The qualifications for membership in the Order is as follows:
Candidates for the Ancient and Masonic Order of the Secret Monitor must be Master Masons and Princes (2nd. Degree) of the Order of the Secret Monitor.

Grades of the Order of Scarlet Cord:
1st Grade : Ostiarius or Doorkeeper (Conferred in a Consistory)
2nd Grade : Lector (Conferred in a Consistory)
3rd Grade : Fellow or Healer & Exorcist (Conferred in a Consistory)
4th Grade : Councillor (Conferred in a Council of Elders)
5th Grade : Keeper of the Hidden Secret (Conferred in a Council of the Entrusted)
6th Grade : Prince of Jerusalem (Conferred in a Council of Princes)

The Order of Scarlet Cord in Southern India

The Order of Scarlet Cord was an appendant to the Order of Secret Monitor and was conferred only in conclaves and was in abeyance for nearly 80 years until its revival in 2006 by M.Wy.Bro.Peter Glynn Williams . It was taken up in right earnest in India in 2008. The first to third grades of the Order of Scarlet Cord was first worked in South India on 2nd December.2008 and conferred on 38 Secret Monitors at the Freemasons Hall, Chennai under the leadership of by M.Wy.Bro.Peter Glynn Williams and a team from the MMH . The Grades were conferred under the aegis of Scarlet Cord Conclave No.500, London. The Grades available were from I-III, with Ritual books and the first and second Grades were conferred on Secret Monitors and the third Grade on Installed Supreme Rulers of Conclaves. There was a separate neck tie of the order.
Thereafter the requirements were relaxed and the mandatory contribution to the OSM Benevolent fund was withdrawn. A degree working by the Dist Grand Supreme Ruler of DGCSI was held at Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram on 14th July.2010 and 16th July.2010 respectively, wherein the grades were conferred on about 70 Secret Monitors. The Order became independent and was duly Consecrated on 21st July,2010 at London.

Formation of new Scarlet Cord Consistories :

Three Consistories were planned for consecration in 2011 in the District of Southern India to constitute the members holding the Grades into Consistories. The first Consistory has been formed in Chennai under the style Millennium Consistory, No. 70, on 20th June 2011. Dist.Comp.Capt.Dr.Balaram Biswa Kumar was installed as the Founder President along with his team of officers.
The second Consistory entitled Kanyakumari Consistory No.71 was consecrated at Thiruvananthapuram on 30th July 2011 and Dist.Comp.Dr.Ganesan Rajasekhar was installed as the Founder President along with his team of officers. On the same day another Consistory entitled Sreepadmanabha Consistory No.73 was also consecrated at Thiruvananthapuram and Dist.Comp.Saratchandran Satheesh Kumar was installed as the Founder President along with his team of officers. The Order is growing rapidly and another Consistory is to be consecrated at Chennai on the 26th September and the Trivandrum Consistory No.76 on the 29th September.2011, bring the total number of Consistories in the District of Southern India to five. Senior companions of the Order have been fast tracked and given Past Distinguished Rank to enable the smooth functioning of the District and its Consistories.
Consecration of Grand Senatus of Southern India: took place on the 26th September.2011 at the Freemasons Hall, Chennai at the hands of the Grand Summus, M.Dist.Comp.Michael William Guest who visited India with a team of officers from the MMH. On the occasion, R.Dist.Comp.Madhavan Chellappa was being installed as the District Grand Summus and Dist.Comp.Bharath Venkat Epur as Deputy Grand Summus, along with a full complement of Dist Grand Officers.
The Administrative office is located at the Freemasons Hall, Ethiraj Salai, Chennai, along with the District Grand Conclave of Southern India and along with all other Mark Mason Hall Degrees in Southern India.

Inauguration of the Order

At long last, nearly after 150 years, a new Sovereign Order has been consecrated. It occurred on the 21st July.2010 at the Freemasons Hall, Great Queen Street, WC2B 5AZ, London.
During a very special and long masonic ceremony, Right Distinguished Companion Brian Clifford Wareham Constituted, Dedicated and Consecrated the Order, before Right Distinguished Companion Michael Edward Herbert Obligated, Annointed, Invested and Enthroned as the Grand Summus, Most Distinguished Companion Michael William Guest, who was then Proclaimed and Saluted.
Following on from this marvellous spectacle, the Most Distinguished Grand Summas Obligated, Invested and Installed Right Distinguished Companion Brian Clifford Warham as his Deputy Grand Summus, and Right Distinguished Companion Andrew Christopher Sweeney as his Assistant Grand Summus, both of whom were also proclaimed and saluted. The Right Distinguished Provincial Grand Summi were than Invested and Appointed, followed by the Very Distinguished District Grand Inspectors.
India was represented by R.Distinguished Companion Madhavan Chellappa, accompanied by D.Companions Bharath.V.Epur and Dr.K.Jyothindra Kumar. We all extend our most heartfelt congratulations to our own Provincial Grand Summus, Right Distinguished Companion, Madhavan Chellappa.
For those of you who have as yet not been to the Grand Temple at Freemasons Hall, there are limited opportunities to photograph it, but there are a few here which do not do justice to the building. Please CLICK HERE to view the consecration photographs.