History of Grand Lodge
Freemasonry Comes to India
In 1717 A.D. when an era of comparative peace and harmony dawned on the European scene, the Grand Lodge of England took shape at a meeting of the local Lodges of London, to elect a Grand Master. A United constitution was drawn up and recognized by all the Lodges. A democratic tradition in the election of the Worshipful Master of a Lodge was prescribed. The Worshipful Master was authorized to appoint his team of officers.
Full details regarding how the First Lodge was constituted in India, are preserved in the Minutes of the Grand Lodge in London. First a petition was presented on December 28, 1728 and at the end of the minutes of that meeting, the text of the “Deputation” from the Grand Master: “to Empower and Authorize our well beloved Brother Pomfret….that he do, in our place and stead, constitute a regular Lodge, in due form at Fort William in Bengal in the East Indies….” This was signed and sealed “the 6th day of February 1728/9 and in the year of Masonry 5732 (which shows that Grand Lodge used Usher’s Chronology in dating the Masonic era – as the Grand Lodge of Scotland still.
The Lodge at Fort William — that is, Calcutta — appears in the Engraved List of 1730, as No. 72. It was to meet at Fort William in Calcutta. The coat of Arms was adopted from the East India Company a golden lion, rampant guardant, supporting between the forepaws a regal crown. In 1729, Captain Ralph Farwinter was appointed “Provisional Grand Master for East India in Bengal” and also James Dawson as “Provincial Grand Master” for East Indies.
The Provincial Grand Lodge of Madras was formed in 1752 and The Provincial Grand Lodge of Bombay was created in 1758. Although it appeared in the Roll of Grand Lodge there is no record of how it came into being.
The first Indian Mason was Omdat-ul-Omrah, Nawab Carnatic initiated in 1775. The doors to Hindu Masonry was flung wide-open might one say, by the unstoppable determination of one Mr. P.C. Dutt of Calcutta to become a member of the craft. After much opposition from the Provincial Grand Master (Hugh Sanderman) and nine years after he was proposed for initiation Mr.Dutt became Bro. Dutt in Anchor and Hope, No. 234, in 1872. Twenty-three years later, he was Deputy District Grand Master.
The Birth of The Grand Lodge of India
It was towards the end of October 1959 that the Most W. Grand Masters of England, Ireland and the Immediate Past Grand Master Mason of Scotland met in London to discuss the future of Freemasonry in India. The three Grand Masters considered that “an independent Grand Lodge of India is desirable and that its establishment should….be gradually but actively pursued.”
A representative Steering Committee, composed exclusively of Indian Brethren and proportionally representing Lodges under the three Constitutions, was formed to establish an independent Grand Lodge of India. Chaired by R.W. Bro. Lt. Gen. Sir Harold Williams, the Committee met across major Masonic centers in India and unanimously signed its report in October 1960. On December 1, the three Grand Masters issued notes outlining the proposal, reaffirming support for an independent Grand Lodge while leaving the final decision to the Lodges in India. They assured that, if approved, they would maintain close fraternal relations, and Lodges choosing not to participate would retain their existing rights.
Inaugural Meeting
After the three delegations were received, the Grand Master Mason of Scotland conducted the Consecration. The Deputy Grand Master of Ireland then formally constituted the new Grand Lodge, declaring it the Sovereign Grand Lodge of India, empowered to exercise all the rights and privileges of a Grand Lodge in accordance with the ancient usages and landmarks of the Craft, and invoking the blessings of the Grand Architect of the Universe.
In addition to the three parent Grand Lodges, the M.W. Grand Master of the Grand Lodges of the State of Israel, the M.W. Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Alberta (Canada) and about 1,491 Brethren from all over India were present at this historic event.