The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Freemasons set to shed their secrecy

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Saturday, Nov 21, 2009
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Freemasons set to shed their secrecy

Staff Reporter

To hold installation ceremony in Chennai

There are around 18,000 freemasons in India with southern region comprising 8,500 members
It hoped to reach out through philanthropic activities to at least 50 villages in next 2 years

CHENNAI: The Freemasonry Movement in India has decided to come out in the open.

The first such event will see the ceremonial installation of the new Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of India, Balaram Biswakumar, on November 21 at Chennai Trade Centre, with family members including women and special invitees as attendees.

It’s a rarity considering that only freemasons are allowed at this all-men society.

At a press conference here on Thursday, Dr. Biswakumar answered queries on the society.

To a question on why Freemasonry is touted as a secret society, Mr. Biswakumar said that it probably started with the masons’ centuries ago where they kept a strict code of conduct on their trade and it was continued since then. Community work and even membership details were traditionally not revealed.

“But now, increasingly many Grand Lodges are feeling the need to open up to remove the myths among people that we are not a secret society,” he said. Belief in God is the foremost qualification to become a member.

There are around 18,000 freemasons in India with southern region comprising 8,500 members. The society has also seen members dropping out, though it is minimal, he said. Asked if some years down the line if Grand Lodge would also see women members, Dr. Biswakumar did not refute this but said id had to be a taken up democratically across the world.

Elaborating on his plans, the neurosurgeon said his immediate goal was to get the society stronger in strength and number.

It also hoped to reach out through its philanthropic activities to at least 50 villages in the next two years.

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