TRAIN TO BEAUFORT
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Prem Vasuthevan
Past Master
Beaufort Lodge No. 7989 E.C.
“They say that old soldiers never die—they just fade away.”
As the morning sun painted the sky a brilliant blue, the train chugged along through the countryside, heading towards a small, picturesque town called Beaufort.
Among the passengers were two old men—metaphorical old soldiers by virtue of their shared fraternity—seated across from each other, both about to embark on a journey back through time, a journey we had named the Beaufort Reminisce Trip. As the train rattled on, a sudden jolt brought my daydream to an abrupt halt. It was then that I realised that the two old men, Tony Chan and Datuk GG, as they were fondly called, were not there on the train. This is the tale of those two soldiers.
They say that it is not enough to be in the right place at the right time. You have to be the right person, in the right place, at the right time. That is how I chanced upon Worshipful Brother Tony Chan. He was a very friendly man of a jovial disposition, albeit sensitive, and apart from a few minor skirmishes, we got along quite well.
I remember his famous words whenever we deviated from the script during our Lodge practice meetings:
“Beware! Today’s mistakes are tomorrow’s traditions.”
It was his way of keeping us in check, and although he tended to be a pain in the gluteus at times, looking back over the years since he made his rather dramatic exit from this earthly abode, I realise the significance of that statement.
When Tony invited me to join the line-up as Senior Warden back in 2018, I initially declined. I had always thought of myself as a Masonic journeyman and, in my mind at least, I had reached the pinnacle of my Masonic journey. I communicated my thoughts to him as such. He retorted, in the articulate manner that only Tony Chan could:
“Your Masonic journey is by no means complete until you have ascended the throne of King Solomon!”
Suffice it to say, it was not a request. It was this directive that set me on my journey towards taking up the Master’s Chair in Beaufort Lodge.
Worshipful Brother Datuk GG Murugesu was an old-school Mason who took no prisoners. I remember him telling us off after a particularly heated discussion during one of our advisory meetings:
“Junior Masons should be seen, not heard!”
Now, I am not saying that he was an unreasonable man. He was a phenomenon. It was GG being GG. His intention was sincere: to impart a lesson in humility, something he usually did to great effect.
He and I indulged in many long conversations about the Craft in general, and, being men of God, we also discussed religion at length. He was a devout Hindu and, as a devotee of Lord Shiva, had a favourite saying:
“Ellam Shiva Mayam,” which means, “Everything is Shiva’s illusion.”
Deep and profound, as were most things with Datuk GG Murugesu.
As much as they were looking forward to the Beaufort Reminisce Trip, these old soldiers did not make the journey in the end. They both succumbed to their respective destinies. This was very sad, considering the amount of time and effort spent planning and organising the trip. It was meant to be an enjoyable journey through time—to recollect past events and bask in warm nostalgia.
Tony Chan, the stubborn man that he was, decided that he wanted to leave this world on his own terms. As for Datuk GG, well, he finally made the decision to embrace his eventual union with his Lord Shiva.
The saving grace in all this was that, silently acknowledging the circumstances at hand, I managed to drive GG to Beaufort a month before the actual train ride and took him to all the places we were planning to visit. He thanked me for taking him on this journey, commenting:
“It was a good trip, a good car, and a good driver.” - Classic Datuk GG.
As the train rolled into Beaufort train station, I felt a bittersweet pang of sadness and nostalgia. These old soldiers may have faded away, but their memories, wisdom, and stories live on, guiding those of us who remain and leaving behind a legacy that continues to shape our lives.
Old soldiers never die—they just fade away.
A related story about the Beaufort Reminisce Trip can be found at this link: https://www.ashlar.online/single-post/celebrating-memoriesa-journey-through-time-with-beaufort-lodge
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