London - Start of Service in the West

[john]

Could you give some details of when and how the BK service began in UK and how you got disenchanted with them in 1974 itself because for most of the post-1969 BKs, it was a comparatively pure phase of BKWSU when the service had just began to expand and there was little or no commercialization of knowledge?

I believe Sister Jayanti returned to London in 1969. Around 1971 The Tennyson Road Centre was found, with Dadi Ratan Mohini in charge.

In Spring 1974 Dadi Janki arrived and Mohini returned to India. Two of the first to take the 7-Day course were Denise Lawrence and John Kane and in 1974 Denise Lawrence was the first Westerner to visit Madhuban. Sudesh arrived soon after around 1975.

[joel]

I will pull out my old Raja Yoga diary which is in storage ... This means that I must have been around in 1977!

I'll join ex-l in inviting you to share stories of events, individuals, atmosphere, customs and systems of those early days, to add them to our collective memory.

I did not appear on the scene until 1981.

[fluffy bunny]

in 1974 Denise Lawrence was the first Westerner to visit Madhuban.

This is off into the history zone ... and don't let me distract from other discussions ... but when did the German brother, Surya turn up in Madhuban? Did not a few Westerners take Gyan in India? Lawrence Babb (academic) was out there during the mid-70s. You offer us a lot, john m.

[arjun]

I believe Sister Jayanti returned to London in 1969. Around 1971 The Tennyson Road Centre was found, with Dadi Ratan Mohini in charge. In Spring 1974 Dadi Janki arrived and Mohini returned to India. Two of the first to take the 7-Day course were Denise Lawrence and John Kane and in 1974 Denise Lawrence was the first Westerner to visit Madhuban. Sudesh arrived soon after around 1975.

Om Shanti. Thanks for the information.

By the way, was Sister Jayanti originally an Indian immigrant who got the BK knowledge when BKs arrived in London? Or did she come from India as a BK?

The information about Dadi Ratanmohini was new to me. I have always known her as the incharge of Rajasthan zone and of the BK teachers. You write that the first Westerner visited Madhuban in 1974. So, all the previous visitors from abroad must have been Indian migrants.
Regards,
OGS,
Arjun

[john]

By the way, was Sister Jayanti originally an Indian immigrant who got the BK knowledge when BKs arrived in London? Or did she come from India as a BK?

Sister Jayanti's Mother became a BK in 1957 whilst in India, Jayanti met Baba then aged 8, the family moved to London soon after. In 1968 Sister Jayanti visited Pune centre run by Dadi Janki and after that she became a BK herself. She then returned to London in 1969 to start service in London.

Would you know and does anyone here know how Tennyson Road was chosen as the first overseas centre ?

I don't think it was so much chosen, more a case of the only place that would have them. Seriously.

They finally found an Indian landlord who wanted his premises to be used for spiritual purposes.

[bansy]

I don't think it was so much chosen, more a case of the only place that would have them. Seriously.

I have heard that when the location of centres are chosen, it was done according to Brahma Baba's directions. A map was brought out before him and his finger would point to, in random, a spot on the map, and that would be the place for a centre. Maybe plus or minus a few streets.

Now, London is a likelihood for being the first place since its links with old colonial India, the English language, and thus many Indians residing in the UK in the 60s. But its quite an unbelievable magical technique. Imagine the first centre could have been right next to Buckingham Palace. Or right in the middle of Soho. That would be a great test wouldn't it :oops: :shock: (I'll leave others here to describe Soho for those who have not been to London, not that I'd expect anyone here has ever been there of course :P ).

Anyway, I wonder if others were given any other reasons. Now this discussion is out, for those BKs in London. They can ask how Tennyson Road was chosen, why it was chosen, and also how the more recent GCH was chosen. Under whose direction was it from? Did they consult Brahma Baba?

[john]

In the book 'Purity and peace', Sister Jayanti explains there was strong racist element in London at that time and this she says was the cause of landlords being unwilling to give them accommodation,. Plus the logistics of finding a cheap near convenient place made it difficult.

It was Dadi Janki's suggestion that they find a place for a centre in London. Of course, in 1971 Brahma Baba's magical finger was unavailable.

[bansy]

It was Dadi Jankis suggestion that they find a place for a centre in London. Of course in 1971 Brahmababa's magical finger was unavailable.

Another mysterious hole in the making. It was Sister Jayanti who is the source of what I heard from about the magic finger. It's passed through several people before arrived to me, all believing Brahma Baba made the decision.

[john]

Another mysterious hole in the making. It was Sister Jayanti who is the source of what I heard from about the magic finger.

Brahmababa actually sent her to Agra, place of the Taj Mahal in 1968. It was after his death, she decided to return to the UK.

Maybe these posts need their own thread? The London connection or Foreign Service or ...?

[fluffy bunny]

This is copied a page from a small pdf of the original Western 7 Day Course ... from a more innocent age;

[andrey]

There is a mention in the Murli - canot quote date - for a couple from London maybe, England that are doing service there. So this has happened at the time of Brahma Baba. There is a difference between the start of service and the opening of center. Could have been sister Jayanti's parents.