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MESSAGES 2005

January * February * March * April * May * June * July * August * September * October * November * December

JANUARY 2005

NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS

At the dawn of a New Year, one tends to make resolutions – mostly of giving up something – a habit (smoking is a popular and recurring candidate for surrender), an excess of some kind, or some such thing. Positive resolutions are less popular, such as requires ‘doing’ something, not normally done or practised in the year just gone by (exercise, for instance) or living according to some prescribed rules or ritual.

The reference to ritual is relevant to our Masonic resolve, for there’s nothing that one can add to the system of morality which our Rituals so amply illustrate by symbolisms or more directly. However despite our being familiar with the prescriptions of our Rituals – Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth – for starters, the various obligations taken at various stages of one’s Masonic Career, the addresses and charges delivered from the higher echelons to the less advanced Brethren, the practise thereof, perhaps, needs to be more faithfully followed.

There is no aspect of civilized behaviour and social responsibility that the rituals of Free Masonry does not cover, and they provide an easy to follow handbook as it were, to put into practise. To quote just a couple of examples – in the Charge after initiation – a most enervating exposition to not only the Initiate to whom it is addressed but to him who delivers it, and to the rest of the Brethren who are privileged to be in the audience, and to hear it again and again. The Charge lays out the framework of Freemasonry, the characteristics of its membership and the responsibilities pertaining thereto, and ultimately the self-development which it prescribes! Another example which covers a whole gamut of Masonic behaviour is the Antient Changes and Regulations which are read to the candidate for the Worshipful Master’s Chair, and which every member of a Lodge is privileged to hear once a year, even if he does not necessarily go over it in the Book of Constitutions. Is there anything that one can add to those charges?

Even if a ‘daily advancement’ in Masonic knowledge is not possible, I am sure at least an annual reflection on these various aspects of our wonderful fraternity and its ethical under-pinnings would greatly enhance the peace and good order of society. Let us resolve in the New Year to contribute our mite to that cause, and to practise those virtues outside the Lodges which we have been taught in them – so that the World may know …..

I take this opportunity of wishing all my Brethren, a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year and to remain committed to the service of our fraternity and to society at large.

FEBRUARY 2005

This is the month in which, traditionally in the second week, we meet many Brethren from around the District at our Annual Investiture Meeting in Chennai. Our average attendance for these Meetings is about 270 Brethren which represents a good 25% of our membership, and has shown a rising trend which is cause for some satisfaction.

It is also a time for reflection on a Masonic Year gone by, on goals achieved, and those unfulfilled, of changes perceived, and of our own adjustments to them. Much remains to be done in our onward progress, but we can say that we have made some noticeable milestones – in Charity efforts, in administration and information systems, in supporting the Freemasons’ Hall Trust, and contributing handsomely to its facilities through the Premises Committee, in improving communications generally, more particularly by having an active and regularly up-dated website, and so on and so forth.

All this of course calls for Teamwork which has been very much in evidence, and calls for congratulations of that team’s efforts – the members of which are too numerous to mention, but obviously includes all the active District Officers, and staff of the District Office, as well as Lodge Masters, Secretaries and even our younger Brethren.

One of the most obvious, and heart-warming examples of this Teamwork has been in the relief and rehabilitation efforts on the TSUNAMI disaster in which Lodges and Brethren have been involved. More can be done, of course, but this disaster afforded an opportunity to demonstrate Charity in action. We hope the relief efforts will continue to go to the aid of our affected communities. Remember Brethren that a hand that warms another is better than the hand that merely signs a cheque for Charity.

While on the subject of Charity we shall also be launching the investigation and appraisal of a scheme for a Masons Welfare Fund during the course of the next few months, about which you will all hear more from the District administration, as their appraisals reach a conclusion through an expert sub-committee thereof, set up for the purpose of examining the idea more thoroughly. All suggestions and views are welcome, placed through the District Office to this Sub-Committee.

I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible later this month.

MARCH 2005

CONSTRAINT AND OPPORTUNITY

In the last eight weeks, almost to the day, as I compose this message, all hell broke loose in our neighbourhood, lives were lost, lifetime’s labour was reduced to mushy mud and rubble and unimaginable emotional burdens had to be borne, at all levels. There were catastrophic constraints to be dealt with, and despair loomed large.

However, while the loss of lives and the trauma accompanying the disaster will take many months if not years to overcome, there are many good things we can take out of this disaster. Firstly the enormous waves of generosity from round the world which have provided the wherewithal for the stricken areas to recoup and recover, in a material sense. Secondly it placed upon the neighbouring communities a responsibility to respond to the needs of their affected fellow beings, and they responded magnificently, although there were, sadly, as always some exceptions. Thirdly, the inflow of currencies and the additional domestic demand for various products and commodities required for relief and rehabilitation, improved the economies of some of the less developed nations. There were constraints galore but equally plenty of opportunity for exhibiting courage, generosity and compassion.

Rehabilitation work in our neighbourhood, particularly on the East Coast of Tamil Nadu, is proceeding apace with shelters completed, although in some areas Government has yet to allot freehold land on which to construct permanent accommodation, schools have re-opened, and a number of fishing boats have taken to the sea. This has also approved an opportunity to improve the coastal infrastructure, by building access roads, providing permanent housing, sanitation and drinking water, refurbishing the schools and so on, which could be of lasting benefit to the fisherfolk who are the most affected by the coastal catastrophe.

The disaster also underlined the capacity of our countrymen to effectively manage crises, although it would be of much more lasting benefit, if we could carry this competence over to planned management activities. We are perhaps the greatest crisis managers in the World but anticipatory management may not be quite our cup of tea.

Nevertheless, we can take comfort that in tackling this Tsunami Disaster, we have achieved in a matter of eight weeks some semblance of restitution in our area for the material losses, although the trauma and emotional disturbances afflicting the affected will be with them and us for some considerable time to come.

To all those Brethren, Masonic Charities and others who came to our aid from far and wide, and from nearer home, we express our heartfelt gratitude, and assure them that their contributions have been and will be put to good use, for the direct benefit of those affected by the Tsunami. For us in the Masonic District of Madras it has been an opportunity to practise that virtue we Masons profess to admire.

APRIL 2005

LESSONS FROM THE TSUNAMI

For the English Masonic District of Madras which covers the entire South Indian peninsula, our attempts at Tsunami Relief brought home a few lessons in the executive aspects of relief which adds to our hitherto limited stock of knowledge, in the practical manifestations of Charity.

We learnt firstly that while relief is the first step in an emergency, which should lead to rehabilitation in the longer term, to restore normal life to the affected community, there are many psycho-social effects to be managed alongside.

Many donors imagined that (old) clothes and prepared meals would be welcomed by a community which was, after all, only ‘fisher folk’. Some of these urban donors had lost touch with the reality of progress in such communities which meant that their well-meaning efforts in relief were spurned or at best grudgingly accepted. Many in these coastal communities’ had over the years, become relatively self-sufficient, and over-night the Tsunami had washed away the many rungs they had climbed up the socio-economic ladder. Relief such as were thrown at them, on the albeit well-meaning first responses to the Tsunami, added to their mental trauma and sense of loss, even if it did assuage some immediate physical needs.

We in the District fortunately and pointedly, avoided any such immediate attempts in ‘shock’ mode and sought other initiatives ultimately leading to rehabilitation, and the restoration of dignity.

The second lesson which appears obvious but is often missed is the relative roles and spaces that N.G.Os and Government agencies need to discharge and occupy. N.G.Os. are without doubt quicker, by their very structure, to react to such emergencies and natural disasters. The relief phase appears to be about 3 to 6 months from the occurrence, whereafter rehabilitation imperatives intervene. At this stage, by the very nature of things, the Government authorities need to step in and take over, even where the N.G.Os. are willing to continue their work. To give an example, permanent housing to replace damaged houses, requires Government allotment of freehold land to the fishermen, and no house can safely be built on disputed land. The fisher-folk prefer to choose their former coastal locations for re-settlement, accepting the risks involved; to drive them inland goes against the locational particularity of their occupation. N.G.Os. obviously cannot get involved in this wrangle, which has to be in the State’s domain. There are exceptions as always to this lesson, which I shall come to later.

Thirdly, the continuance of NGO involvement in these communities makes the inhabitants fearful that the Government would not follow through with its support for the affected area, and from rehabilitation programmes, because NGOs have apparently taken over these tasks. Stressful social situations therefore, can arise which are best avoided, by the NGOs retreating after a period of intervention, so as to avoid conflicts, and to restrict themselves to certain initiatives which Governments everywhere are less inclined to address, immediately.

One of such initiatives would be in addressing the psycho-social effects of the disaster particularly on children. Qualified NGOs could not only assist, counsel, and treat trauma afflictions, and while doing so conduct research and build up a body of literature to assist also in the future management of such after-effects of emergencies and natural disasters.

Finally, the lesson most forcibly learnt is that we as Freemasons are best equipped to collect and channel our contributions through established N.G.Os. to the affected communities by practical initiatives, but keeping an oversight of the NGO’s activities to see that our contributions are faithfully applied to the chosen initiatives. Obviously, this refers to major non-Masonic Charity initiatives undertaken by us such as in Puduguppam (Sirgazhi Taluk) with the SOS Children’s Villages – Chatnath Homes. The involvement of our Brethren on the ground to assist the chosen NGO is an imperative and gives them, particularly the younger members of our fraternity, opportunities to see Charity in action – in a manner of speaking, to put the knives and forks aside and wield the pick and shovel!

MAY 2005

FEELINGS

The recent Tsunami mirrored an extensive swell of generosity which set me thinking on how these and other feelings are generated, and indeed how they come to be expressed in various redeeming acts. In normal times such positive empathy is rarely visible in human conduct, indeed even in the courtesies of day-to-day social contact. It is as if while invisible on the surface they always exist, like ground water resources, or underground aquifers, which get tapped on occasions of natural disasters. Continuing with the analogy these subterranean resources whether of water or of generosity do get polluted if drawn on too greedily.

Without feelings, our provenance as Human beings would be suspect. Humanity pre-supposes feelings, and indeed also that they should be positive. Negative feelings such as fear, envy, vengeance, violence are obviously to be eschewed, despite their ubiquitous presence in us all. A conscious effort is required to block these negative feelings and indeed turn them into positive ones. Fear, for instance, can in many circumstances be fought by intellectually following it to its source – which is very often one of the imagination. Similarly envy can only arise from feelings of inadequacy on the part of the one so afflicted – to understand the source is to conquer it, and to divert the emotion to more positive uses.

Getting back to the generous impulses which drive our charitable actions, it is important to curb the accompanying impulse to achieve a public ‘do-gooder’ status. The satisfaction that comes from giving practical effect to our charitable well-spring needs necessarily to be privately enjoyed not publicly flaunted. Hence my belief over the years of my membership of our fraternity that Charity is to be regarded as the dominant secret, if ever there was one. One does not deny that there are reasons to afford some publicity to what one has done with our fraternity’s generous donations, so as to let it be known to them as to how they were applied, but no more, in the public domain.

The distinguishing characteristic of a Freemasons’ heart should lie safely there – invisibly locked up in a safe and sacred repository, the benevolence to be tapped judiciously for relief that needs no elaboration. Humanity it may be noted, is alive and well!

JUNE 2005

ATTITUDES

Of late, we come across many references to ‘attitude’ – such as in the now common expression – x has an attitude problem – meaning x is obstructive in his / her behaviour or in receptivity to instructions or advice.

We have all come across such barriers thrown up by attitude which get in the way of obtaining co-operation from others, and in turn in achieving set community goals. Attitude, of course, consists of a set of beliefs or ideas which determine our actions and thought processes as individuals. Most of these beliefs, ideas and values are acquired by association from family, peer groups, teachers and other sources of influence, in the process of growing up, of maturing if you like. However, motivation needs internal processing to ascribe weight and currency to these beliefs, values etc., and it is not always that maturity is a benefit bestowed by the mere passage of time and years. Many persons age but do not necessarily mature.

Attitudes, therefore, can be positive or negative, and it would be obvious as to which produces results. Very often, one comes across negative attitudes, which are exhibited for no reason other than to exercise a sort of power – the power of withholding co-operation, and negating the goal of the good, or in a manner of speaking, for the ability to say ‘No’.

The other problem with having an ‘attitude’ is that it tends to judge any issue by a set of beliefs or ideas of the person rather than by the assessed merit of another, or another’s proposition. You will observe that such an attitude is always of a negative connotation.

We are all, in one degree or another, repositories of knowledge but our progress from knowledge to wisdom is hampered by the lack of a considered and continual reflection based on experience. Attitudes need understanding of experiences and received knowledge, of the needs and concerns of others, with whom we share this Universe.

Goodness, Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth are all good underlying principles leading to positive attitudes – but to quote the great Dr. Samuel Johnson - On Boswell saying that a certain man had good principles, Johnson observed that he did not wear them out in practice!

Masonry is all about the right attitudes leading to ethical practices, if and when it is properly understood.

JULY 2005

THE 24-INCH GAUGE

THE MANAGEMENT OF TIME

Masonry at our initiation reminds us of the apportionment required, of our Time, part to be spent in prayer, part in labour and refreshment and part in helping a Brother and so on – a clear exposition of the need to allocate precious time to our various concerns, public and private.

However, when one looks around, we find this non-replaceable resource, which in the present day, takes on a position of the highest importance, being wasted. Missed and late appointments, postponements and procrastinations all robbing us of this precious resource.

In our society, Time is used as if it is inexhaustible, depending on the importance, self-ascribed, of a person, in the forlorn hope that it will come again, perhaps in our re-incarnation. VIPs can be late, they can keep lesser beings waiting; and the pecking order of our society seems to be determined by how long one can keep someone else waiting our pleasure; this even on previously arranged appointments.

On Masonic occasions, we generally are punctilious about time, but there have been occasions when one has observed a certain lack of urgency, in “getting on with it” – whatever the occasion. We are today in an age when Time has become the most important resource, and in addressing a potential youthful membership class in our knowledge society, this is one aspect that a prospective candidate will consider before committing his time to Masonry. Our meetings and festive Boards even, need to be organised with the use of Time in mind.

We have now gone on to a global standard of Time, and Indian Standard Time can no longer have the luxury of being ‘stretchable’, if we want to stay in business, in a manner of speaking. As Masons, the symbolic 24 inch gauge, in the explanation of our working tools says it all, but needs to be practised more effectively and sincerely.

THE 24-INCH GAUGE

THE MANAGEMENT OF TIME

AUGUST 2005

CONNECTIONS AND CONTINUITY

It is obvious that one can perhaps buy a future, or at least hopefully, invest in one but the past is beyond intervention or investment – it is what it is!

In that sense, our provenance of various forms of lineage, is to be cherished and celebrated, as it has both a connectivity to our origins, and happily, a continuity with our present pre-occupations.

August is a month of celebrations for Masons of this District, for it is the month in which the City itself celebrates its founding – 366 years ago, and in a major part of which, of close to 300 years, Masonry has shared its history, and contributed through its Brethren to the City’s growth and well-being. Another festive occasion is our Half-Yearly Meeting, this time in Ootacamund in the luscious Nilgiri Hills, with Lodge Faith, Hope and Charity as our hosts – the town in itself being the repository of a long-standing connection with Freemasonry, and indeed even with the City of Madras, as its summer hideaway, and for some time, even its seat of temporarily transferred governance.

Ootacamund grew from being a ‘Hospital’ station where the war- wounded were restored to health, a Boer P.O.W. camp, to a seat of temporary governance of the Madras Presidency during the torrid summer months affecting the City of Madras, and finally to the resort it is now, surrounded by its Plantations, Hill sides and Forests.

Masonry has co-existed in these parts with the social and economic development of the intervening three centuries and more, and indeed a book on Ootacamund originally issued in 1908 and re-issued in 2002, has a whole chapter on Freemasonry in Ooty.

The fact that we still have two strong Lodges in Ooty speaks for the robust links which continue to exist between Freemasonry and the local gentry, and two lovely and quaint Lodge buildings independently and respectively owned by these Lodges for their Meetings and festive boards.

Long may our past connections seamlessly flow into the future, adjusting to the changes in the environment, and providing a continuity of service to society, as we have done in centuries past.

SEPTEMBER 2005

A FAMILY GATHERING

Our recent Half-Yearly meeting at Ootacamund in the Nilgiris after the serious business, had all the warmth and gaiety of a family gathering, and it was especially comforting to be bathed in a brotherly glow, in temperatures which fluctuated between about 5°C to 15°C. The host Lodge had put itself out to be hospitable – and indeed succeeded beyond measure. Except for a shower on Friday afternoon the weather also co-operated, so that we could enjoy the sunshine.

The Saturday night went on well into the midnight hour, with the younger legs exercising on the dance floor, with some of the older ones to show them, that the spirit was willing, and that memories of ‘tripping the light fantastic’ had not yet been completely lost.

The American auction conducted by the President of the Board, of a hamper of undisclosed contents, led to frenzied bidding more reminiscent of casinos, and yielded in about 45 minutes the goodly sum of Rs.50,000/-. The Bar Dive earlier on Friday night had contributed Rs.35,000/- and adding another Rs.14,000/- approx. at District Meeting, realized in all about Rs.100,000/- for Charity – not bad for a gathering of about 270 Brethren in all.

On Friday the 12^th I had the solemn duty of presiding over the re-dedication of the Grave, beautifully renovated by the Brethren of the eponymous Lodge, of Major General Pitt Macdonald, our first District Grand Master to be so designated. The grave is in the yard of the St. Stephen’s Church in Ooty, and dates back to 1867. It is heartening to have such representative acts of our respect for our traditions and in remembrance of brethren who contributed so much to our fraternity and to the social causes of that time.

This message may read more like a news report but if reminder were necessary it is the medium of our actions that underlines the message that I wish to convey. Actions speak louder than words, and the gathering we all recently attended, encourages us to believe that our Brotherhood is alive, robust and well, in this District of Madras.

OCTOBER 2005

LEAD, KINDLY LIGHT

Recent events in sporting circles, as in others, have set one thinking about teams, motivation, leadership, character and a host of related attributes required to achieve communal goals.

At Cricket, England wins the ashes after two decades at home, and the powerful Australians have at last been toppled from their perch, which they had occupied for so long. What has affected the two teams, one in such a manner as to have them scale heights of achievement long forgotten, and the other, to taste unaccustomed defeat?

Real Madrid, with a galaxy of star footballers with fancy prices on their heads and boots, goes down to its third successive defeat.

Closer to home, even if they are really away, our national cricket team supposedly with world-class individuals, is making relatively difficult work as a team, of humbling a lesser African side of callow youth. There are rumblings of discord and egos being mauled and / or massaged. All food for thought on the necessary constituents for concerted effort, and successful results therefrom.

First, must come values – the kindly light which should draw us in its illumined path, suppressing our selfish needs in the larger interests of the community that we represent. Second, competence in leadership – combined with character. It has been truthfully said that competence can get one to a position of leadership, but it is ultimately character that keeps one there – in genuine acceptance of that position by one’s followers – or team.

While de Bono and other management thinkers are constantly mentioned, even amongst Cricket administrators, I would suggest that our fraternity and its tenets can provide a ready reckoner for success if one were to follow them faithfully. It teaches the values, provides the illumination, and the working tools with which one can arrive at those immortal Mansions whence all goodness emanates. May it lead us all to a better performance of our various duties on and off our respective playing fields!

NOVEMBER 2005

PALLIATIVE CARE

We now have ‘Days’ for everything, and so it has become rather commonplace, to celebrate Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, even Husband’s Day which I believe is called Karva Chauth, north of the Deccan. However, for the first time, sometime last month, I came across a ‘Palliative Day’ which gathered together organizations involved in palliative care for incurable ailments. This triggered off my message for this month as it is a subject which has been exercising my mind for many years now, and on which our Board of General Purposes has been working on, over the past few months, for an appropriate scheme for our Brethren, should such a need arise.

About three years ago in 2002, I sought the assistance of Insurance experts (to no avail, I might add) to draw up a scheme to provide a safety net for our Brethren, in the event of any of them or their spouses, falling victim to terminal (or old age) and therefore incurable, ailments such as Cancer, Motor Neuron disease, Alzheimers etc. Currently, no Insurance cover provides for any support for these afflictions or for any other beyond the age of seventy years, and with longevity increasing, and the joint family support system disintegrating, we have an incipient welfare problem gathering size and familiarity. We have in this country over 70 million categorized Senior Citizens and the percentile of this population which can theoretically suffer such ailments could be a matter of increasing concern.

In anticipation, we, in the Masonic District of Madras, therefore propose to launch a self-managed (as no Insurance Company is prepared to offer such a facility) Mason’s Welfare Fund which will call for a modest subscription of about Rs.1,500/- (One Thousand Five Hundred Rupees) per annum, which sums when gathered, will be invested for us by Fund Managers, who will operate at arms length, from the Masonic Trustees of the Welfare Fund, to provide the resources from which the financial help to those Brethren needing medically-advised, palliative care will be rendered. This financial assistance could be given for home or hospice / hospital care, at the affected person’s choice. The Mason’s Welfare Fund (MWF) will be an ear-marked constituent fund (for palliative care) of the District Grand Charity Fund Trust and likewise, administered by its President and Executive Council, under the guidance as presently, of the Trustees thereof. The MWF will not consider petitions / requests other than for palliative care, as those ordinary petitions can be met by existing facilities as is being done presently.

We would welcome feedback on this proposal which may be sent by e-mail to the Secretary of the District Grand Charity while expressing the wish that the Fund be launched at our February meeting in Kollam, at the latest.

In the meanwhile let me wish you all a Happy Diwali, and to our Muslim Brethren and their families, my hearty ID greetings.

DECEMBER 2005

MENTORING RE-VISITED

Mentoring, defined as the guiding role performed by a Trusted Senior, in overseeing the personal and career development, of a subordinate or junior in a like profession or activity, has been practised in one form or another, for centuries. Whether it was our Indian Guru-Sishya parampara or the more modern versions practised in commercial enterprises or even in the sports arena, mentoring has always been around. We recently had a visit by the former Prime Minister of Singapore, Mr. Lee Kwan Yew who is now Mentor – Minister of the Singapore Cabinet – another important acknowledgement, in public life, of this role.

In Masonry, likewise we have all received guidance in one form or another from senior Brethren, and in some cases, have ourselves performed a similar function, in respect of those of more recent membership of our fraternity. As in many other well-meaning initiatives, there are always risks and dangers, for instance of a Mentor becoming a Tormentor!

Currently, your District is trying to give some shape and form to the concept of mentoring by trying to encapsulate in a guide, useful pointers for potential mentors to follow, in respect of their charges. While there’s a lot that can be done, and doubtless is being done, on explanations of the Ritual, it would be even more useful to the learner, if the contextual references are amplified in order to put the accompanying ritual in its proper setting.

Again, the mentor can be useful in expanding upon and explaining symbolisms, which not only opens the gates to more practical ethical codes, but can give special meaning to the words, which are otherwise just learnt by rote, without quite getting their essence.

Nothing gives any Mentor greater pleasure than seeing the results of his guidance in the further development and success of his fraternal pupil. Moreover, the pupil then, one day transforms himself, into a Mentor, mindful of the happy learning process from which he benefited in his progress up the ladder. I, for one, can remember with pleasure all my mentors in my passage through the echelons of masonry. Hence I do want to emphasise that this is an inter-active process, and every contribution helps. Not all pupa become butterflies of course, but the effort is worthwhile.

I close with the Seasons Greetings, wishing all my Brethren and their families, Happy Festivities and a Great New Year while sparing a thought through generous contributions, to our Charities and to those whom they serve.