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M.W.The Grand Master of Grand Lodge of India
M.W.Bro.Justice Devinder Gupta, OSM, M.W.Bro.Arun
Chintopanth, Past Grand Master, R.W.The Regional Grand
Master of Western India R.W.Bro.Vasudeo Masurekar, R.W.The
Regional Grand Master of Northern India R.W.Bro.S.Krishnan,
Representative of R.W.The District Grand Master of
District Grand Lodge of Madras, W.Bro.Balaji Singh, Past
Regional Grand Masters, galaxy of R.W.Brethren,
V.W.Brethren, W.Brethren and my dear brethren,
I
have the unique pleasure to once again welcome you all to
this historic Town of Rajahmundry, the cradle of culture,
hospitality and prosperity.
My
brethren, since we met last in Mangalore about 7 months
ago, I am to report to you that there has been a continued
steady progress in the working of the Lodges in our
Region. After a lapse of about 4 years, a new Craft Lodge
was consecrated at Chikmagalur by M.W.The Grand Master,
which takes the total of the Craft Lodges in our Region to
123. Two more Craft Lodges, one in Kerala and another in
Karnataka are in the pipeline and subject to the approval
of M.W.The Grand Master, those Lodges will come into
existence before the end of this year.
I am
happy to inform you that as in the previous years, the
Area Meetings of all the Lodges will be organised this
year also by the A.R.G.Ms during the months between
October and December. The 1st Area Meeting
will be held at Kannur, Kerala and the 10th
final Area Meeting will be held at Chennai. Elaborate
arrangements are being made by the respective A.R.G.M.s in
their areas for these Masonic Events and Festivities.
These Events will provide the necessary platform for the
brethren in the areas to come together, conglomerate and
strengthen their fraternal bonds with each other. The
Reports showing the progress of each Lodge in the area
together with their future plans will be highlighted.
Seminars and Special Programmes for Ladies are also
planned. I am sure that the Area Meetings will
pave the way for further growth of Masonry in our Region.
On
the Membership front, though we have crossed 8000 mark in
gross Membership, there has been a marginal increase of
about 70 brethren only, by way of Net growth, though there
had been about 230 Initiations during last year. The
reason for a minimal Net growth is because of substantial
number of Resignations/Cessations. It is needless to say
that the loss of Membership through
Resignations/Cessations is a matter of great concern and
steps have to be taken to reduce the losses, though not
totally prevent it.
It is
not merely the responsibility of the Masters and
Secretaries of the Lodge to concentrate on Membership, but
it is also the joint responsibility of all the brethren of
the Lodges and steps have to be taken immediately instead
of merely talking about the Membership growth. Sometimes
too much talking may not be doing too good.
I
have heard. A Hunter was passing through a Forest and he
came across a skull of a human being. Being curious, as
he always was, the Hunter kneeled and asked the skull,
“What brought you here, Sir?” And he was amazed to find
that the skull gave a Reply. It said, “Talking brought me
here, Sir.” The Hunter could not believe that skull could
talk. So he ran to the King to share this news and told
the King, “Your Majesty, I have seen a miracle, a skull, a
talking skull, it talks just like a human being.”
Being
anxious to verify the statement, the King and the whole
court followed the Hunter to the Forest. The Hunter went
near the skull and once again asked, as before, “What
brought you here, Sir?” But this time, the skull remained
silent. He asked again and again, but the skull was dead
silent.
The
King was furious of his disappointment. He shouted “I
knew it before, that you are a liar. But now this is too
much. You have played such a joke on me that you have to
suffer for it.” He immediately ordered his guard to cut
the Hunter’s head and throw the head near the skull. When
everybody went away, the skull started talking again and
asked the head of the Hunter, “What brought you here,
Sir?” The Hunter’s head replied, “Talking brought me
here.”
Therefore too much of talking leaves us to nowhere. We
have to get into action. M.W.The Grand Master has given
us the Slogan, “Each one bring one.” True to the clarion
call, “Every Brother has to take initiative and propose
fit and proper persons in our Lodges for the betterment of
our Institution.
One
of the main means of sharing Masonic knowledge is through
the Masonic Publications and Periodicals. In our Region,
there are quite a few Masonic Journals and Bulletins
sponsored by the Lodges, which contain informative
articles on Masonry. But one finds that more of such
information relates to the Masonic history of the Bygone
decades and centuries and detailed descriptions pertaining
to the men and matters of yester years and many are the
reproductions from the Internet Materials.
While
one admits, that the articles and informations are
interesting, it must also be borne in mind that efforts
should be made to share contemporary thoughts as well.
Freemasonry not only belongs to the past, but it also
belongs to the present and the future. Masonry is eternal
and is relevant at all times and for all ages and more
particularly, the modern times.
It is
needless to say that we have among us, many Masonic
scholars and Writers, who can share their original
thoughts, views and personal experiences on various
Masonic subjects in a palatable manner. Their
contributions, I am sure, will go a long way in
stimulating more interest among our brethren towards our
Institution and on various Masonic subjects.
Again, the Past Masters of the Lodges, for their part can
give short talks in the Regular Meetings, explaining to
the brethren on Masonic Topics like Protocols and
Procedures, some aspects of the Ceremonies done at the
Meeting, conduct brief interactive sessions among the
brethren and so on. This mode of sharing Masonic
Knowledge will also be found useful and effective among
the brethren.
Brethren, I also note with happiness that many Lodges have
participated in the Ritual Working Competition and young
masons have done portions in the Ceremonies. It is a
matter of happiness to note that more and more young
masons are participating and rendering portions in the
Rituals.
While
it is important that the Ceremonies are meant to impress
the candidates, it is equally important that we treat the
black Ritual Book as our Guide to the rightful living.
The black Book is not merely meant to be memorised and
reproduced, just to gain accolades from our fellow
brethren; that is not the only purpose of our Ceremonies.
A few
years ago, a very famous novel was made into a Movie. The
Book was in the Best Seller list for several weeks.
The
Movie based on the Book was released throughout the
country. In one rural centre, in the touring talkies,
after the end of late show, two rats entered into the
Projector Room and started eating the Film Rolls. The
whole night, the rats ate the film rolls and after
consuming and finishing the Film Roll, one rat asked the
other rat, “How was the film?” The other rat replied,
“The film was o.k., but the book was better.”
The
Ritual Book is not meant to be chewed and digested in the
physical sense, but it should be revered as the divine
guide to elevate ourselves and to become better human
beings.
My
brethren, this part of the State is a land of fertility.
It is called the Rice Bowl of Andhra Pradesh. This is the
land of fertility and prosperity. But History says us
that this Land was also sometimes ruled by bad rulers.
Long
ago, there once lived a cruel king, who believed in taxing
his citizens in unique ways. He ordered that his
Government will give one measure of paddy to each
household everyday and in return, every household should
give one measure of rice to the Government. The people
faced lot of difficulties and sufferings under his rule.
When the King became old, he called his son and told him,
“No matter how you do, after my death, you must do an act
by which people should praise me”. The King died and the
Prince became the Ruler. Now, the Prince made an order
that the Government will give one measure of husk to every
household everyday and the household in return have to
give one measure of rice. It is needless to say that the
people lamented and said that the Old King was a better
Ruler than his Son.
In
Freemasonry, this process is happily reversed. We have
entered this Institution, alone, blindfolded, helpless,
groping in the dark, in search of the light, in search of
the enlightenment.
We
approached Freemasonry as a grain of paddy, full of husk
and unclean substances and we go through the several
degrees and processes to shed the husk and the impurities
in and around us and we are processed to become more
refined and better human beings. That is the greatness
and uniqueness of our Institution.
My
brethren in the morning, we had a look of the mighty
Godaveri. This river had its small beginnings by way of
few drops and then the drops gather into rivulets starting
from the far away hills and plains, and as it proceeds
gain momentum and the rivulets transform into a mighty
river flowing hundreds of miles. This Perennial River is
in existence for several centuries. The river enables and
serves the humanity to purify themselves externally and
also to have a holy dip for purification of that souls, as
it happens once in 12 years during “PUSHKARALU”. The
river therefore serves for the welfare of the mankind.
To
those who want to get benefited and purified the river is
always there ready with open arms to remove the dirt and
impurities and to clean us.
To my
mind, Freemasonry can be compared to this perennial
river. A few centuries ago, Freemasonry was born with
small beginnings from different parts of the globe and had
over the years, converted itself into a mighty movement
and this movement is set to clean and purify our thoughts,
life and actions. In the past, thousands of men were
benefited. Freemasonry is there to facilitate the
purification process. It is upto us to reach out.
A few
miles from here is a Town called Badhrachalam, with a
sacred shrine of Sri Rama. A few years ago, there lived a
staunch devotee of Sri Rama called Bhaktha Ramadas, who
wrote and sang immortal verses in praise of the Lord. One
of the famous lines in his Immortal Poetry goes like this,
It
means, “Oh mankind, sing and praise Rama, drink the nectar
of his sweet name and salvage yourselves”
My
brethren, these immortal lines may be modified suitably
for Freemasons also.
My
brethren, Let us drink the nectar of Brotherly Love, of
our fraternal bond with one another, and all the good
things that Freemasonry offers us and salvage
ourselves.
Thank
you.
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