‘Freemasonry not just for men, will support if women show interest’
Times of India | 21 July 2024
Kolkata: Freemasonry is not just for men, Pro Grand Master of United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) Jonathan Spence said on his visit to Kolkata. Though Freemasonry in England has opened its doors to women, the District Grand Lodge of Bengal awaits more women showing interest to unlock theirs.
Misconceptions engulfed Freemasonry since it was organised in the 17th century.The first anti-masonic pamphlet in London was published in 1693, Spence said, while adding that if there is a void, there are speculations. The play ‘Three Knocks’ written and directed by Amit Dutt was a step towards busting the myths that Freemasonry had to grapple with from early on.
One major misconception that the play touched upon was that Freemasonry is only for men. “It’s not. It’s also for women. There are women’s Grand Lodges in England and Wales, and we are working very closely with them,” he said. As for Freemasonry in India, Spence hoped that they would be supportive of women. “If they take the initiative, we’re entirely supportive,” he said.
Devendra Lal Thapar, the District Grand Master of District Grand Lodge of Bengal and a father of two daughters, said they will extend their support if women show interest in joining the society. Thapar said that if 10-15 girls come forward, they can send an application to UGLE and they can consider the same.
The District was founded on Dec 27, 1727, which was a decade after the Modern Freemasonry Movement was established in England. It was the first to be formed outside England by UGLE, which is currently headed by the Duke of Kent. In 1863, the Freemasons inducted Indian Masons starting with P C Dutta. Since then, the District Lodge had several prominent members including, UN Brahmachari, WC Bonnerji and Narendranath Dutta.
The play by Dutt cradled the teachings and values of Freemasonry in the murder mystery genre. Taken aback by the choice of genre and the setting of the play, Spence applauded the smoothness with which Dutt intertwined the story-telling with the topic. “It did get across some important points about Freemasonry as a fraternal, non-religious and non-political organisation while talking about its values being integrity, respect, friendship and service. It’s not just about members looking after the members. It’s also about how they can help their community to be better,” Spence said.
Assuring that Freemasonry aims at opening its doors to younger generations and the play being a step in the direction of clearing doubts in the minds of the youth, Thapar said: “If anyone wants to join Freemasonry, they can come to 19, Park Street. We are open to talks and can see if any request can be considered. It will eventually happen.”