Order of the Star in the East

The precursor organization was formed after leading Theosophists discovered a likely candidate for the new messiah in the then–adolescent Jiddu Krishnamurti (⁠1895–1986⁠), a South Indian Brahmin who was installed as Head of the Order.

The founding and activities of these organizations as well as the largely unexpected dissolution of the OSE's successor, attracted widespread media attention and public interest.

This was said to be occurring on a Cosmic scale, incorporating both physical and non-physical aspects of the known and unknown Universe, and affecting all of its constituent parts regardless of apparent size or importance.

The theory was originally promulgated in the Secret Doctrine (published 1888),[1] a book by Helena Blavatsky, a Russian mystic who was one of the founders of contemporary Theosophy and the Theosophical Society.

[4] The mission of these reputedly regularly appearing emissaries is to practically translate, in a way and language understood by contemporary humanity, knowledge that would help it reach a higher evolutionary stage.

He will find the minds of men prepared for his message, a language ready for him in which to clothe the new truths he brings, an organization awaiting his arrival, which will remove the merely mechanical, material obstacles and difficulties from his path.

[6] He formulated a Christology that identified Christ with the Theosophical representation of the Buddhist concept of Maitreya, and stated the entity occupied one of the highest positions in the hierarchy.

[6] Annie Besant, another well-known and influential British Theosophist (and eventual close associate of Leadbeater's), had also developed an interest on the advent of the next emissary from the spiritual hierarchy.

[10] Besant became President of the Theosophical Society in 1907,[11] adding considerable weight to the belief of Maitreya's impending manifestation; this eventually became a commonly held expectation among Theosophists.

[23] In the meantime, Krishnamurti was put on a comprehensive multi-year regimen of physical, intellectual, social and spiritual training in preparation for his probable future role.

Arundale, Principal of the Central Hindu College (CHC), had been impressed by Alcyone's writings and formed the Order around a CHC-based study group of disciples headed by Krishnamurti.

[25][26] Meanwhile the activities and proclamations of Leadbeater, Besant and other senior Theosophists regarding Krishnamurti and the expected Teacher became entangled in prior disputes within and without the Theosophical Society, and also the subjects of new controversies.

[27][28] The evolving controversies as well as objections by Hindu members of the CHC faculty, prompted Besant to officially disband the organization in May 1911; however a replacement had already been formed.

Articles and pamphlets about the OSE and its mission, published regularly by Theosophical organizations,[40] were joined by an official bulletin, The Herald of the Star, originally based at Adyar, which started publication in January 1912.

[43][44] An affiliated international youth organization, the Servants of the Star, was established in London, England in October 1913 with Krishnamurti's younger brother Nitya as its Head; it accepted persons under 21 years of age as members.

Among the reasons stated in Narayaniah's deposition was his objection to the deification of Krishnamurti, said to have been caused by Besant's "announcement that he was to be the Lord Christ, with the result that a number of respectable persons had prostrated before him."

[47] Also in 1912 most members of the Theosophical Society's well-represented German Section followed its head, Rudolf Steiner, in splitting from the parent entity – partly due to disagreement over Besant's and Leadbeater's proclamations concerning Krishnamurti's messianic status.

[51] Also in the 1920s regularly scheduled multi-day Star Camps, supported by well-organized facilities, started to be held in the Netherlands, the United States and India.

For many in the audience who noticed, it was a "spine-tingling" revelation, "felt ... instantly and independently" – confirmation, in their view, that the manifestation of the Lord Maitreya through his chosen vehicle had begun.

[65] However the endeavor, often referred to as "the World Teacher Project", was also receiving serious and neutral coverage in the global media, and according to reports it was followed sympathetically and with interest by non-Theosophists.

[66] In related developments following the perceived manifestation, Besant announced in January 1927 "[t]he World Teacher is here",[67] and many Star members expected Krishnamurti's unequivocal public proclamation of his messianic status.

He had been gradually discarding or contradicting Theosophical concepts and terminology, disagreeing with leading Theosophists, and talking less about the World Teacher; public interest, and attendance at his speaking engagements, remained high.

[72][73] The shift in emphasis mirrored fundamental changes in Krishnamurti as a person – including his developing view that all preconceived ideas impose arbitrary limits on truth – which strengthened his disenchantment with the World Teacher Project.

[76][77] In his speech dissolving the organization (also broadcast on Dutch radio),[78] Krishnamurti said: I maintain that Truth is a pathless land, and you cannot approach it by any path whatsoever, by any religion, by any sect.

[85][86] Vowing to work towards setting humankind "absolutely, unconditionally free",[87] he repudiated all doctrines and theories of inner, spiritual and psychological evolution such as those implied in the Theosophical tenets (see § Background).

Through the remainder of the 20th century and into the 21st, individual Theosophists, quasi-Theosophical offshoots, and various New Age personalities and groups maintained and expanded the notions of the World Teacher and his reappearance, often with significant variations.

[99] Krishnamurti, who in his post-Theosophical life avoided the subject, publicly addressed the project and his role in it almost fifty years after the dissolution, stating in 1975, "... the past is dead, buried and gone".

The including series explores the childhood and youth of the fictional character Indiana Jones; in this installment, the protagonist gets to meet the boy Krishnamurti, Besant and Leadbeater.

[104] Blue Dove, a musical in two acts, is based on Krishnamurti's life between his discovery by Leadbeater and the start of his career as an independent philosopher and speaker following the dissolution of the Order of the Star.

[107] Order of the Star in the East is the title of an electronic ambient music work by Planet Supreme (an alias/stage name of Swedish composer Karl Ture Rydby) released December 2020 as an audio CD and digital album.