Published by Blavatsky Study Center. Online Edition copyright 2004.


In the Days of H.P.B.
Master M.'s Visit to Madras in 1874

by G. Subbiah Chetty

[First published in Adyar Notes and News, October 25, 1928, p. 2.]


H.P.B. and Col. Olcott arrived in Madras on December 19, 1882. A few days after their arrival, on a Sunday morning, Madame Blavatsky was unpacking, assisted by "the boys" - Damodar K. Mavalankar, Narasimhulu and Subbiah Chetty, and Krishnaswami, known as "Bhavaji." Among the articles were found two portraits; and Narasimhulu and Subbiah were examining them intently, as they recognised in one of them a saddhu they had seen some years before. Noticing them handling the pictures, H.P.B. pounced upon them and forbade it, saying they were pictures of the Masters. The two brothers said they had seen the person portrayed in one of them. H.P.B. declared this could not be true; but a fortnight later she was told that they had indeed seen the Master M. in 1874; that He had visited the city of Madras in His physical body; and that they were two of the four persons who had seen Him then. She asked them to describe the visit.

They said that early one morning a saddhu 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. Of the three persons present one left the room, and the other two - Narasimhulu and Subbiah -- 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.

H.P.B. added the information that He was on His way to Rameshvaram, one of the great places of pilgrimage in India.

G. SUBBIAH CHETTY

Editor's Note:  This is a hitherto unpublished incident.