Freemasons create history at Masonic Lodge

Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, September 25

Members of Freemasons today created history by allowing non-members, especially women, inside the sanctum sanctorum, also called a temple and a place for customary rituals, at Lord Dalhousie No. 10, Masonic Lodge, near picture palace in Mussoorie.

Brother Suvigya Sabharwal welcomed the non-members and women in the temple and said this was the first time when the general public, especially women, had been allowed inside the temple and the sacred Freemason Hall where proceedings of Freemasons take place on a regular basis.

The chief guest, who is also the master Grand Lodge of India, Brother Jamnabihar Masurekar along with Brother HS Ranauta Vasudev presented a symbolic jewel pendant to two persons.

The chief guest said he was privileged to honour the two Brothers of Freemasons in Mussoorie.

The women who were invited for the first time in the temple were elated to witness the customary rituals.

Mari Dieli Sadlier, a guest from Italy and a witness to the ritual in the temple, said she was delighted to be a part of the tradition that goes back to ancient period of Solomon the Great. She said she was not a Freemasons but her father-in-law was a part of the mason movement and a member of the Masonic Lodge in Mussoorie. She said it was great that women were also invited in the sacred and secretive rituals of the Masonic Lodge.

Earlier, the Freemasons also distributed school bags, books and stationery to students from the poor families studying in government schools around Mussoorie.