Jiddu Krishnamurti

Ojai, California, US

Jiddu Krishnamurti was 'discovered' by C. W. Leadbeater near Madras in 1910 and taken under the wing of Annie Besant and the Theosophical Society, along with his younger brother, Nityananda. Besant and Leadbeater undertook to educate the two boys, and were involved in a protracted legal battle with their father, Naraniah, over custody. Besant took the boys to England in 1911 where they were met by a crowd of Theosophists at Charing Cross.

Having come to England to be educated, Krishnamurti was looked after by a number of Theosophists, including Emily Lutyens who developed a deep 'devotion' to him. The two brothers shared a love of fashion and motorcycles. They were tutored at various stages by C. Jinarajadasa and George Arundale. Krishnamurti failed all his exams for London University in 1919 (for the third time) and was then sent to Paris to study languages in January 1920 before returning to India in 1921. He then took on a more involved role in the Theosophical Society.

Leadbeater had proclaimed Krishnamurti to be head of the Order of the Star in the East in 1911 to prepare for the 'coming' of the incarnation of Lord Maitreya. Various publications were produced in Krishnamurti's name regarding Theosophical teachings (i.e., At the Feet of the Master (1910) and the journal, Herald of the Star), but the role of Krishnamurti in writing these is in dispute. Although Annie Besant proclaimed that the 'coming' had taken place in 1927, Krishnamurti dissolved the Order of the Star in 1929 and drew away from the Theosophical ideology (resigning from the Society in 1930), lecturing on his own brand of philosophy. He spent most of his time in Ojai, California and died there in 1986.