A THEOSOPHIST IN INDIA

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12538, 30 August 1926, Page 5

A THEOSOPHIST IN INDIA

Miss Mary lveff, general secretary of the Theosophicai Society in Australia, writes and speaks interestingly of her experiences in India. In this great country she held certain teaching appointments, in Benares and Lucknow especially. She speaks of certain difficulties, as when the parents wrote indignantly concerning the training of their daughters in gardening. The girls must he excused. Miss Kefl duly excused those that insisted, but later excused them also from sharing in the fruit and vegetables that were produced. The ordinary State education was usually unsuitable. For instance, the scholars had to learn English weights and measures, though* these they would never use, having measures or their own. She herself specialised much in singing and dancing. She speaks also of tho native woman's resentment against polygamy, whereas Maliorumedan women did not seem to object. She instances one woman who resisted strongly when her husband, wishing for a son, she having daughters only, married another woman. Fortunately the man was rich enough to keep separate establishments, so that she and the new girlwife never met. Possibly there was soma secret satisfaction when-the second wife also presented her husband only with children of the undesired sex. The older woman never forgot her own humiliation, and when her daughter was old enough to marry, mado tho suitor swear that he would, never take a second wife. "I ara a Theosophtet—l think it would bo most unfair to the woman/' was tho answer, and he took the pledge. Meanwhile the father decided, as he had only girls, to do the best thing with them by making. them doctors, so those that did not marry were given this profession. Thus may be explained, perhaps, the readiness of some natives of India to give their girls professions, when there are no sons.