Lives in the Shadow with J. Krishnamurti

Lives in the Shadow with J. Krishnamurti is a 1991 memoir written by Radha Rajagopal Sloss (b. 1931).

About the work

The book chronicles the relationship of the author's family – her father Rajagopal Desikacharya (commonly D. Rajagopal, 1900–1993), mother Rosalind (1903–1996), and herself – with the Indian philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895–1986).^[1] Radha's parents were friends and associates of Krishnamurti for four decades, but their personal and business relationships eventually soured permanently. Throughout this time they lived in close proximity with him in Ojai, California, and the author viewed Krishnamurti (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 Radha's mother. The revelations were met with surprise and consternation by Krishnamurti adherents, and generated a measure of adverse publicity; at least one Krishnamurti biographer admitted that "history will not view Krishnamurti in quite the same light", however the long-term impact of the revelations has been considered doubtful.^[2][3] The book is also known for making a number of allegations and controversial statements regarding Krishnamurti. These provoked rebuttal publications from his associates and from affiliated institutions,^[4][5] while one independent source has described the book as "deliberately iconoclastic".^[6]

Excerpt

Radha Rajagopal Sloss stated the following in regards to her 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.

— Preface, p. ix, 1991 Bloomsbury Publishing hardcover ed.

Original edition

• Sloss, Radha Rajagopal (1991). Lives in the Shadow with J. Krishnamurti. London: Bloomsbury Publishing. Hardcover. ISBN 0-7475-0720-1.

Other editions

• (1993). Reading, Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley. ISBN 0-201-63211-X.
• (2000). Lincoln, Nebraska: iUniverse. ISBN 978-0-595-12131-1.

Reviews

• Beer, Patricia (15 August 1991). "Getting on with it". London Review of Books 13 (15): 22. ISSN 0260-9592. [Restricted. Subscription may be required for full access]. Retrieved 2010-09-23.
• Heald, Tim (27 July 1991). "Turning Krinsh into Christ". The Times (London). ISSN 0140-0460.
• Kanga, Firdaus (30 August 1991). "World(ly) Teacher". Times Literary Supplement (London). p. 8. ISSN 0307-661X.

See also

• Rosalind Rajagopal
• List of works about Jiddu Krishnamurti

References

1. Vernon, Roland (2001). Star in the East: Krishnamurti: The invention of a Messiah. New York: Palgrave. pp. 200–206. ISBN 0-9710786-8-8.
2. Vernon 2001 pp. 203–204.
3. The relationship between Rosalind and Krishnamurti in the 1920s and 1930s was a central plot device in a musical loosely based on his early life: "Welcome to Blue Dove Online". bluedove.net. 2004. Mendocino, California: Wells Productions. Retrieved 2011-05-10.
4. Lutyens, Mary (1996). Krishnamurti and the Rajagopals. Ojai, California: Krishnamurti Foundation of America. ISBN 1-888004-08-8. A "personal response", this is a rebuttal biography by an official Krishnamurti biographer and longtime friend and associate.
5. Krishnamurti Foundation of America (1995). Statement by the Krishnamurti Foundation of America about the Radha Sloss' book "Lives in the shadow with J. Krishnamurti". Ojai, California: Krishnamurti Foundation of America. Pamphlet. ISBN 978-1-888004-07-6.
6. Reid, David (1994). "The Possessed". in Reid, David (ed.). Sex, Death, and God in L.A. Berkeley, California: University of California Press. pp. 175–224 [context at p. 218]. ISBN 978-0-520-08640-1.

External links

• "The Shadow side of Krishnamurti" – Interview of Radha Rajagopal Sloss in Tricycle: The Buddhist Review magazine by Helen Tworkov. [Restricted. Subscription may be required for full access]. Retrieved 2010-09-23.
• "J. Krishnamurti: Crossing cultural borders or ignoring their existence?" (PDF) – Paper presented by Krishnamurti biographer Christine V. Williams to the "15th Biennial Conference of the Asian Studies Association of Australia". Includes comments on the Sloss book and Krishnamurti's relationship with her parents. Retrieved 2010-03-09.
• "Obsessive precision" – Review of Chaman Nahal autobiography in The Hindu newspaper mentions effect of Sloss' book on the author. By A. J. Thomas, appeared 6 November 2005. Retrieved 2010-09-23.
• "Add.Wesley" – Promotional webpage for the 1993 Addison-Wesley edition. With snippets of reviews from various publications. Retrieved 2010-09-23.