More Biography
Annie Besant (part-two)
In 1862, Miss Marryat was gradually Annie to be more self ?reliant and so Annie was no longer under her constant supervision. Miss Marryat said that now Annie was old enough to do things herself and should not get dependent on her. For the next two-three years, life was smooth for Annie. Annie ` s chief companions at that time were the Fathers of the early Christian Church, and she spent her time reading and spending a devotional life.
She fasted and to serve Christ was becoming a definite aim together with active service .She idolized only two persons .One was her mother, and the other was Christ. Here she met Rev. Frank Besant a young Cambrigeman who was serving the mission church as deacon. From the very beginning Annie and her husband were an ill- matched pair .He had very ideas about the husband being a figure of authority and the wife being a figure of submissiveness.
Annie was used to freedom. She was impulsive and hot tempered with total indifference to home details regarding its management. In 1868, Annie took up writing. She wrote some short stories and sent to the `Family Herald`. When the cheque came she was delighted because that was her first earning .It gave her a sense of Independence. In January 1869, her son was born and in August 1870 she gave birth to a bay girl .In 1871 both her child were ill and down with whooping cough.
The child finally recovered but those weeks of anguish left a deep impression on Annie `s mind. She was transforming into an atheist and her personal belief in Christ also changed .How could a good God tolerate pain and evil in the world she questioned. She saw suffering of the poor, the state of her mother whom she dearly loved, and how she had been defrauded by a lawyer she trusted, how she ran into debt, her own cheerful life turned into bondage and now the torture of the tiny innocent baby, all these events disillusioned her. She started to question the dogmas of the Church sense of outrange she felt, made her lose faith in Christianity. She became a rebel against the churches and finally a non- believer in God.
In 1874, she decided to join Free Thought Society. They encouraged their members to voice their opinion and thoughts in the meetings that were held regularly. Women were taught to be brave and to become financially independent. During these lectures she met many educationists and people from other professions. She became interested in Hinduism and started to study the life of lord Krishna. During this period, she came in touch with Charles Brad laugh, a famous man in London, who drew great crowds whenever he spoke on social and economic issues .He was a free thinker. At their very well together. For many years they worked together and carried the Free- Thought movement and even improved upon them, that Brad laugh soon insisted that Annie also lecture herself. She became a magnetic orator. Charles Brad laugh was editor of the radical National Reformer and leader of the secular movement in Britain, gave Annie `s a job for the National Reformer and during the next few years she wrote many articles on issues such as marriage and women `s rights.
In 1877, Annie Besant and Charles Brad laugh decided to publish The Fruits of Philosophy, Charles Knowlton `s book advocating birth control .They had to struggle against orthodox opponents. Even though the book was enormously popular, the two were charged under ?obscenity? laws. They had published material that was likely ?to deprave or corrupt those whose minds are open to immoral influences?. As for the children, the moment they were old enough they came back to her and remained great admirers of their mother. They even shared her views on natural and the destiny of man and joined the Theosophical Society. She worked for the children `s and women `s rights and she was the secretary of the trade union formed to help the girl `s who were working in match factories. Annie was asked to review ?Secret Doctrine ?by the editor of the Review of Reviews. The moment she read the work, something within her mind flashed .She wanted to interview its author Madame Blavatsky, she became Madame Blavatsky` disciple because from the moment she met her, her life has changed.
The Theosophical Society had shifted its major activities from England to India around 1879. On November 16th 1893, Annie was offered an opportunity to go to India. She was delighted as she had for so long wanted to visit this ancient land that was now under British rule. She came to India and she managed to change the religious life of so many Hindus, she was well read in the Hindu philosophies and her knowledge amazed the people .Her love for India poured in every speech and many Indians listening to her almost wept with emotions when she gave them hope of a great new India. She found the Central Hindu College in Benaras, in the year 1898. Annie Besant also organized a movement called ` The Sons and Daughter of India `. For children she started the ` The Golden Chain ` movement that is active in Scotland, Spain, U.S.A, and many countries of South America.
In 1913, Annie Besant entered politics. She started a weekly newspaper called ?The Commonwealth, in January 1914. When Mahatma Gandhi launched his Non Cooperation Movement against the British she disagreed with him, even she held him in high regard. She believes in ?passive resistance?. Annie Besant passed away peacefully at her home in Adayar on September 20, 1933. Though she did not live to see India get her freedom, she was content with the work she did for the country. She said she had no regrets as she had done her best for India `s freedom. In most of her writing, she tried to convey that a deep understanding of the laws of nature.