Freemasons are keen to dispel myths about them even as they are considering accepting women into their fold.
BANGALORE: The Da Vinci Code introduced the world of mysticism and secret societies to the lay reader on its way to becoming one of the best-selling books ever.
Now, as the movie based on the book is ruffling passions across India, the normally discreet Freemasons, referred to by Dan Brown as a secret society in which members perform secret rituals to earn ranks, have come out in the open to debunk his theory as fiction.
At the same time the Freemasons are on their way to opening their doors to women as well.
“The book has thrown up a lot of myths which we seek to clarify,” Arun Chintopanth, the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of India, said.
A seminar titled “Discover Freemasonry” is being organised for the public in an attempt to “demolish the myth of a secret society” on Saturday in Bangalore, which houses one of the oldest lodges in the country.
The society with “secrets” that communicate to its “brothers” with spiritual mind through symbols and allegory is deliberating to change its centuries-old, male-dominated tradition to allow women.
“We need to change the tradition, but it is difficult. The suggestion came from France and now we are discussing it at the world meeting of grand lodges, so that women could be part of Freemasonry,” he said.
Grand Masters across the 145 International Masonic centres are holding consultations on accepting women into the fold and the shift would happen once a consensus is arrived at.
Freemasons, often referred to as a “secret society”, found its origin in the male-dominated construction industry in the early 1700s and claims to be one of the world’s oldest fraternal societies.
“How can we be a secret society when the identities of our members are well known?” he asked.
India has over 348 lodges and 18,000 freemasons, with nearly 60 per cent of them based in the South. The Bhagwad Gita, Bible, the Koran, the Zend Avesta and Guru Granth Sahib are placed at every Masonic lodge and brothers must respect all religions.
“We are not a secret society, but we do keep secrets because we are rooted in mysticism,” Chintopanth said. The society does not solicit membership, but a person, with English knowledge and above the age of 21 years, can become a brother after undergoing an initiation ritual. “They need to know English to join us as the society activities are conducted in the language,” he said.
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