Possible Clues:

• Learned one
• R. K. Narayan's teacher took to the water with me
• Did I take to the water with a holy man?
• Teacher points to a friend from Paris
• Mystic friend from Devon and Cornwall
• Hindu teacher whirled in front of one
• Noble writer provides great weight in support of first black novelist
• Hindu mystic travelled without boat to island?
• Teacher was upset by note
• Crawled in front of singular teacher!