Lives in the Shadow with J. Krishnamurti

Lives in the Shadow with J. Krishnamurti is a 1991 memoir by Radha Rajagopal Sloss (b. 1931). It chronicles aspects of the long, intimate, and ultimately contentious relationship of the author's family with the Indian philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti.

Lives in the Shadow with J. Krishnamurti
First edition
AuthorRadha Rajagopal Sloss
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
SubjectAutobiography
PublishedMay 1991 by Bloomsbury Publishing (1st edition)
Media typePrint (hardcover)
Pages335
ISBN978-0-747-50720-8

About the work

The author's father Rajagopalacharya Desikacharya (commonly D. Rajagopal, 1900–1993),[1] and mother Rosalind Rajagopal (1903–1996), were friends and associates of Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895–1986) for four decades, but their personal and business relationships eventually soured permanently.[2] Throughout this time they lived in close proximity with him in Ojai, California, and the author viewed the unconventional Indian philosopher (whom she affectionately called Krinsh while growing up) as a member of her family.

The book is best known for bringing to light details about Krishnamurti's private life, especially his long-term extramarital affair with Rajagopal Sloss' mother. The revelations were met with surprise and consternation by Krishnamurti adherents,[3] and generated a measure of adverse publicity; a Krishnamurti biographer wrote that "history will not view Krishnamurti in quite the same light", yet the same author considered the long-term impact of the revelations doubtful.[4][5] The book is also known for making a number of allegations and controversial statements regarding Krishnamurti. These provoked rebuttal publications by Krishnamurti associates and affiliated institutions,[6][7] while one independent source has described the book as "deliberately iconoclastic".[8]

Author statement

Rajagopal Sloss stated the following regarding the work:

This is not only the story of one person. It is the story of the relationships of J. Krishnamurti and people closely involved with him, especially Rosalind Williams Rajagopal and D. Rajagopal, my mother and father, and of the consequences of this involvement on their lives. Recently there have been biographies and a biographical film on Krishnamurti that have left areas, and a large span of years, in mysterious darkness. It is not in the interest of historical integrity, especially where such a personality is concerned, that there be these areas of obscurity.

— Lives in the Shadow with J. Krishnamurti, Preface[9]

Publication history

The book was originally published in May 1991, by Bloomsbury Publishing in the United Kingdom.[9] A US edition was published by Addison-Wesley in March 1993. In September 2000, Rajagopal Sloss re-released the work through iUniverse, a US self-publishing company (see § Select editions, below).

Select editions

Reception

The work has been reviewed by among others, Tim Heald in The Times (London),[10] Patricia Beer (London Review of Books),[11] and Firdaus Kanga in the Times Literary Supplement (London).[12]

See also

References
  1. "Obituaries: D. Rajagopal; Edited J. Krishnamurti's Teachings". Metro. Los Angeles Times. (Ventura County ed.). Times Mirror. 27 April 1993. p. 5. ISSN 0458-3035. Archived from the original on 2012-01-21. Retrieved 2016-10-14.
  2. Vernon, Roland (2001). Star in the east: Krishnamurti: the invention of a messiah (hardcover). New York: Palgrave. pp. 200–206. ISBN 978-0-312-23825-4.
  3. Thomas, A. J. (6 November 2005). "Obsessive precision". Literary Reviews. The Hindu. Chennai: Hindu and India Information. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2019-07-25. Review of the autobiography of Indian author Chaman Nahal mentions the effect of Rajagopal Sloss' book on Nahal.
  4. Vernon 2001, pp. 203–204.
  5. Papp, Mark (director); Wells, Peter (writer) (16 October – 9 November 2004). Blue Dove (theatrical production). Music direction & arrangement by David O. Ivar Theatre, Los Angeles: Wells Productions. Archived from the original on 2015-10-28. Retrieved 2017-04-26 – via WebCite. Additional pages archived on 2015-10-28: "Blue Dove: Synopsis". Retrieved 2017-05-27. The relationship between Rosalind Rajagopal and Krishnamurti in the 1920s and 1930s was a central plot device of this musical, which was loosely based on Krishnamurti's early life.
  6. Lutyens, Mary (1996). Krishnamurti and the Rajagopals (paperback). Ojai, California: Krishnamurti Foundation of America. ISBN 978-1-888-00408-3. A "personal response" to Rajagopal Sloss' book by an official biographer and longtime friend and associate of Krishnamurti.
  7. Statement by the Krishnamurti Foundation of America about the Radha Sloss book "Lives in the shadow with J. Krishnamurti" (pamphlet). Ojai, California: Krishnamurti Foundation of America. 1995. ISBN 978-1-888004-07-6.
  8. Reid, David (1994) [originally published 1992. New York: Pantheon Books]. "The Possessed". In Reid, David (ed.). Sex, Death, and God in L.A. (paperback) (1st paperback ed.). Berkeley, California: University of California Press. pp. 175–224 [context at p. 218]. ISBN 978-0-520-08640-1.
  9. Rajagopal Sloss, Radha (1991). Lives in the shadow with J. Krishnamurti (hardcover) (1st ed.). London: Bloomsbury Publishing. p. ix. ISBN 978-0-747-50720-8.
  10. Heald, Tim (27 July 1991). "Turning Krinsh into Christ". The Times. London. ISSN 0140-0460.
  11. Beer, Patricia (15 August 1991). "Getting on with it". London Review of Books. Vol. 13. No. 15. p. 22. ISSN 0260-9592. Retrieved 2019-05-06 (registration required).
  12. Kanga, Firdaus (30 August 1991). "World(ly) Teacher". Times Literary Supplement. London. p. 8. ISSN 0307-661X.
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