April 2011 issue - Lodge Prudentia

The case of the empty pockets: Effectiveness in ritual workingby W Bro K C Giridharan (giridharan@abacusmc.com)I had been to Delhi to attend our college alumnimeet and was pleased to meet all my oldclassmates. Bro Vijay Narang calls up and says, “Iunderstand that you are a Freemason and I wouldlike you to attend our Indraprasta Lodge meettomorrow”. Though I was supposed to be present atthe FICCI Auditorium for the Alumni meet, Iacceded to his demand that we attend the lodgemeeting first and then join our buddies later fordinner.Freemasons hall in Delhi, is an imposing regalbuilding located at Janpath. A senior Brotherreceives me and accommodates me in the temple.The WM opens the lodge and, his having beennewly installed, the initiation ceremony isproceeding at a slow, measured pace with guidancefrom senior brethren. The ritual proceeds to thecharge in the North East. W Bro Sudershan Mehtais invited to deliver. As he delivers the charge aboutcharity, there is a palpable embarrassment whenthe candidate declares that he has nothing to give.The ceremony was so sincere, that it had gone farbeyond just being a ritual being enacted. However,the story does not stop here.Towards the end of the meeting the charity box istaken around. When it reaches the newly initiatedBother, he gets up and empties a huge bundle ofnotes into the charity box! There is a satisfied smileon his face that is reflected on the face of everyonepresent. The Junior Deacon, puzzled on receivingsuch a bounty, goes into a huddle with theSecretary, who then approaches the WM and theyhave a quick, whispered discussion. The JD thencarries the overflowing charity box to the generousbrother and tells him that, while the WM and theLodge are pleased by his gesture, the foregoingritual was only symbolic, and he may kindly takeback his bank roll and give a token amount for.charity. The enlightened one refuses to take themoney back!There are two points I would like to highlight in viewof the incident I have just narrated. First, the ritualwas like a play being enacted, and the role playedby the individual actors came close to the real lifesituation. Both Sivaji Gnesan and Naseeruddin Shahave been acclaimed as great actors. But it hasbeen observed Sivaji Ganesan plays a role, yousee Sivaji the lawyer, Sivaji the land lord or Sivajithe beggar. On the contrary when Naseeruddin Shaacts you do not see Naseeruddin, but only astruggling teacher or a valiant freedom fighter. Allof us play different roles, father, boss, customer,negotiator, husband etc., in real life situations andact as the case may be. However, it is only whenthe person merges with the role he is playing thatwe see tangible and wholehearted outcomes. Inthe above incident, W Bro Sudershan Mehta wasnot loud or commanding or theatrical. But hiscareful, measured delivery with lots of deliberationsdid the candidate in.Secondly, we should not be conducting rituals in atheatrical, play acting, dramatized fashion, norshould we rush through them for whatever reason.Nor should a competitive nature mar themeaningfulness of the ceremony. All this detractsfrom the content and prevents the ritual from beingmeaningful to the candidates and the observers. Aucontraire, incidents that drive home theeffectiveness of rituals during a regular meetingshould be recorded for posterity and recommendedfor awards as an example to our brethren to drivehome the true sprit of rituals in Freemasonry.I recommend that the incident I have narrated berecorded in the annals of the Grand Lodge of Indiato serve as a guiding beacon to all brethren.