Seviers (Capt. James Henry Sevier and Charlotte Elizabeth Sevier)—English couple who gave their “all” to Swamiji and dedicated their lives for his work. Swamiji called them “Pitaji” and “Mother” at their very first meeting. Capt. Sevier, a retired army officer about 49 years old, had seen 5 years of service in India and in Swamiji’s words, “knows India a good deal.” They lived in Hampstead, a suburb of London, and attended Swamiji’s lectures at 63, St. George’s Road in May-July 1896. Drawn to him irresistibly, soon became his disciples. They hosted his holiday in Europe with Miss Muller. The latter having returned to England after Switzerland, the couple accompanied him through Germany and Holland (19.7.1896-17.9.1896). Returning to England Swamiji was their guest at Hampstead for some time. Disposed of all their possessions and accompanied Swamiji to India (1897). After spending some time in Calcutta and Darjeeling, went to live in Almora. In England Swamiji had told them of his dream-project, a monastery in the Himalaya and it had been discussed further during the Switzerland trip. Determined to make the dream a reality, the Seviers set to finding a suitable location and, after much searching, bought the site of the Advaita Ashrama at Mayavati and helped Swamiji realize his dream. The Ashrama, dedicated to the principle of “Advaita, and Advaita alone”, was begun on 19.3.1899. Upon the untimely death of B. R. Rajam Iyer, the talented young editor of the Prabuddha Bharata at Madras, the journal had ceased publication. Swamiji, particularly fond of this magazine, requested Capt. Sevier to revive it with Swami Swarupananda as editor. The Prabuddha Bharata offices were transferred to Almora from Madras. For some time Capt. Sevier who bore the expenses of purchase and transport from Calcutta to Almora of the hand press, the type, paper, etc., was its Manager and Publisher. Later Mrs. Sevier was Assistant Editor for many years. Capt. Sevier had gifted Rs. 8,000 to Swamiji’s mother. He passed away at the Ashrama on 28.10.1900 and his body was cremated according to Hindu rites honouring his last wishes. They were said to have accepted Hinduism (The Life of Swami Vivekananda, Vol. 2, p. 176). Swamiji, then abroad, called him “a martyr to the cause” (Ibid., p. 569). Visited the Mayavati Ashrama and met Mrs. Sevier (December 1900-January 1901). She continued to live there for about 15 years, playing a vital role in all its activities. Her bungalow, located a short distance away from the Ashrama, was known as “Mother’s Bungalow” and the connecting path as “Mother’sWalk”. Was trustee of the Ashrama. Gave invaluable service in the publication of Swamiji’s Complete Works. With her active assistance in selecting a suitable site and financial aid Swami Virajananda founded the Shyamala Tal Ashrama. Visited England (1909-1911), left Mayavati finally on 21.5.1915 and after a sojourn of 10 months at Shyamala Tal went to Belur Math and finally returned to England where she died on 20.10.1930 at the age of 83. She had paid 100 pounds for Sister Christine’s passage to India (Ibid., p. 628) and for some time the latter was her guest at Mayavati.
Charlotte Elizabeth and her husband, Captain J. H. Sevier, a non-commissioned officer of the British army, were seeking the Truth and the path to Self-realization when they heard a religious discourse by Swami Vivekananda on his second visit to London in 1896. Instinctively they felt they had at last found what they were looking for. Advaita philosophy, expounded by Swamiji, provided a satisfying answer to their lifelong quest. Miss Josephine MacLeod once said to Romain Rolland, “Coming out of one of the Swami’s lectures, Mr. Sevier asked me, ‘Do you know this young man? Is he really what he seems?’ ‘Yes’. In that case one must follow him and with him find God.'”” He went and said to his wife, ‘Will you let me become the Swami’s disciple?’ She replied, ‘Yes’, and asked him, ‘Will you let me become the Swami’s disciple?’ He replied with affectionate humour, ‘I don’t know.'” A few days later they met Swamiji at his place. He addressed Charlotte as ‘Mother’, and asked her, “Don’t you feel like coming to India? If you do come, I will give you the very best of all that I have experienced.” Thus the bond for ‘a spiritual concourse’ formed, never to broken.
Their dedication to the service of Swamiji was as spontaneous and sincere as that of another of the Swami’s students who met him in England, Margaret Noble. All three of them soon received formal initiation from Swamiji.
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Because of the kind care showered on the poor hill-people, Mother Sevier came to be known as Devi, a goddess. In a letter dated the 29th of July, 1897, to Sister Nivedita, Swamiji wrote: “Mrs. Sevier is a jewel of a lady, so good, so kind. The Seviers are the only English people who do not hate the natives. Mr. and Mrs. Sevier are the only persons who did not come to patronise us.”
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It is worth quoting a few lines from the English biography of Swamiji where it is mentioned that in Mayavati, “One day in the course of a talk he suddenly got up from his seat and paced to and fro, with his voice raised and eyes aflame with emotion, as if he was lecturing to a huge audience. He was speaking of his Western disciples, of their exemplary devotion and loyalty to him, their readiness to rush into the jaws of death at his command- and not one or two but dozens who would do the same how they had served him lovingly, silently, right royally, and how they were ready to renounce everything for his sake, at one word from him. ‘Look at Captain Sevier,’ cried the Swami, ‘how he died a martyr to the cause, at Mayavati.'”
In his letter to Mr. Sturdy, written in November 1899, Swamiji says, “I remember in England Capt. and Mrs. Sevier, who have clad me when I was cold, nursed me better than my own mother would have, borne with me in my weaknesses, my trials; and they have nothing but blessings for me. And that Mrs. Sevier, because she did not care for honour, has the worship of thousands today: and when she is dead, millions will remember her as one of the great benefactresses of the poor Indians.”
Mother Sevier spent seventeen more years in the Mayavati Ashrama after the death of her husband. To the question how she spent her time in that solitude, her answer would always be, “I think of Swamiji when I feel time heavy on me.”
Her care and concern for the Advaita Ashrama made her execute, in 1903, a Trust Deed, laying down the legal formalities necessary for the administration of the Ashrama, and the constitution of its management, as far as possible in accordance with Swamiji’s plans and ideals.
Charlotte Elizabeth Sevier left for England by the S.S. Malwa In April 1916. She could not return to India though she was regularly in touch with the Math. On the 20th of October, 1930, at the age of eight-three, she breathed her last. (Source: Western Women in the Footsteps of Swami Vivekananda)