Leadbeter Chambers Inside TS, Chennai Pic: TS Adyar site

The Theosophical Society (TS)located on Besant Nagar, one of the oldest landmarks in that area, along with Kalakshetra. Having been a student at ‘The School KFI’ for 14 years yes right from LKG till my 12th, it was natural for me to venture into the Theosophical Society, it also helped that a few of my friends lived there.

Almost every weekend I along with my friends would go to the broken bridge. We would walk through TS and reach the beach. A walk through TS is extremely pleasurable; it’s an escape from the usual urban squalor of Chennai. The campus is a escape from the hustle and bustle of Chennai, and it’s hard to believe that its located in the heart of the city!! During the walk to the one crosses the famous banyan tree, which is over 100 years old, before wakling along the banks of the Adyar river, this area is a part of the Adyar estuary, which is actually a protected wildlife reserve, and its sad the way it has been neglected and polluted. Despite this, neglect and abuse, the Adyar River does support life, proof of which is the pelicans one can see fishing and basking in the evening sun. We would typically reach the beach at 6 pm, spend time at the broken bridge, enjoy the cool evening breeze. The walk back through TS to the main gate is always better that the one to the beach. It would be totally dark, especially between October till January or February, when the sun would set early, and it would become dark quickly. During the walk back, when it is dark, the campus comes alive with nocturnal animals, jackals braying, owl calls, and cricket calls in unison. I always reach the main gate with a heavy heart, hoping that I could spend some more time in the campus, listen to the jackals, owls and crickets for a little longer, but just as all good things come to an end, my walk through TS also has to come to an end.