence and dignity as well as provide a happy atmosphere for children from deprived homes. HPB Hostel - This hostel, founded in 1971 and named after H.P. Blavatsky, offers free board and lodging to students of the Olcott School and some others. They are sponsored by members of the Theosophical Society in various countries and given parental care by the Warden. Staff members from the Krishnamurti Foundation's school next door, situated on the Society's campus under a lease agreement, have been helping to run the hostel on the right lines and also guiding the children in the Olcott School with their studies and activities. Social Welfare Centre - The Social Welfare Centre, located near the main gate of the Estate, cares for about 200 infants. It runs two crËches free of charge for the children of poor working mothers in the neighborhood, and a pre-primary school which provides education to children aged 3 to 5 years. In addition to a nourishing breakfast in the morning, the children are given a midday meal. Poor women of the area receive training in sewing and handicrafts, the products are sold, and the proceeds help supplement the women's income. A Medicare Centre provides free medical aid to poor persons in the neighborhood. It is proposed to expand this welfare work, and for this purpose a Social Welfare Endowment Fund has been set up, to which well wishers may contribute. Animal Welfare Centre - In 1968, the Theosophical Society erected a building in Besant Gardens for running an animal dispensary, with facilities for hospitalization when necessary. Recently, an Animal Welfare Endowment Fund has been started and an awareness campaign to reduce cruelty and inspire compassion is being planned. On 16 July 2000, the International President Mrs. Radha Burnier inaugurated the Besant Memorial Animal Dispensary in the Besant Gardens premises. Animals are being treated on a regular basis. Vocational Training Centre for Women - This Centre was established in 1999 for training young women as domestic help in households. They are trained in ethics and etiquette in addition to the various aspects of household work. There is a growing demand for such domestic help in the upper/ upper middle strata of society in India and among the Indians living abroad. The remuneration is attractive by Indian standards. Besant Scout Camping Centre - A place of much interest to children in Chennai is the Besant Scout Camping Centre at the southern end of Olcott Gardens. In a large clearing, shaded by trees, scouts, guides and other young campers can pitch their tents, live outdoors, and meet each other to discuss, talk and play. The Centre's kitchen is provided with cooking utensils, and tents may be hired for a small fee. Boys and girls come by the hundreds to enjoy the relaxed, sylvan atmosphere of the centre, especially at weekends. Go to Top Environmental Service Garden Department has the task of nurturing and preserving the green cover. Sample photos. The Theosophical Order of Service This Order was founded by Dr Annie Besant in February 1908 for the relief of suffering, and is now spread all over the world. The motto which she chose for the Order was: 'A union of those who love in the service of all that suffers.' Every country or region has its own National Director, while the International President of the Theosophical Society is always the President of the Order. Each National Director, guided by a Council, organizes the work in the area concerned and authorizes local groups to carry out any of the numerous philanthropic projects that are possible for it. TOS groups all over the world do such work as holding healing services, providing free medicine and medical aid, helping prisoners, visiting the sick, forming peace groups, doing animal welfare work and donating funds to worthy causes. A magazine called The Service Link provides information and suggestions from time to time. Every year at the annual International Convention, the work of the Order is discussed in order to stimulate and improve activities. Go to Top Home ~ About the Society ~ Early History ~ Emblem ~ Founders ~ Objects  ~ Directory ~ Literature ~ Fundamentals of Theosophy ~ Adyar Library & Research Centre ~ The School of the Wisdom Courses ~ International Conventions ~ Forthcoming Events ~ Contact us