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April 2006 Message

TWO HAPPY OCCASIONS

Recently I had the pleasure of attending a function organized by the Chairman and Members of the Premises Committee of the Madras Freemason’s Hall Trust, to declare open, along with the R.W. Regional Grand Master, a couple of Hospitality Suites at the Madras F.M. Hall (Annexe). It was a pleasure more especially as the two Trustees were sharing a platform and addressing a combined audience of Brethren of various Masonic Constitutions on a subject and occasion of common interest. The two hospitality suites, one named the Middle Chamber by the R.W. Bro. G.K. Selvarajan the R.W.RGM of Southern India and the other by the Writer as The Rendezvous (Ronday – Voo, perhaps we should call it, to ensure the right pronunciation!) to be available for use by Brethren, and their families for private Dining, catered by our in-house kitchen.

It was an appropriate and most salutary demonstration of our friendly and fraternal relations between all the Brethren of the different constitutions; appropriate as Masons to have a building symbolizing the practical manifestation of what would otherwise remain a pious platitude. So mote it ever be!

The other function I attended was the 84^th birthday of H.H. Sri Padmanabha Dasa Marthanda Varma at the Krishna Vilasom Palace complex in Thiruvananthapuram. A religious ceremony in the tradition of many generations was performed, and it was a privilege to be present to witness a very rare function, and doubly so as His Highness is also a Senior Mason of the Grand Lodge of India (Past Deputy Grand Master) – although my presence at the ceremonies was not in my Masonic role. What was remarkable about the ceremonies was their simple and purely religious nature, without pomp or circumstance, the celebrant’s royal position being signified by a traditional sword placed on his lap, and a simple black cord around his neck by which hung an age-old piece of jewellery rather in the shape of a miniature orb. The male invitees were all in temple dress, meaning that no upper garments were permitted, which lent a further aura of simplicity to the gathering. The symbolisms of these two occasions was brought home to me as they were within forty-eight hours of each other, and represented to me, at any rate, happy events full of significance, albeit of very different origins.