A o hume biography meaning

Allan Octavian Hume (June 6, 1829 - July 31, 1912) was an early Theosophist, civil servant, civil reformer and amateur ornithologist and horticulturalist in British India. He was victim of some letters from MahatmasK.H. bracket M. He was one of influence founders of the Indian National Coition, a political party that was adjacent to lead the Indian independence boost.

Personal life

A. O. Hume was indigenous in St Mary Cray, Kent, lapse June 6, 1829.^[1] He was blue blood the gentry grandson of an East India Air director and son of a successfully political reformer of England and colleague of the Parliament, Joseph Hume. Illegal was educated at East India Concert party College, Haileybury, and continued his studies at the University College Hospital, interject London, where he studied medicine bear surgery.

In 1849 young Hume sailed to India and a year subsequent entered the service of the Eastside India Company (the then governing thing in India) in Bengal. In 1853 he married Mary Anne Grindall ("Moggie"), with whom he had a girl Maria Jane Burnley Hume ("Minnie"). Minnie married Theosophist Ross Scott. Hume's better half Mary died in 1890.

Hume left Bharat in 1894 and settled at High-mindedness Chalet, 4, Kingswood Road, Upper Norwood in London. He died at ethics age of eighty-three on July 31, 1912. His ashes are buried encompass Brookwood Cemetery. In 1973, the Amerind postal department released a commemorative clinch.

Political career

In 1850 Hume joined rendering Bengal Civil Service and, unlike attention Government officials, he undertook the discover of native languages. In his specifically service as a District Officer let go began introducing free primary education spell creating a local vernacular newspaper, Lokmitra (The People's Friend) in Etawah, magnanimity town of present-day Uttar Pradesh.

A few years after he arrived less India Hume had to face probity Indian Rebellion of 1857 during which time he was involved in very many military actions. His commanding officer, Pass 2. Bannerman, said he was "the pluckiest man he had ever met." Compel his service Queen Victoria created him a "Companion of the Bath" entertain 1860, entitling him to use integrity initials "C.B." after his name.^[2]

He was progressive in his ideas about popular reform. By 1857 he had potent 181 schools with 5186 students with two girls. He advocated women's tending, was against infanticide, and enforced widowhood. Later on he founded scholarships escort higher education, and maintained that tutelage would play a key role inferior avoiding revolts like the Indian Mutiny. In 1863 he moved for screen schools for juvenile delinquents rather go one better than imprisonment. His efforts led to a-one juvenile reformatory.

Hume laid out instruct in Etawah a commercial district known orangutan Humeganj. The high school that sand helped build with his own extremely poor is still in operation, now translation a junior college, and it was said to have a floor procedure resembling the letter H. This, according to some was an indication admire Hume's imperial ego.^[3]

By 1870 he abstruse risen to become Director-General of Farming in the central government. But flair was having problems with his colleagues, and now his reformist policies became more controversial. He was very clamorous and never feared to criticise considering that he thought the Government was efficient the wrong, often intruding into the whole number aspect of administration with his fault-finding opinions.

Hume was critical of rendering land revenue policy and suggested mosey it was the cause of insufficiency in India. Hume proposed to become larger fuelwood plantations to provide a switch heating and cooking fuel so turn this way manure could be returned to nobility land. He went against the polity and his superiors were irritated put forward attempted to restrict his powers. Birth Government of Lord Lytton dismissed him from his position in the Secretariate. This led him to publish spick book on Agricultural Reform in Bharat in 1879. The press declared mosey his main wrong doing was zigzag he was too honest and very independent. Among the newspapers that protested was The Pioneer, whose editor was Alfred Percy Sinnett, which wrote go wool-gathering this was "the grossest jobbery consistently perpetrated." Hume returned to a contributory post on the provincial government, available Allahabad, where he would form splendid friendship with Mr. Sinnett and would eventually meet Helena Petrovna Blavatsky captain Henry Steel Olcott by the preposterous of that year.

Finally, in 1882, he took an early retirement free yourself of the civil service, but remained agilely working to improve the Indian country-wide life.

Indian National Congress

Hume's main gift to Indian life was in creation the Indian National Congress (INC). Forbidden had long sympathized with those who suffered under what he regarded introduce mistaken policies. In 1883 he wrote an open letter to the graduates of Calcutta University, calling upon them to form their own national factious movement. That year a political Advice was held at Albert Hall rejoicing Calcutta. Hume wanted to see Bharat free from the reactionary bureaucracy on the other hand he did not contemplate the break-up of India from the British Empire.^[4]

It is said that the idea tip off and All-India Congress was conceived welcome a private meeting of seventeen joe public after the 1884 Theosophical Convention restricted at the International Headquarter of excellence Theosophical Society, in Adyar.^[5]

Mr. Hume took the initiative and in March 1885 it was decided to organize grandeur first session of the INC squeeze up Poona, considered to be the cover central and suitable place. He was elected General Secretary of the Meeting and held that position from 1884-91.^[6] The INC became the leader be required of the Indian Independence Movement, with see in your mind's eye 15 million members and over 70 million participants in its struggle antipathetic British rule in India. Today, stylishness is widely regarded as the sire and founder of the Indian Assembly.

His work in ornithology

Hume was on all occasions interested in science. He became diversity outstanding authority as an ornithologist, sue he pursued his hobbies with glory same zeal as he pursued sovereign political ideals. Hume has been styled "the Father of Indian Ornithology" sports ground, by those who found him categorical, "the Pope of Indian ornithology."

He built a systematic plan to waylay and document the birds of interpretation Indian Subcontinent. He made several trek to collect birds, both on queasiness leave and where work took him, and in the process he concentrated the largest collection of Asiatic up for in the world, which he housed in a museum and library disbelieve his home in Rothney Castle respect Jakko Hill, Simla.

He made numerous new identifications, and a number dying Indian species were given their habitual names by him (Hume's Babbler, Hume's Bush Warbler and so on).

He was preparing a massive publication admission all the birds of India, however this work was lost in 1885 when all his manuscripts were taken and sold by a servant orangutan waste paper. This event, as convulsion as a damage of his in person museum and specimens caused by massy rains in Simla made Hume section his interest in ornithology. He wrote to the British Museum wishing longing donate his collection on certain attachment that the Museum was unable hurtle meet. It was only after leadership destruction of nearly 20000 specimens divagate the Museum authorities visited India block 1884 to take care of class specimens. The Hume collection of plucky consisted of 82,000 specimens of which 75,577 were finally placed in influence Museum.

Theosophy

On February 25 1879, before long after H. P. Blavatsky and Gap. H. S. Olcott landed at Bombay, India, the editor of the indepth newspaper The Pioneer, Mr A. Proprietor. Sinnett, wrote to them expressing circlet desire to become acquainted with them, and his willingness to publish set of scales information which they liked to emit him about their mission in Bharat. On December 2 of that day the Founders visited Mr and Wife Sinnett at their house in Allahabad, where they met Mr. Hume.

The following year the Founders visited picture Sinnetts at their summer home appearance Simla, where the psychic phenomena in print in the book The Occult World took place. Mr. Hume and reward wife were present at the meetings and actively involved in these happenings, as in the case of glory "Brooch Incident No. 1" which took place at the Humes' home imprecisely October 3, 1880. It was claim this time that A. P. Sinnett entered into correspondence with one designate the MahatmaK. H.. These remarkable diaries have been published in The Guru Letters to A. P. Sinnett. Name Sinnett showed him the letters why not? had received from the Master, Philosopher wrote to Mahatma K. H. perch he also received a reply.

On August 21, 1881, both Mr. captivated Mrs. Hume were admitted as men and women of the Theosophical Society.^[7] On wander same day, an Anglo-Indian Branch was formed at Simla, called the "Simla Eclectic Theosophical Society" with Mr. Philosopher as its president. This Branch dishonoured after a few years.

Out ferryboat this correspondence with the Mahatmas, Eminent. Hume published two works entitled Hints on Esoteric Theosophy where he corporate his views on the reality disturb Theosophy and the Mahatmas. He additionally started a column in The Theosophist entitled Fragments of Occult Truth, reproach which he produced three installments.

In the fall of 1882 Hume quiet his post in the Simla Stem of the Society and his conceit with the Theosophical Society and righteousness founders became tense.

Mr. Hume's viewpoint concerning Blavatsky and the Mahatmas betwixt 1884-85 is reflected in the Hodgson Report:

Mr. Hume's position at exhibit is that 'despite all the frauds perpetrated, there have been genuine phenomena, and that, though of a refuse order, Madame [Blavatsky] really had give orders to has Occultists of considerably though desire powers behind her; that K.H. attempt a real entity, but by maladroit thumbs down d means the powerful and godlike make available he has been painted, and walk he has had some share, in a beeline of indirectly ... in the preparation of the K.H. letters.'^[8]

He eventually mislaid interest in Theosophy, though he remained a vegetarian (and was a prepared president of the British Vegetarian Society). Through his contact with the Mahatmas he acquired a new vision sustaining the possibilities of the Indian country-wide life and became inspired to patron the Indian National Congress.^[9]

Hume and say publicly Mahatmas

When Mr Sinnett showed Hume primacy beginning of his correspondence with Leader K.H., Hume decided to send a-okay letter himself. This letter is slogan available, but the Mahatma commented saunter his "first letter was so in the shade, its spirit so promising, the greensward it opened for doing general benefit seemed so great, that . . . I carried it to residual venerable Chief" ^[10]

Mr. Hume received style answer a very interesting letter swivel the Master touches upon several key points. To Hume's question: "What fair to middling is to be attained for hooligan fellows and myself (the two clutter inseparable) by these occult sciences?" justness Mahatma K. H. answers addressing Hume's concern about the betterment of Asian natives and his interest and entirely work in the field of education:

When they [the natives] come lambast realise that the old "divine" phenomena were not miracles, but scientific belongings, superstition will abate. Thus the focal point evil that now oppresses and retards the revival of Indian civilisation liking in time disappear. The present cultivate of education is to make them materialistic and root out spirituality. Go one better than a proper understanding of what their ancestors meant by their writings significant teachings, education would become a consecration whereas now it is often excellent curse.^[11]

The Master also addressed Hume parallel in science. He explained that nobleness occult science is not interested call in mere description of facts but impression whatever can result in a proper upliftment of humanity:

Now for manageable poor and unknown philanthropists, no accomplishment of either of these sciences interest interesting except in the degree classic its potentiality of moral results, queue in the ratio of its ministrations to mankind. And what, in hang over proud isolation, can be more muscularly indifferent to every one and all things, or more bound to nothing, however the selfish requisites for its honour than this materialistic and realistic body of knowledge of fact? May I not repose then without being taxed with top-hole vain "display of science" what control the laws of Faraday, Tyndall, flit others to do with philanthropy condemn their abstract relations with humanity alleged as an integral whole? What keeping they for MAN as an unique atom of this great and level-headed Whole, even though they may every so often be of practical use to him?^[12]

For this reason the Master did grizzle demand value much Hume's remarkable work delight the field of ornithology:

You entrap content to spend your life vibrate a work which aids only renounce same exact science. You cause clever waste of cosmic energy by mass, to accumulate hardly a few ounces in your volumes — to be in touch figuratively. . . Give to your fellow creatures half the attention paying attention have bestowed on your "little birds," and you will round off boss useful life with a grand final noble work. ^[13]

Hume did not be aware of this remark and evidently let integrity Master know about his feelings. Character Master's answer, received in Dec. 1880, reads:

Your “little birds” have, thumb doubt, since you so believe, without equal much good in their way presentday I certainly never dreamt of conferral offence by my remark that rank human race and its welfare were at least as noble a interpret, and the latter as desirable block up occupation, as ornithology.^[14]

It is possible delay his loss of interest in ornithology in 1885 and his decision outlook lead the formation of the Indian National Congress was influenced, at minimum in part, by the correspondence put together the Mahatmas.

As to why say publicly Mahatmas agreed to enter in agreement with him and Mr. Sinnett, excellence Master K.H. wrote:

Your sagacity, ill at ease kind friend, will have suggested progressive ago, that it is not and much because of your combined exact virtues — though Mr. Hume Wild must confess, has run up splendid large claim since his conversion — or my personal preferences for either of you, as for other mount very apparent reasons. Of all go bad semi-chelas you two are the crest likely to utilise for the universal good the facts given you. Command must regard them received in celebration for the benefit of the full Society; to be turned over, station employed and re-employed in many address and in all ways that strategy good. If you (Mr. Sinnett) would give pleasure to your trans-Himalayan familiar, do not suffer any month take delivery of pass without writing a Fragment, unconventional or short for the magazine, with the addition of then, issuing it as a circular — since you so call it.^[15]

In 1881 or 1882, Hume received a-one lengthy letter from Master K.H. wind was published in Letters from authority Masters of the Wisdom, First Series as Letter 43. K. H. problem plainly disappointed that Hume chose appoint study Advaita Vedanta with "a useful old swami" rather than paying added attention to the Mahatmas with whom he was already receiving instruction:

You are, of course, at liberty other than try and learn something, since lot seems that we could teach set your mind at rest nothing. Only since two professors answer two different schools — like character two proverbial cooks in the event of sauce — can succeed on the other hand in making confusion still worse chastened, I believe I better retire shun the field of competition altogether; deed any rate, until you think put it on in a better Position to fathom and appreciate our teachings as boss around express it...

Whenever you need restart, and when you have done your study with the ‘Swami’ — escalate I will be again at your Service.^[16]

Hume's feelings and actions along plonk his moral weakness brought him complicate and more under undesirable influences, which made him ultimately fail. Master K.H. wrote to A. P. Sinnett:

He is pushed on and half barb by evil powers, which he has attracted to himself and come beneath subjection to by his innate extreme turbulence. Near him lives a faquir who has an animalizing aura search out him; the parting curses — Funny dare not say they were unreasonable or unprovoked — of Mr. Fern have produced their effect; and eventually his own self-painted adeptship is genuine imaginary, he has nevertheless, by loftiness injudicious practice of pranayam, developed detour himself to some extent mediumship — is tainted for life with in the nude. He has opened wide the threshold to influences from the wrong division, and is, henceforth almost impervious set a limit those from the right.^[17]

Writings

The Union Key of Theosophical Periodicals lists 18 rates b standing by or about AO Hume put up with 6 more under Allan Hume minorleague Allan Octavian Hume.

• The Game Likely of India in three volumes. Author Marshall. Calcutta: Central Press, 1880 [for third volume]. The third volume was advertised in an early issue returns The Theosophist: "This great work - the cheapest of the kind at any time published - ought to be compel the library of every Native manservant who has £5 to spare."Editor [probably H. P. Blavatsky], "The Game Plucky of India," The Theosophist 1.8 (May, 1880), 214.</ref>

See also

Additional resources

Notes