Brethren have often asked me a pertinent question. If we say that all Freemasons are on the LEVEL, then, is it not a contradiction of sorts when we have a hierarchy of officers, be it in the Grand Lodge, the Regional Grand Lodge or in daughter Lodges?

Point. No doubt. There are, however, two aspects to this which must be understood by all of us in the proper perspective.

The first is that, fortunately or unfortunately, over the centuries, the very laudable concept of Freemasonry has got itself formed into an organized structure. We have therefore, at the moment, no choice but to accept this organised structure.
And when we recognize Freemasonry as an Organisation, then naturally the entire gamut of an organization including the matters of hierarchy, offices, honours, etc., become inevitable and must be accepted. Thus, though we speak of being on the LEVEL, quite paradoxically, we cannot do away with a hierarchy.

The second and, in my opinion, the more important aspect of this issue is the attitude that must be developed by those who form part of this ladder of hierarchy. The higher one goes, the more important it is to develop this attitude.

Now, what is this attitude? It is an attitude of realization that these Offices or Ranks or Positions held by one, in the ultimate analysis, do not add any more importance to the person holding it. Be it a Grand Master or a Regional Grand Master or any other officer in the hierarchy of Freemasonry, there must be this very important realization. The office may no doubt be of great importance in the functioning of the organization, but the person holding that office remains the same. I do not become “I” + “something important” merely because I hold an office of importance. “I” must remain “I” and the office must remain important.

If this attitude is developed then one sees no contradiction. We will ALL continue to be on the LEVEL.

Unfortunately, this attitude is what is found wanting.

The moment an important office, Rank or honour is bestowed, one tends to lose one’s balance.

Freemasonry has in its wisdom realized this danger and that is precisely the reason why Freemasonry reckons HUMILITY as an ESSENTIAL qualification. Without this qualification, a Lodge or a Region or for that matter, the Grand Lodge, may be looked upon as a personal fiefdom by a Ruling brother. And then the concept of being on the LEVEL is dismantled and demolished.

When however, humility becomes an integral part of our character then the ‘Office’ and the ‘Officer’ cease to merge and the concept of being on the LEVEL is sustained.

Abraham Lincoln, who himself was a Freemason, went to the senate after being elected as Senator, for the first time. The nobles did not like this commoner coming to the Senate and sitting with them as an equal.

One nobleman shouted at him. He said, “Do you know that your father would come to my house and mend our shoes?”

Abraham Lincoln replied, “I know that Sir and also that my father was one of the best cobblers. I hope I can emulate him and become atleast a good Senator”. This is the ‘attitude’.

Until such time we develop this attitude, we are quite distanced, in fact, divorced from the values of Freemasonry. We may stand on the dais or sit on fancy chairs and go on preaching to others of learning to ‘submit and obey’, but certainly we will not practice it.

We will continue to regard our Lodges, our areas, our Regions as our personal fiefdoms. Intoxication with the power of this new found ‘importance’ will prevent us from even recognizing the reason or the person(s) who put us in that position in the first place. We will be insensitive to the feelings and needs of others. Gratitude, loyalty and honour will become the first casualties. Ultimately, the all important TRUST will be lost. And this will be the beginning of the end. For where ‘trust’ is lost–all is lost.

A disciple once asked Confucius to name the three basic ingredients of a good Government.

Confucius answered, “Food, weapons and the trust of the people.”

“If you were forced to dispense with one of them, which would you drop?” asked the disciple.

“Weapons”, answered Confucius.

“And if you had to drop one of the other two?” persisted the disciple.

“Then food,” said Confucius.

“But without food the people will die,” said the disciple.

To this Confucius said, “From time immemorial, death has been the lot of human being. But a people that no longer trusts its Ruler are lost indeed.”

May the GAOTU give to all of us holding Offices and positions the good sense to develop this attitude that we may not lose the TRUST of this great fraternity whose teachings we have sworn to maintain, support and uphold pure and unsullied.

Let Freemasonry be lived; not just preached.

Arun Chintopanth
Grand Master

Brethren,

The Grand Festival of the Grand Lodge of India was held at Mumbai on November 26-27, 2004. The exquisite and impeccable preparations made by the Regional Grand Lodge of Western India culminated into an excellent show bearing the stamp of majesticity, sophistication, glamour and solemnity. M.W. the Grand Master, M.W. Bro. Arun Chintopanth, OSM, Past Grand Masters M.W.Bro. Gautam Divan, OSM, and M.W.Bro. D.D. Udeshi, OSM, with the Regional Grand Masters and other luminaries in tow, added extra grace and elegance to the festival. It may also be mentioned that the matchless and heart-winning hospitality accorded to every brother defies words. It simply touched the deepest recess of our hearts. Our congratulations and thanks to the Regional Grand Master R.W.Bro. Govind Lal Sahu and his entire team of dedicated and sincere brethren.

The annual festival also witnessed some remarkable and impressive academic activities of very high standard. At the instance of our Grand Master, M.W.Bro. Arun Chintopanth, OSM, an ardent advocate and practitioner of academic excellence, circulars were sent to the lodges for various activities. One of them was regarding Inter- Regional Ritual Working Competition. In pursuance of it, this event was staged in a spirit of healthy competition, in which all the four Regions participated. The purpose was rounding off the corners, if any, and to improve the working still further. It really proved to be of immense help to every participant and we believe that they would definitely be the catalysts in the improvement of our working in their respective Regions. The teams from South and West stood first and second respectively in the competition and our hearty congratulations to both the Regions.

The programme of giving award to “Best Lodge Summons” was another very important event of the festival. It is definitely going to streamline our Lodge meetings still farther and will also supply the brethren in their respective lodges much needed information in a still more systematic manner. The summons of Lodge Kasargod No.257 were judged the Best Summons, Summons of Lodge Morland No. 25 and Lodge Wallace No.99 were ranked as second and third respectively.

And last but not the least, a Workshop was also organized for Worshipful Masters, Secretaries, Wardens and Treasurers. The enthusiasm and zest of the participants was a treat to watch. Needless to say that our Grand Master, the architect of all these activities, participated zealously in it and his deep insight, knowledge, ready wit and scholarly guidance was a source of great inspiration to all the participants. It may be asserted with all the force, but due humility, that these exercises will definitely streamline our working, give us fresh motivation and inspiration and provide the entire masonry the extra edge which would lead it to greater heights.

Brethren, now let me share with you some other notable activities of the Grand Lodge of India. On December 5, 2004 M.W.Bro. Arun Chintopanth, OSM, our Grand Master graced the Centenary Celebrations of Lodge Comrades No.66 at Saharanpur. It was an impressive and breathtaking ceremony attended by a large number of brethren, not only from Saharanpur but also from adjoining areas too.

December 13, 2004 marked another important event. M.W. the Grand Master, M.W.Bro. Arun Chintopanth, OSM, while paying official visit to Lodge Ajodhya-On-Sarju No. 13, Faizabad presented 50 years Long Term Service Jewel to R.W.Bro. D.K. Kapoor for his illustrious services rendered to Freemasonry in a selfless spirit. We wish him well and pray God for his long and healthy life. We also trust that he would continue to serve Masonry, as usual with still greater gusto. It may be mentioned that the ceremony was attended by a large number of brethren from the adjoining areas also. This in itself is a great pointer to the popularity and respect enjoyed by our M.W. the Grand Master.

Another important event was the official visit of our M.W. the Grand Master to Lodge Lingaraj No.307, Bhubaneshwar. The most conspicuous and significant thing about it, was that around 25/30 dignitaries of the town (non-masons) were invited after the meeting and in a forceful scholarly and effective speech, Most Worshipful the Grand Master apprised them with the philosophy, aims and objectives of Freemasonry and the services it is rendering to the community. He also in a similar way addressed around 25 distinguished non-masons constituting statesmen, journalists, lawyers, professors, etc. at Puri. How effective and convincing he was can be judged by the fact that these leading dignitaries of the town expressed their strong desire to join freemasonry and there is every likelihood that we may see a Lodge coming up at Puri soon. Indeed, when it takes its birth, it would be a feather in the cap of our M.W.G.M. and a proud acquisition of Freemasonry.

Our Grand Master M.W.Bro. Arun Chintopanth, OSM, a visionary, believes and rightly too, that for the growth of any organization/institution, dissemination of information is a must, to ensure more enlightenment: hence Glindia, his brainchild — a bi-monthly newsletter containing information about the activities of various lodges, came into being. Its purpose is to keep ourselves upto date about our great institution, so that we may plan and move in the desired direction. It may also be mentioned in passing that the subscription of the invaluable Newsletter Rs.60 per year, a meagre amount, does not even cover its cost. I will request you to come forward and subscribe to it, if not subscribed as yet, to keep the flame of information and knowledge burn brighter. Besides, I may also appeal to you to subscribe to “The Square and Compasses” too and send us your articles, so that we may through our combined reflections printed in the journal, further discuss and improve ourselves and strengthen our excellent Institution.

Last, but not the least, I will like to remind you about the disaster and havoc created by Tsunami in the costal areas of South. Thousands were killed and many more have been rendered homeless and bereft of all material possessions. I am sure you must have already responded to the appeal for donation by the Grand Lodge of India. In case you have not, may I once again request you to send your contribution immediately to Grand Lodge of India either through cheque or Bank draft in the name of “Grand Lodge of India - Fund of Benevolence”.

With fraternal greetings,
Dr. Harish Gupta
Grand Secretary

Fraternal greetings from the team at The Square and Compasses!

As is the wonted custom once every year at a stated period the Grand Festival is held at some location in the country and affords an opportunity for the brethren to get together and renew old relationships, build new ones, learn a bit, teach a bit and enjoy the institution we all love and know as Freemasonry, at a National level.

The Grand Festival being an important landmark in the Masonic calendar has been the theme of this issue of The Square and Compasses.

We carry the three messages of MW the GM at the Craft, Chapter and Mark meetings. We are also carrying the Best Essay as adjudged by the panel in the Grand Masters Essay Writing Competition and awarded the prize at the Grand Festival.

The Grand Festival is also the time when old order changes yielding place to the new, we are carrying the list of Active officers of the Grand Craft, Chapter and Mark Lodges. However, it almost always the case that such lists reach only the Secretaries of Lodges and not to individual brethren. The Square and Compasses is carrying a list of all Active ranks awarded to the brethren in the Grand Craft, Chapter and Mark Lodges too, that may be of some use to the subscribers, and information is further disseminated. The Square and Compasses team joins all the brethren of the Grand Lodge of India in congratulating the brethren who have been conferred Grand ranks, active and past.

This Grand Festival saw a first of its kind Seminar being conducted on Working of the WM Wardens, Secretaries and Treasurer; a report on the same is carried. However, MW the GM has consented that The Square and Compasses carries the material, that was up for sale at a nominal price so that the subscribers derive the benefit of the same. This material is being carried in a few parts in this and probably the next issue of the Journal.

The Masonic Ladies have formed an Association in the name and style of All India Association of Mason’s wives. The president of the Association Mrs. Adarsh Bali has sent a first note for us to carry, which shall be carried in the next issue. May I exhort them to now start a column in the Journal for their benefit, which shall be coordinated by the undersigned. I request the brethren to inform their spouse and solicit material from them for publishing in the Journal.

Do let us have your views on the Journal from time to time!

Warm fraternal greetings.

Vishwanathan Ganesan
Sub-Editor

My Brethren,

A very warm welcome to you all to this Grand Festival of the Grand Lodge of India at this lovely auditorium in Mumbai.

At the outset, I must inform you that this Grand Festival, has begun appropriately with the feeding of the poor. This was arranged yesterday morning at the premises of the Mahalakshmi Temple, the Babulnath Temple and the Shrine of Haji Ali. A Grand Festival well begun indeed!! I extend a special welcome to two of our own Past Grand Masters from Mumbai, M.W. Bro. G.R. Divan and M.W.Bro. D.D. Udeshi.

And to you my brethren from all parts of our country, once again, a very very warm welcome.

And now a word of thanks: to R.W. the Regional Grand Master of the Regional Grand Lodge of Western India, R.W.Bro. Govindlal Sahu and the Regional Grand Lodge of Western India for hosting this Grand Festival; to the team of organisers led by the Deputy Regional Grand Master, the Assistant Regional Grand Masters and all those host of brethren who have put in so much effort during the last few months in organising this Grand Festival in such a fine manner.

And to each one of you my brethren, a very sincere word of thanks for being here this evening in spite of the inconveniences of travel and costs. Thank you my brethren for your presence, which, apart from everything else, is most inspiring!

I would also like to thank all the outgoing Active Officers of the Grand Lodge, who, for one year, have so ably supported me and the Grand Lodge of India with their dedicated involvement. It looks as if it was only the other day when I had invested them as Active Officers. Yes, my brethren it is already one year since I was installed at Bangalore as the 12th Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of India.

And during this one year that has gone by, I am happy to inform you that the Grand Lodge and for that matter, the fraternity as a whole, has made considerable strides in many directions.

Foremost amongst this has been the pattern of growth of the Fraternity. The one year has seen a positive trend in this direction with almost all Lodges recording initiations. Of course, this is still a far cry from the desired rate of growth and may I, therefore, take this opportunity to appeal to all of you to address yourselves and your Lodges to this issue and ensure that the momentum that has been established will pick up further and ensure a sustained and healthy growth of the fraternity.

Towards this end, the Entered Apprentices are being welcomed into the fraternity with a copy of a special ‘Hand Book’ published for them. Hopefully the data and information about our fraternity in this book will sustain their interest and will reduce the rate of ‘drop outs’. In the matter of intra-fraternity communications, the launch of the newsletter GLINDIA has been received with overwhelming enthusiasm. However, the generosity of the brethren in making this venture financial viable has, I am sorry to say, been found wanting. I appeal to all of you my brethren to contribute generously, so that this newsletter, which has made such an impact within such a short time, may be sustained.

And the arm of charity has been very active in giving. All over the country, the fraternity has been active in projecting its charitable disposition. With the launch and acceptance of Dhanya Dhan as a National Masonic Programme, the concept of Masonic Charity has truly taken a new and vibrant form.

Masonic Education now forms part of the agenda of all Lodge meetings with the Grand Lodge supplying appropriate papers to the Lodges.

Your Grand Lodge was an active participant at the World Conference of Grand Masters held at Santiago, Chile, during May this year. Consequent to the decision taken at this Conference, you will recollect, the Universal Brotherhood Day was celebrated at all Masonic Centres in our Country with great fervour and enthusiasm. Under the guidance of the Grand Lodge, many Lodges have now opened their Temple doors to the public on specified days so that the misconceptions and myths about Freemasonry may be set to naught.

Brethren, for the first time we have had an All India Inter Region Ritual Working Competition yesterday. And this morning, again for the first time, at an All India level, a Workshop was conducted for the Worshipful Masters, Wardens, Secretaries and Treasurers of all daughter Lodges. I am happy to inform you that the participation at these Workshops was quite encouraging and the outcome very fruitful.

In an attempt to encourage Lodge Secretaries, an award for excellence in Lodge summons has been instituted. Not only has the response for this contest been overwhelming, but the talent and skill exhibited by our Secretaries has indeed been thrilling.

The call to the Masonic ladies to organise themselves into regular groups has taken shape with the “Freemasons Wives Association” now established at a number of centres with others in the process of catching on.

The Grand Lodge has also tried to involve brethren at various centres at different levels in many of the activities of the Grand Lodge. This has turned the Grand Lodge verily into teams of workers spread all over the country with the Grand Lodge remaining only an instrument in conceiving programmes and in bringing the brethren together. This, my brethren, I think is a very healthy and desirable development. While it gives brethren opportunities to get involved in matters of the fraternity in general and the Grand Lodge in particular, it also brings to fore the commitment and the dedication of brethren of all ages, at all centres and at all levels without any expectations of gains and rewards.

I am reminded of story of a man walking through the forest who saw a fox that had lost its legs and he wondered as to how it lived. Then he saw a tiger come with its kill in its mouth. The tiger had his fill and left the rest for the fox. The next day too, the man observed the same phenomenon. He thought to himself that God had indeed sent the tiger to feed the fox.

The man began to wonder at God’s greatness and thought, “I too shall lie in a corner trusting the Lord to give me all I need.”

He did this for a month, and was almost at death’s door with starvation when he heard a Voice that said, “O you who are on the path of error, open your eyes to the Truth! Imitate the tiger not the fox.”

My brethren, beginning to imitate the tiger has been made.

We should not be like this man, imitating the fox, waiting for others to do unto us. We need to imitate the tiger and serve ourselves, the Grand Lodge and the whole fraternity. In the midst of all this activity and fervour a tragedy struck us when R.W.Bro.Somesh Sen Gupta, the Regional Grand Master of Eastern India was so suddenly called to the Grand Lodge Above. A true and committed Freemason till the end he, infact, left us almost while on Masonic duty. We pray for his peaceful sojourn in the Grand Lodge Above.

Consequent to this unfortunate event my brethren, I must inform you of my decision to appoint R.W.Bro. Girish Shastry as the next Regional Grand Master of the Regional Grand Lodge of Eastern India.

It is also almost time for a new Regional Grand Master to take over the Southern Region and I have appointed R.W.Bro. G.K. Selvarajan as the next Regional Grand Master of this Region.

My brothers Girish Shastry and Selvarajan, a great responsibility is sought to be placed upon both your shoulders, which, without doubt, I may add are broad enough to carry it. I am quite aware of your leadership qualities as also your popularity with the brethren and I am sure that you will both not only justify my choice but will also endear yourselves to your brethren as their Regional Grand Masters. I wish you both very well in this new “avatar” you will soon be taking.

My brethren, during this one year I have had the occasion to interact with masons throughout the country and such interactions have been a revelation to me, particularly on the myriad ways in which Freemasonry is seen, understood and even practiced.

I find that to some of us, Freemasonry has remained a social club; to some an exercise in spirituality, to some a charitable or a service agency; to some a theatre, to some a place to meet old friends and make new ones, to some a secret society and so on. Indeed, the understanding and practice of Freemasonry appears to depend on individual and fragmented perceptions.

A dog told a cat, “My Master is ‘God’.” “Why so?” asked the cat. The dog replied, “He cares for me so much. He feeds me, he takes me for a walk, he bothers about me and looks after me so well that he is God to me.”

The cat replied, “My master also cares for me very much, he feeds me, he takes me for walks, he looks after all my needs—so I am God for my Master !”

A matter of perception indeed. Freemasonry too, it appears, has become a matter of such perception, particularly with the different slogans, mottos and definitions of Freemasonry that we constantly use.

Sometimes we say Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. Sometimes we say Fatherhood of God and Brotherhood of Man. Sometimes we speak of only morals and values, sometime we emphasise the concept of our rituals and ceremonials, sometimes of secrecy;

I thought to myself: Is Freemasonry to be reduced to such a fragmented and individualistic conceptualisation? Is there no overall essence and a wholeness to Freemasonry? Is there no unity of thought? Is there no encompassing definition that can project Freemasonry as a Whole?

A fisherman went to sell fish in a crowded market for the first time. He put a board reading ‘Fresh Fish Sold Here!’ Standing back, he read the board. He thought to himself, “Would any one sell stale fish? Then why to use the word ‘fresh’?” So, he erased the word ‘fresh’.

The board now read ‘Fish Sold Here’. Then he wondered, “Have I brought the fish to donate? It is well understood that I am going to sell it ....” So he thought the world ‘sold’ is unnecessary. He erased that word too! Now the signboard showed ‘Fish Here’. He began to laugh. It was obvious that the fish was here and not somewhere else! So why the word ‘Here’? And he removed that word also.

Now all that remained on the signboard was the word ‘Fish’. Finally, he saw the signboard and thought, “Anyone who comes to the market can identify by the very smell of fresh fish. As soon as they see the fish, they would recognise it! There was no doubt about that! Then why at all the word ‘Fish’?” So he erased the word ‘Fish’! Now the signboard was bare and empty!

I wondered if Freemasonry was like this signboard of the fisherman? Made up of disposable fragments? The answer was an obvious and emphatatic NO. I realised that, inspite of such fragmented definitions and perceptions, Freemasonry certainly has a whole, an ethos, an essence and an underlying unity of thought, word and action. And this could be discovered only by integrating these fragments and perceptions altogether as part of our lives.

In other words understanding Freemasonry is not in understanding isolated precepts and practices of its fragments but in weaving all these fragments into our life and thus making them an integrated part of our lives. This is evident from two other statements made in Freemasonry that (1) Freemasonry is a system of morality and (2) that it is a way of life.

Freemasonry, therefore in its essence, as a whole, is a way, a life, of values and morals integrated together and becoming a part of us. It is not morals and values thought of or practiced in isolation or in fragments but by being integrated into our lives. And such an integrated life goes by the popular terminology of a Dharmic way of life.

Thus the essence, the ethos, the whole of Freemasonry is in effect a demonstration of a dharmic way of life. This widely and liberally used expression “Dharma” or “Dharmic” does not merely mean “morality” or “righteous conduct”. It is really an integrated way of living. It is said that if one does not follow a dharmic way, disastrous consequences will follow. But if one goes by dharma then peace and happiness reigns!

A very good tailor was caught stealing and he was sentenced to two years in jail. The mayor of the town went to see him because he was the best tailor in the town and the whole town was suffering from his absence; and the mayor also liked this tailor. When he went to see him in the jail the tailor was doing some needlework, sewing something. The mayor asked, “So, I see you are sewing something?”

“No Sir,” the tailor replied, “I am reaping.”

Of the four purusharthas or aims of life—dharma, artha, kama and moksha—dharma is always mentioned first, artha second, kama third and moksha last. It is generally believed that artha and kama prefixed with dharma is not only acceptable, but will also lead to moksha. Artha and kama without dharma is certainly taboo.

What has happened in reality is that we have been moving away from dharma and going towards artha and kama.

Dharma also has two dimensions. One is external with the rules and regulations of organised Society. That is a compulsion imposed from the outside. The second is moral and ethical awareness within. One is legal and the other is moral or spiritual. The external dimension of dharma cannot become effective unless there is its internal or moral dimension. No external compulsion can go far. Sometimes we are ready to break rules if nobody is watching or if the punishment is not much. If a policeman is not around we are tempted to jump the red light. We do this kind of a thing so often. Without any regret or compunction.

Mulla Nasruddin was charged with stealing a pocket watch. The old man whose watch was stolen was a little short sighted, his eyes were weak and he could see only with specs. When Mulla came to the box, the judge inquired of the old man, “Can you recognise this man, that this is the man who has taken your watch?” The robbed man said, “It is difficult, because my eyes are weak, and without specs I cannot see rightly, everything is a little blurred. So I cannot say exactly whether it is this man or not, but my watch is stolen and it could be this man.”

In the absence of other eyewitness or any other evidence, the Judge had to free Mulla. He said, “Mulla you can go, now you are now free.”

But Mulla looked a little puzzled. The judge said, “Did you not hear me. Now you can go, you are free!” Mulla still looked puzzled and stayed on. The Judge asked, “Do you want to ask anything?”

“Yes,” replied Mulla, “Does it mean that I can keep the watch?”

Now, how does one live a dharmic life? How does one become a dharmic person? It is not by external training but by an internal fighting, cleansing and winning against internal enemies.

The Bhagwad Gita starts with the expressions “Dharmakshetre, Kurukshetre Samaveta Yuyutsavaha.”

Ironically a battlefield is described as a dharma kshetra. That is because the first battle field is within us. A battle field for dharma to battle against adharma.

A constant war is being waged within everyone of us at all our crucial moments of action; A war with our negative tendencies and as always the negative forces are larger in number and mightier.

This is the array of our inner battlefield. The Dharmakshetra. The lower instincts, the negative tendencies in the form of Kama, Krodha, Lobha. Moha, Mada and Matsarya are arrayed against the higher ideals ready to fight.

Kabir calls them our hidden enemies. “Tu lutera jake bithar,” he says. Because they have housed themselves within and blended very well. This war seeks to locate them and destroy them. And to do this, to fight this war, we need ammunition and weapons.

Freemasonry provides this. The tenets, the slogans, the mottos of Freemasonry which appear to be fragmented at first, when combined and used is the ammunition for this war. And when this ammunition, the weapons are used by making them into an integral and inseperable part of our lives, our lives become a dharmic way of life.

This in reality is the essence, the whole, the ethos of Freemasonry.

More often than not we are missing this whole, this essence of Freemasonry simply because we do not have the patience to pause and listen.

We are engrossed, drowned and overwhelmed in the fragments that we are in the danger of missing out on the whole.

My brethren, let us pause. Let us listen to Freemasonry. Let us absorb its whole.

Let me also conclude by telling you of a temple which was built on an island and had a thousand bells. When the wind blew or a storm raged, all the bells would peal out in a symphony that would send the heart of the hearer into raptures.

But over the centuries the island sank into the ocean and, with it, the temple bells. Legend, however, said that the bells still rang out ceaselessly and could be heard by anyone who would listen. Inspired by the legend a young man travelled thousands of miles, determined to hear those bells. He sat for days on the shore facing the vanished island and listened with all his might. But all he heard was the sound of the sea. He made every effort to block it out but to no avail; the sound of the sea seemed to flood the world.

Finally, he decided to give up the attempt. Perhaps he was not destined to listen to the bells. Perhaps the legend was not true. It was his final day and he went to the shore to say goodbye to the sea. He lay on the sand, and for the first time, listened to the sound of the sea.

Soon he was so lost in the sound that he was barely conscious of himself, so deep was the silence the sound produced.

In the depth of that silence, he heard it! The tinkle of a tiny bell followed by another, and another and another...... till every one of the thousand temple bells was pealing out in harmony, and his heart was rapt in joyous ecstasy.

My brethren, the bells of Freemasonry are constantly ringing. Is it not time we stood to pause and listen?

I wish you all a safe journey home. May we all be blessed by Freemasonry, by dharma, that we may all be victorious in this inevitable battle called life.

Let us remember Gandhari’s enigmatic blessing to her errant son Duryodhana :

“Yatha Dharma thato vijaya—Where there is dharma there is victory.”

Thank you.

My Companions,

A very good morning to you all and a warm welcome to this Convocation of the Supreme Grand Chapter of India.

I thank the outgoing active officers for their support and assistance to the Supreme Grand Chapter of India and I welcome the incoming officers with the hope that they too will be torchbearers for the Supreme Grand Chapter of India.

Companions it must be a matter of concern for us all that the daughter Chapters under our Supreme Grand Chapter are not showing much progress in the matter of growth and working.

I have some disturbing data to share with you:

The number of Chapters under the Supreme Grand Chapter and their membership numbers read as follows :

As can be seen from these numbers, the Holy Royal Arch degree, particularly in the Eastern and Western Regions needs to be nurtured and strengthened on a war footing.

In this scenario, there is still a silver lining in as much that Chapter Trinity has exalted as many as 22 candidates during this year.

The last time I addressed the Supreme Grand Chapter at Bangalore last year, I did mention that the lack of numbers should not be a matter of despair since the Holy Royal Arch is an advanced training and that the more advancement we make, the less will be the numbers. I still stand by what I had said, but this does not mean that there should be no growth at all. I appeal to all of you my Companions to go back to your Masonic Centres and educate the Master Masons there into the need for further advancement into the nuances of Freemasonry by taking up the Holy Royal Arch and the Mark Degrees.

And when they agree to come in, give them such an excellent ceremony of exaltation that they will be impressed and taken in for the rest of their lives.

The ceremony of exaltation remains superb and spectacular—it must be matched by an equal performance.

Sustaining new candidates with good ceremonial working is as important as attracting them. Otherwise they will drop out Soon after their exaltation.

Mulla Nasaruddin’s nephew had bought a new car. He pursuaded Mulla to go with him for a ride—a ride that was shabby and rough. As he climbed out of the car after the ride, Mulla told his nephew, “Many thanks for both those rides.” “What are you talking about?,” asked the nephew “You had only one ride.”

“No, my son,” replied Mulla, “I had two—my first and my last.”

This should not happen to our candidates. Their first meeting should not be their last. Their interest has to be sustained. This is possible by good ceremonial working, working of the highest order. In fact, the degree itself is worthy of nothing less than the highest order of working. Because, without doubt it is the greatest degree in Freemasonry.

This is possible when the degree is administered to the candidates appropriated. Shabby and irresponsible degree working will have a negative result.

Appropriate and impressive working of the degree will have the desired positive result and hence is very important and the Principals and officers of the Chapters must be conscious and aware of this.

A man was giving large doses of cod-liver oil to his Dobberman because he had been told that the stuff was good for dogs. Each day he would hold the head of the protesting dog between his knees, force its jaws open and pour the liquid down its throat.

One day the dog broke loose and spilt the oil on the floor. Then, to the man’s great surprise, it returned to lick the spoon. That is when the man discovered that what the dog had been fighting was not the oil but his method of administering it.

Brethren, Smokey Dawson, an entertainer of some importance once wrote and I quote: “You must do more than satisfy your audience with your work. You must catch and lift and carry them with you so that they really care about what you are doing and exult in your achievement.”

If this is true of the Theatre, it must perforce be true of Freemasonry and its rituals also.

For there is a tremendous similarity between our Craft and the Theatre. Just as the Theatre presents as a spectacle even what could occur in real life, on stage Freemasony particularly the Holy Royal Arch uses the ritual to portray in a dramatic manner the fundamentals of our spiritual life.

In any production, it is essential that the message be got over to the audience. Our ritual is no exception. In our ceremonies the most important member of the audience is surely the Candidate. He has come with high expectations and would certainly be disappointed if the players, the actors, namely the officers and members of the Chapter do not satisfy this expectation.

Oscar Wilde once arrived at his club late at night after witnessing the first presentation of one of his plays. Some one asked him, “How did your play go tonight, Mr.Wilde?”

“The play was a great success,” he said, “But the audience was a failure.”

Speculative Freemasonry has been greatly influenced by the system of symbolism of the Royal Arch Degree. With its symbolic discovery and recovery of that which had been lost.

What was lost has been regained. What is it that was lost? The greatest truth. And what happens when it is recovered - Total transformation.

A Truth which helps in identifying that which is transient and that which is eternal; that which is subject to decay and that which is beyond the defilement of time; between kshara and Akshara.

Between the perishable and the imperishable. Arjuna, after listening to the whole immortal discourse of the Gita from Lord Krishna, exclaims, “Lost is my delusion and found is my self-knowledge.” He was a totally changed person.

Similarly our Chapters must become halo places where a Master Mason gets transformed into a realised Mason.

Thank you.

My brother Mark Master Masons,

We come to the concluding session of this Grand Festival, 2004. We have covered various events these three days and I am sure all of us have been enriched by the experience of these three days even though, perhaps a little tired.

After three days of such hectic activity, I, for one, am tempted to ask the Organising Committee, “Can I relax now?”

Mulla Nasaruddin was to undergo surgery. The doctor was explaining to him the new recovery technique.

He said, “You should begin walking as soon as possible after the operation. On the first day, you must walk around for five minutes, the second day, for ten minutes, and on the third day, you must walk for a full hour. Do you understand?” “Yes, doctor,” said the apprehensive Mulla,

“But is it all right if I lie down during the operation?”

Seriously brethren, the Regional Grand Lodge of Western India, the Regional Grand Master, his Deputy, his Assistant Regional Grand Masters, the Regional Grand Secretary and the brethren of the Western Region have really toiled to make this Grand Festival quite extraordinarily rewarding with a number of firsts to their credit.

Let us therefore, once again express our gratitude and thanks to them. Let us acknowledge this effort with an acclamation. If inspite of their efforts and planning, some of you have been inconvenienced in any respect, I take the blame and crave your indulgence.

But I am sure that even if there have been inconveniences, all of us have enjoyed the proceedings these three days, notwithstanding the number of doors and gates we have gone in and out at the different venues. Walking through gates struck me peculiarly and particularly significant because even in the degree of Mark Master Masons we walk in and out of gates.

Three of them to be exact, each manned by our Overseers. Brethren, what do these gates and the Overseers there signify? Is there any symbolism attached to this? Yes. There indeed is.

The J.O. guards the South gate to examine all materials for the building of the Holy Temple and if approved passes them to the S.O. for further inspection. This symbolically represents the first stage of spiritual evolution. The individual, as a candidate, comes to this first stage of evolution in his gross form.

At this stage, he represents the physical or the gross nature. Passing through South Gate symbolises movement of the individual with rejection of all that is gross. The body has the gross eliminated and the whole human form has become a little refined. If this has happened to the satisfaction of the J.O., he allows him to move further.

And he then proceeds to the West Gate. At this stage the candidate’s gross form or gross motives have been eliminated and he is in a slightly refined manner.

The S.O. further examines the material. He allows it to enter and move on only when he is satisfied that not only is the gross eliminated but the thoughts also have become refined and pure.

This implies that the body is of little consequence at this stage—a realisation that the body is but dust and to dust it must return and that the mind, the thoughts now need to be more and more refined, cultured and matured. Once the S.O. is satisfied that this has indeed happened, he allows one to pass.

And finally we move to the East Gate. At this stage the body is not relevant. The thoughts have also died down and the mind is still. The individual is almost ready for the final plunge. Yet, he is not fully ready. One must absorb the wisdom available in the East.

The East represents wisdom. All spiritual growth must emanate in the East. That is why East is given great prominence. It is the point of the Rising Sun. It encompasses the entire cosmic knowledge.

The Upanishads say:

“Hiranmeya Patrenam Satyasa Pitritma mukham Tatwan Pooshan aparvanu, Satya Dharmaya Dristhtiye.” This verse invokes the Sun God as a source of wisdom to lift the veil the lid of ignorance and expose the Truth.

Similarly, the East Gate represents this concept. The body, mind and soul now totally refined is ready to receive the truth.

The jeevatma is ready to merge with the paramatma.

The presence of the three gunas and the transcending of the three gunas can also be compared to these three gates.

When we enter the South gate, the Rajoguna, the Tamoguna and the Sattvic Guna are present in us. Rajoguna is dominent at this stage. The J.O. ensures that the Rajoguna is eliminated and the material is sent to the West Gate. By this time the Tamoguna is removed and the material sent to the East Gate. The mind is sattvic at this stage because the Rajoguna and Tamas are removed. But this is not enough.

The soul must transcend all the Gunas to merge with the ultimate—the Paramatma. When that is done the M.O. passes the material as fit for that immortal mansion not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

This, my brother Mark Master Masons, is the symbolism that we can derive on this tiny aspect of the Mark Ritual—the concept of the gates. Imagine how much more that we can derive from the other aspects of this degree working. But to do this, we need an awareness.

When Swamy Vivekananda was to leave for America, he went to mother Sharada for her blessings. Mother was in her kitchen. Vivekananda told her, “I am going to America and I need your blessings.” Mother asked him, “What are you going to do in America?” and the young Swamiji replied, “I will spread the message of Dharma in that country.”

Mother Sharada tells Vivekananda to pass her a knife for cutting vegetables. Vivekananda does so. The Mother says, “You have my blessings.” Vivekananda is, however, puzzled. He asks her if there was any connection between her asking for the knife and her blessings. Mother Sharada says, “I wanted to know the way you handled the knife while passing it to me.”

Usually one would do it indifferently without awareness. One would usually hold the handle of the knife with the blade directed towards the one asking for it. But Vivekananda passed her the knife with the blade in his hand and its handle towards Mother. Mother tells him, “Now I think you are worthy of carrying the message of dharma to America. You are aware of your mission and hence worthy of being a missionary.”

Only when we are aware ourselves of what we are doing, the significance of the action comes alive.

May these three days of exahustive work stimulate us to an awareness and exciting further adventure through the symbolism of the Mark Degree.

I wish you all well and Godspeed.

Thank you.

M.W. The Grand Master and brethren, I am beholden to M.W. the Grand Master for affording me an opportunity, as officiating Grand Chaplain, to present this Oration on the nature and purpose of our Institution on the occasion of Consecration of Mark Lodge Accountants No.107.

At first I would like to give a brief account of the history of Mark Masonry in simple form, without going into the details of dates and names, so as to impress upon the minds of the petitioners in particular the historical background of their new Lodge and then would share with you my impressions of the lessons and teachings of this Order.

The Craft and the Mark Masonry are very close to each other in origin and nature and even in the form of Rituals as practiced today. Their histories are very intimately connected and one cannot be separated from the other, both having their origin in the building of King Solomon's Temple and forming part of practices of operative masons and changes that came about after the induction of non-operative masons.

The Mark Degree was instituted at the commencement of King Solomon's Temple, about 1000 years before the beginning of the Christian era, at the building of which an immense number of masons were employed and were divided into two classes of EA and FC, the FCs being more privileged than the EAs. They laid stone over stone, duly carved, shaped and chiselled with help of their working tools. Since the FCs were more skilled and their wages were to be paid according to the work done, it was felt necessary to allot a Mark and a number to them, by which their work could be identified and wages paid accordingly. Thus came into existence the Mark Degree among operative masons.

In middle ages, crusades for Jerusalem gave rise to a group named Templars, who undertook extensive building work. Having achieved great power and wealth, they had groups specializing in various fields including architecture and construction. They undertook building activities of many majestic structures like cathedrals and castles, etc. in Europe, thus employing a large number of mark masons as also non-operative masons for jobs other than actual building.

These operative masons formed their guilds or societies or lodges primarily to guard their trade secrets. Later, these operatives were dispersed over the whole of Europe and travelled from place to place, wherever their skills were needed for building purposes. To these operative lodges they later admitted non-operatives also and the Mark Degree was conferred on them too, thus ultimately giving rise to speculative Mark Degree.

Long before formation of any Grand Lodge, Craft, Mark and Chapters had flourished and existed specially in Europe and America. Each of the bodies worked independently: When the United Grand Lodge of England was formed, they declared that pure Antient Freemasonry consisted of only three degrees of Craft including the Supreme Order of Holy Royal Chapter and no more. Mark Degree was not included.

It was much later and only because inspite of this Mark masonry flourished in England, that they resolved that due recognition be given to Mark Degree also. Further, all the Mark Masons had to be members of Craft Lodges as well and most of them held high positions in the Grand Lodge. Disturbed by the above declaration of not recognizing Mark masonry, some of the enthusiastic Mark masons formed a separate Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons. It was then generally felt that the two separate constitutions of Craft and Mark could very well work side by side.

After the formation of the Grand Lodge of India in 1961, it was thought desirable to have Grand Mark Lodge also, but the same was not formed together with the Grand Lodge but much later in l965 at Madras.

Thus we find that Mark Masonry is one of the oldest and most interesting grades of Freemasonry. In its present form it incorporates two degrees. The candidate is first acknowledged as a Mark Man and subsequently advanced as a Mark Master Mason in the same ceremony.

I would now like to share with you various aspects of teachings and messages of this Supreme Degree, which are conveyed to us through the legend and the importance of the Keystone.

The legend of Mark Degree revolves around the Keystone, which takes upon itself and distributes the load on other stones in the structure, symbolizing some men, who have developed themselves to take burden of humanity.

As the Keystone is required to complete the arch and if removed will cause the whole structure to collapse, so we, through this degree impress upon the mind of the candidate to prepare himself through learning and practice of Masonic virtues to become a responsible member of society and guide them to the service of the Great Overseer. As such a Keystone is first imagined and then prepared from an ordinary stone, it points out that initially we all are similar, look alike and have same affinity. It is only when one developes oneself and becomes unique, that he is ahead of all others to become the Keystone to support and lead the others. This reminds us that attaining spiritual progress and getting ahead of others leads to difficulties as well. Such a person does not get recognition from the common man, yet in the end is judged by the Master, who is the symbol of divinity. The Mark degree teaches us the necessity of circumspection and the value of honest industry - the NISHKAYAKARMA.

There are many examples in the world of such men, who could be called Keystones. They have been ahead of their times and often have been very cruelly treated. Socrates and Galileo are some just to name a few.

This unique and imaginative brother will be ahead of time and will become useful to society when the proper time, and only when the proper time comes.

As we all know Freemasonry is a peculiar system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols. This is true for Mark also, as besides being an allegory, the ceremony of advancement is a drama and, if performed well, gives an everlasting impression on candidates mind and imparts effectively the lessons of the degree.

In Mark Masonry we have many generally used illustrations of principles, emblems with particular significance or meaning and also characters. These are to symbolize and to remind us of the moral principles which relate to membership of the Order.

The original symbols found a place in our lodge and its work during the development period of speculative masonry, because our ancestors speculated on the principles they were trying to teach and they attempted to illustrate those principles in a simple manner. The true speculative mason, therefore, thinks about the order and meditates and contemplates on its meaning for him and for mankind. Those who call themselves Freemasons, like us here, are not operative masons but free and accepted or speculative. As speculative Freemasons, it should be our duty to make daily advancement in masonry i.e. pursuit of virtues, practice of justice, accurate elucidation of symbolic mysteries, which tend to beautify and adorn the human mind. Hence, masons have universally adopted the method of inculcating the tenets of their order by typical figures and allegorical emblems.

Thus, we learn that both the legend and the symbols have been employed also in Mark Masonry to point out to us that order, regularity, discipline etc. play an important part in life. The brother is taught to develop and make a mark in life. His work is as important in society as the Keystone in a building. It encourages us to complete our allotted task honestly and that even if our work be not appreciated, we should not despair, for the time will soon come when we will be required and will receive due recognition and appreciation.

A Mark Master Mason has to make the world strong and beautiful and while performing his duties sincerely and faithfully he should keep this maxim in mind:

LAPIS REPROBATUS CAPUTANGULI
(The stone which the builders disallowed, the same stone is made the head of the comer.)

And now brethren, 1 would like to draw your attention to some of the most beautiful and all encompassing lines of exhortation given at the end of the ceremony of advancement:

"... Do justice, love mercy, practice charity, maintain harmony and endevour to live in unity and brotherly love......."

"...,.. among Mark Master Masons you will ever find friends, who will administer relief to your distress and comfort in your afflictions......"

These lines, no doubt, are the essence of Freemasonry covering everything that a true Freemason should know and practice.

In conclusion, I once again thank M.W. the Grand Master, M.W.Bro. Arun Chintopanth for this opportunity and would like to wish this latest addition to the family of Mark Lodges centuries of successful Masonic activities and to its members to develop themselves into such living stones as to form part of that spiritual edifice, that house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Thank you all !!