Annie Besant
Annie Wood Besant (1847-1933) was a prominent Theosophist, women’s rights activist, writer and orator. A Britisher of Irish origin, Annie Besant came to Adyar, Chennai, in 1893, and became an ardent champion of Indian nationalism, besides playing an active role in the Theosophical Society of which she became president in 1907. Her proudest moment came when she was made President of the Indian National Congress.
In Chennai, she is remembered fondly as a great supporter of the city’s religious, cultural, political and literary efflorescence in the late 19th and early 20th century. The city boasts several memorials to her including the seaside suburb of Besant Nagar, the Besant Theosophical Higher Secondary School, the Besant Arundale Memorial Senior Secondary School and the Vasanta Press of the Theosophical Society. Besant Montessori School was the first such institution in India, where Maria Montessori herself taught and trained teachers.
Annie Besant was born to William Wood and Emily Morris in 1847 at Clapham, London, on 1st October 1847. Annie’s father, a doctor, died when she was only five years old. In 1866 Annie, 19 then, married the Rev. Frank Besant. By the time she was 23 Annie had two children. Annie then left her husband as her religious beliefs began to undergo change.
After their separation, Besant completely rejected Christianity and in 1874 joined the Secular Society. Annie soon developed a close relationship with Charles Bradlaugh, editor of the radical National Reformer and leader of the secular movement in Britain. Charles Bradlaugh gave Annie a job working for the National Reformer and during the next few years wrote many articles on issues such as marriage and women’s rights.
In 1877 Annie Besant and Charles Bradlaugh decided to publish The Fruits of Philosophy, Charles Knowlton’s book advocating birth control. Besant and Bradlaugh were charged with publishing material that was “likely to deprave or corrupt those whose minds are open to immoral influences”. Besant and Bradlaugh were both found guilty of publishing an “obscene libel” and sentenced to six months in prison. At the Court of Appeal the sentence was quashed. Besant now wrote and published her own book advocating birth control entitled The Laws of Population.
Annie Besant also became friends with socialists such as Edward Aveling and George Bernard Shaw. After joining the Social Democratic Federation, Annie started her own campaigning newspaper called The Link.
Besant built close contacts with the Irish Home Rulers and gave them support in her newspaper columns. These were crucial years, in which the Irish nationalists were forming an alliance with Liberals and Radicals. Annie met the leaders of the movement.
For Annie, politics, friendship and love were always closely intertwined. Her decision in favour of Socialism came about through a close relationship with George Bernard Shaw, a struggling young Irish author living in London, and a leading light of the Fabian Society. Annie was impressed by his work and grew very close to him too in the early 1880s.
Unemployment was a central issue of the time, and in 1887 some of the London unemployed started to hold protests in Trafalgar Square. Annie agreed to appear as a speaker at a meeting on 13 November. The police tried to stop the assembly. Fighting broke out, and troops were called.
Many were hurt, one man died, and hundreds were arrested.Annie offered herself for arrest, but the police refused to take the bait.The events created a great sensation, and became known as Bloody Sunday. Annie was widely blamed - or credited - for it. She threw herself into organising legal aid for the jailed workers and support for their families.
.Her most notable victory in this period was perhaps her involvement in the London matchgirls strike of 1888. Annie met the women and set up a committee, which led the women into a strike for better pay and conditions. The action won enormous public support. Annie led demonstrations by “match-girls”. They were cheered in the streets, and prominent churchmen wrote in their support. In just over a week they forced the firm to improve pay and conditions. Annie then helped them to set up a proper union and a social centre.
In the 1890s Annie Besant became a supporter of Theosophy, a religious movement founded by Madame Blavatsky in 1875. Theosophy is based on Hindu ideas of karma and reincarnation with nirvana as the eventual aim. Annie Besant came to live in Madras but she remained interested in the subject of women’s rights. She continued to write letters to British newspapers arguing the case for women’s suffrage and in 1911 was one of the main speakers at an important suffragist rally in London.
Soon after becoming a member of the Theosophical Society she came to Madras, India for the first time (in 1893). Together with Charles Webster Leadbeater, whom she had first met in London in April 1894, she investigated the universe, matter and the history of mankind through clairvoyance.
Besant was elected president of the Theosophical Society in 1907 upon the death of the previous president Henry Steel Olcott.
Soon after Besant’s inheritance of the presidency, in 1909, Leadbeater discovered Jiddu Krishnamurti—later to become internationally known as a modern day savant—on the private beach attached to the society’s headquarters at Adyar. The discovery started years of upheaval in the Theosophical Society in Adyar, as the boy was proposed as the new messiah. Krishnamurti and his brother Nitya were brought up by Theosophists from that moment on.
Eventually, in 1929, Krishnamurti ended up disbanding the Order of the Star of the East, which had been founded to support him and of which he had been made the leader. This destroyed Besant’s spirit, as it went against her ideals.
The Home Rule Movement
Annie Besant continued to participate in political struggles. She had joined the Indian National Congress, when it had not yet developed into a permanent mass movement.
In 1914 war broke out in Europe. Britain needed the support of its Empire in the fight against Germany. Annie said: “England’s need is India’s opportunity,” a clear echo of an Irish nationalist slogan. As editor of the newspaper New India, she attacked the (British) government of India and called for clear and decisive moves towards self-rule. As with Ireland, the government refused to discuss any changes while the war lasted.
In 1916 Mrs Besant launched the Home Rule League, based on an Irish model. For the first time India had a political party to fight for change. It built a strong structure of local branches, enabling it to mobilise demonstrations, public meetings and agitations.
In June 1917 Annie was arrested and interned at a hill station. She flew a red and green flag in the garden to show her defiance.
Congress and the Muslim League together threatened to launch protests if she were not set free. Annie’s arrest had created a focus for protest, giving those who wanted long-term independence for India a chance to work together for a simple, achievable goal.
The government was forced to give way and make concessions. It was announced that the ultimate aim of British rule was Indian self-government, and moves in that direction were promised. Annie Besant was freed in September that year to a tremendous welcome from crowds all over India. In December she took over as President of the Congress for a year.
After the war, there could be no going back. A new leadership emerged around Mohandas K. Gandhi - one of those who had written to demand Annie’s release. Mrs Besant tried to accommodate Krishnamurti’s views into her life, but never really succeeded. The two remained friends, however, until the end of her life. Annie Besant died on 20 September 1933, survived by a daughter, Mabel.
Annie Besant’s books and publications:
* The Political Status of Women (1874).
* The Law of Population (1877).
* Marriage, As It Was, As It Is, And As It Should Be: A Plea For Reform (1878).
* Autobiographical Sketches (1885).
* “Why I became a Theosophist” (1889).
* An Autobiography (1893).
* Besant, Annie. The Devachanic Plane - Theosophical Publishing House, London, ca (1895).
* The Ancient Wisdom (1898).
* Thought Forms (1901)
ISBN 0-8356-0008-4
* Bhagavad Gita (Translation) (1905).
* Besant, Annie. Study in Consciousness - A contribution to the science of psychology. Theosophical Publishing House, Madras, ca (1907).
* Introduction to Yoga (1908) [2]
* Besant, Annie. Man and his bodies - Theosophical Publishing House, London, 1911.
* Besant, Annie. Man’s life in this and other worlds - Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar (1913).
* The Case for India - The Presidential Address Delivered by Annie Besant at the Thirty-Second Indian National Congress held at Calcutta 26th December (1917).
* The Doctrine of the Heart (1920).
* Occult Chemistry.
* Esoteric Christianity.