Feb 2007

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February 2007

M E S S A G E

Come this month and all thoughts turn to the Annual Investiture Meeting of the District which is held by rotation in Lodge locations around our jurisdiction, once every nine years or so for the Host Lodge. This year it is Calicut (Kozhikode) and Lodge Kerala.

Speaking of hosting, we shall have the singular pleasure at this February meeting of playing hosts to about a dozen of our English (and Welsh) Brethren from the Provinces of Warwickshire and Wales attending our Calicut Convocation. We hope they will enjoy our hospitality and our way of conducting ourselves, formally at the Meetings and informally at the festive Boards and other interactions.

Which brings me to another of my pet dreams, which is of starting a trend of Masonic tourism, in both or even many directions to truly manifest the practicality of ‘Masonry Universal’. I have myself been fascinated and enriched by visits to overseas Lodges of whatever recognized Constitution, but more particularly to observe the similarities and some differences in the Masonic practices within our own obtaining elsewhere. Acquaintance made over such visits have led to fast and enduring friendships, without the intervention of any other consideration than fraternal love.

In fact one of those of the current visiting fraternal force is one who has been my adopted Brother for more than fifty years long before either of us saw the light of Masonry and the Brotherhood it represents. I shall be therefore particularly delighted to receive Wor. Bro. Michael Azariah Pinney, my Brother in more senses than one, to our Calicut meeting and to my Home in Chennai thereafter.

We should seriously consider the possibility of taking the idea of Masonic travel further, and indeed examine whether we can formulate a plan to create an infrastructure to aid this endeavour. Perhaps our new campus in Bangalore can provide a setting and a Retreat for visiting Brethren of the English persuasion, from where they could radiate outwards on travels around our District, and beyond.

Without dreams, there can be no grand design, and without action to follow there can be no practical progress. Let us convert this Dream into reality over the coming years, and continue to make, maintain and enlarge our contacts and connections with our Brethren from across the waters. In the meanwhile let us afford a warm welcome to all our visiting Brethren and ensure that they will carry back with them happy memories of their short sojourn amongst us.