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ABSTRACT
The Theosophical Society, founded in 1875 as a universal brotherhood without distinction of race, creed, colour, gender or social background, promoted an ‘ageless wisdom' that resonates to some extent with Sikh teachings. This article explores how Theosophists and Theosophy introduced Sikhism to a western audience, by focusing on Helena Blavatsky, Annie Besant and Dorothy Field. The three women's political and religious views coloured their representation of Sikhs and Sikhism. Excerpts exemplify the women’s attention to Guru Nanak and subsequent Gurus – notably Guru Gobind Singh and Sikh history and their distinctive styles and focus.
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Notes
1 See Goodrick-Clarke Citation2008 for historical contextualisation of the Theosophical Society.
2 Sikhism first appears in Western women’s writing in Graham (Citation1814) and the first recorded encounter of a western woman with Sikhs was Ann Deane’s with members of Ranjit Singh’s family at Hardwar in 1809 (Nesbitt Citation2020a).
3 For her reasons for not returning to India see Blavatsky.net/ndex.php/why-i-do-not-return-to-india (accessed 29 October 2019).
4 Thanks to Philippa Clothier for this information.
5 Nanak was a Khatri by caste (as her 1878 publication had acknowledged), not a Brahman.
6 See McLeod Citation1980b, 23 for the B40 janam sakhi account and McLeod Citation1980a, 144 for commentary.
7 For the disappearance of Guru Nanak’s body see Macauliffe Citation1909 rep. Citation1963, 191 (following the Puratan janamsakhi). See also the version of the Bala janamsakhi that was printed in 1871 (McLeod Citation1980a, 21 and 275) and the Adi Sakhis (McLeod Citation1980a, 210–218; 279).
8 See Mandair Citation2009, 217–223 for analysis of Singh Sabha Sikhs’ exposition of ik oamkar, distancing it from HInduism.
9 i.e. Akalis.
10 Blavatsky Citation1961, 7–8. This may be an exaggeration. In the 21st century the usual length is about 6 metres, and no more than 22 metres (for a dumala).
11 The tower of Sukharev (built for Peter the Great in 1692) was a landmark until its demolition in 1934. Blavatsky Citation1961, 15.
12 Blavatsky Citation1961, 18.
13 ‘Belgium of India’ apparently refers to Belgium’s nineteenth-century reputation as a safe haven for Jews fleeing pogroms in Russia. See https://focusonbelgium.be/en/culture/brussels-safe-haven-question-asked-jewish-museum-belgium (accessed 15 August 2018).
14 Blavatsky Citation1961, 22–23. An allusion to Leviticus 16: 8, 10, 26 in the Old Testament/ Hebrew Bible as ‘scapegoat’ was William Tindale’s 1530 rendering of the Hebrew Azazel, referring to a goat that would be chosen by drawing lots to be sent into the desert carrying the sins of the people of Israel.
15 Compare the ‘ancient prophesy’ quoted by a senior Indian military officer, Bir Singh, in Rudyard Kipling’s December 1914 Daily Telegraph account ‘that a hatted race should some day come out of the sea and lead them to victory all the earth over’ (Allen Citation2017, 27–28). For more prophecies of Sikhs’ defeat by white men from the west see Madra and Singh Citation20Citation11 (71, 82, 340n. iii).
16 Macauliffe had advocated official recognition of Punjabi (Citation1909 rep. Citation1963, vol 1: xxiv).
17 Dabistan is Dabistan-e Mazahib (School of Religions) written in Persian c. 1655 and published in English translation in 1843.
18 Painda Khan, an Afghan soldier, initially fought for Guru Har Gobind who rewarded him. The Guru subsequently discovered that he had given away his gifts. Painda turned against the Guru and brought an army to attack him (Pruthi Citation2004, 81).