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The international headquarters of the Theosophical Society since 1882, set on a 260-acre wooded estate along the southern bank of the Adyar River, home to one of India's largest banyan trees, multi-faith shrines, and a renowned research library.
Highlights
- International headquarters of the Theosophical Society, established here in December 1882 by Helena Blavatsky and Col. Henry Steel Olcott
- The Great Banyan, one of the largest and oldest banyan trees in India, with aerial roots spreading across a vast canopy
- Adyar Library and Research Centre, founded in 1886, holding a rare collection of Sanskrit, Pali, and Tibetan manuscripts
- Headquarters Hall (1884), the administrative seat of the worldwide Theosophical movement
- Garden of Remembrance, where the ashes of Col. Olcott and other Society leaders are interred
- Shrines representing Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Zoroastrianism, and other faiths, reflecting the Society's motto of universal brotherhood without distinction of creed
- 260 acres of protected woodland and gardens along the Adyar estuary, a quiet green refuge in south Chennai
Location
Explore Adyar
Discover more about the Adyar neighbourhood, including transport, healthcare, and other attractions.
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The Music Academy, Chennai
India's foremost institution for Carnatic music and dance, founded in 1928 and headquartered on TTK Road. The Academy hosts the annual Madras Music Season, the world's largest cultural festival of classical music.