Oldest fraternal society Freemasons throws 'Open House'

One of the world's oldest closed door fraternal societies whose members included Vivekananda, Motilal Nehru, JRD Tata, King George VI and George Washington among others, is organising a day long Open House here tomorrow.
The District Grand Lodge of Bombay, an apex body of the esoteric fraternity of the Freemasons, is throwing the Open House as a curtain raiser to the tercentenary celebrations next year of the United Grand Lodge of England to which it is affiliated, commemorating 300 years of continual existence of Freemasonry.
Anybody walking into Freemason's Hall, Opposite Sterling Cinema, near CST, anytime between 11 am and 5:30 pm on June 5 can get insights into the 'brotherhood' through senior members of the masonic fraternity," says Subeer Verma, Master of Lodge St George, Mumbai and the District Grand Mentor.

Freemasonry, which owes its origin in the late 16th to 17th century in Scotland and England came to India through the East India Company in the early 18th century.
One of the society's most recognizable symbol is an interlaced 'Square and Compass', found on the facade of all Freemason's Hall.
The fraternity is administratively organised into independent Grand Lodges or sometimes Orients, each of which governs its own jurisdiction, which consists of subordinate or daughter Lodges. Grand Lodges are independent and sovereign bodies that govern Masonry in a given country, state, or geographical area (termed a jurisdiction).

Made famous by the bestsellers of Dan Brown, like 'The Da Vinci Code', the Freemasons society commands a global membership of over 6 millions and their numbers in India is only growing.

Their secret and elaborate rituals involve checkered-board floor and their lodges are run well by 'Grand Masters'.
As they welcome the public they "will enumerate on various social aspects Freemasonry is known for worldwide - support to the charity, efforts for inclusion of the differently abled in society, and upliftment of women through education," says Verma.
According to organisers, the Open House will also help clear misconceptions about Masonry and convey that it is "not a secret society, but at best a society of secrets."
The members believe in "truth, tolerance, respect, and freedom.