The Roerichs’ Estate in Crookety: History and Modern Times

Meeting with members of Italian Community “the Living Ethics” in Kalimpong India, Crookety

On the 2d of November, 2010 members of the forum arrived to Kalimpong in the Eastern Himalayas and stayed in the Kruketi mansion, where Elena Roerich spent last 7 years of her life. Guests were met with kindness by representatives of the Italian community of Living Ethics, to whom this house belongs now. Ferenza and Francesca told about the community of Living Ethics in Italy and about the Roerich’s house reconstruction.

The Kruketi house was built in the 30th years of the 19th century in European style by Norman Oddling, later son-in-law of “the architector of Kalimpong”, Dr. John Handerson Graham, who died in Kruketi in 1942. E.I. Roerich rented the Kruketi house and moved to it with her elder son U.N. Roerich in 1949. After her death the house passed into hands of the owners. In 2000 Italians came to Kalimpong and found out that the heiress of the Bhutan princess – the owner of the house – sold it to Tibetan, who decided to reconstruct the house and dig a pool. After a year and a half Tibetan put up the house for sale but members of Italian Living Ethics community couldn’t buy it because of the Indian law – a foreigner have no right to own the land in India. As for the difficulties, they were overcome. Reconstruction of the house was held from 2003 till 2005. In the process the initial view was maximally preserved. On the 5th of December, 2005 the grand opening of the house-museum took place in presence of official persons from India, Russia and Italy.

There are no memorial things in Kruketi. On the first floor of the house a fireplace has lasted well and in the garden there is a stone bench, which E.I. Roerich loved to sit so much. At the same time colleagues from Italy succeeded in conserving simplicity, harmony and solemnity in the atmosphere of the house – qualities peculiar to Elena Ivanovna.

On the 3d of November members of the forum visited E.I. Roerich’s place of cremation accompanied by Ferenza. She showed a snowy mortar, disposed in a small garden near the Buddhist shrine with a plaque: “Urusvati. Elena Ivanovna Roerich.12.2.1879-1955.10.4”. Being the incarnation of grandeur and peace, mortar fills the atmosphere with vibrations of light and purity. These feelings are enhanced by the majestic panorama of Kanchenjunga.

In the evening Italian friends invited members of the forum to the house of E.I. Roerich where together they read and discussed paragraphs from the book “The fiery world” near the turned on fireplace.

On the 5th of November on the territory of the Kruketi house was held a discussion between guests of the forum and Italian members of Living Ethics community – Giuseppe, Marina Bernardi, Francesca and Ferenza. O.A. Urozhenko – the President of The International Council of the Roerich Organizations named after S.N. Roerich – told about programs of the Council, exhibitions, about the forum “Culture and peace – the sacred bastion of the mankind” that took place in Delhi, Kulu and Shimla. Giuseppe offered to use scientific reports of Russian colleagues spoken on the conference in Delhi on the conference dedicated to the 75 anniversary of the Roerich Pact that was thought to run in Darjeeling from 13th till 18th of November. “Unfortunately, the Roerich’s family isn’t widely known in India, - he said. And we must popularize such events. We would be grateful for materials of your Forum”.

Ferenza was interested in the problem of collaboration between The International Council of the Roerich Organizations named after S.N. Roerich and other countries. O.A. Urozhenko told about cooperation of the Council with Bulgaria and CIS countries in the fields of culture and science and also expressed her readiness to cooperate with other countries. ”Cooperation is between human hearts, not between organizations” – she emphasized.

Italian colleagues were interested in learning how Russian followers of the Teaching run their spiritual work. In the Italian community of Living Ethics members pay great attention to this problem. They explore the Teaching carefully step by step. The first step lasts for three years and its goal is to study first three books of the Teaching. Members of the community usually get together once a month and talk over what they had read. When the third year is close to its ending, everybody must decide whether he wants to go this way or choose another one for his intellectual advance. The second step includes reading of all other books of Living Ethics in chronological order. The third step is concerned with studying especial materials, compiling a selection from the Teaching and publishing of them in special magazine. The fourth step proposes scientific work. Members of the Italian community living in Kalimpong have some books of “Agni Yoga facets” in Russian and translate them into Italian.

Ferenza told about the fact that Russians who came once to the Kruketi house were very impressed by Italians reading Living Ethics. “We are glad to see Russians who understand that Living Ethics is the sacred cosmic Teaching for everyone,” – said Ferenza.

Marina Bernardi spoke about importance of communication between each other in order to cooperate effectively. Members of the Forum shared their impressions about what they have seen in Kruketi. It was pointed out that here are collected all the fine qualities of the Italian culture in synthesis with the Indian culture. Synthesis of styles is everywhere – in the finery of the house, in harmonious combination of blossoming flowers in the garden, in the interior decoration of guest rooms. “I’m greatly impressed by the fact that in absence of material things it became possible to recapture the atmosphere of the times when E.I. Roerich lived here, - told O.A. Urozhenko. There are museums without spirit. But here reigns the tissue of Culture”. Ferenza remarked that the absence of material things gave them freedom for creative work.

Marina Bernardi spoke about the work concerning building up in Kruketi the center for people, studying the Living Ethics. First of all, goal of the Italians was to conserve the house and later they decided to create a center. “Roerich opened a new epoch for us and we must be ready for this epoch. We need to learn more about the establishing of harmonious relations”, - said Marina.

Members of the Italian community regularly take part in scientific conferences in the International Roerich center (Moscow).

Getting on the theme, Olga Alekseevna Urozhenko drew special attention to the importance of cooperation between cultural Roerich centers appearing in places where Roerich lived and worked – these are International Roerich center, Memorial complex in Kulu and center in Kalimpong. “Our task is to think also about Bangalore where Svyatoslav Nikolayevich Roerich spent a lot of years. His house also should be revived as a cultural center”, - supposed Olga Alekseevna. She offered to members of the Italian community of Living Ethics to unite and help the making of cultural center in S.N. Roerich’s house.

The conversation was attended also by M.N. Chiryatiev, V.S. Vojtenok, L.V. Homenok, V.A. Vladimirov and others.

Review has been prepared by E.S. Kulakova



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•  The Roerich Pact and the Banner of Peace as a Remarkable Phenomenon of the World Culture
Reports and Speeches at the International Social and Scientific Conference.
Delhi – Kullu – Shimla – Kalimpong October 22– November 5 2010


© The International Council of Roerich Organizations by name of S.N. Roerich. http://www.roerichs.com/Lng/en