https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=2409%3A4070%3A401E%3AB254%3A0%3A0%3A341%3A70A1Bharatpedia - User contributions [en]2026-09-08T02:44:31ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Grand_Lodge_of_India&diff=205632Grand Lodge of India2021-05-06T01:37:06Z<p>2409:4070:401E:B254:0:0:341:70A1: /* Advent of Freemasonry in India */</p>
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<div>{{Short description|Governing body of Freemasonry in India}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2013}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2013}}<br />
{{freemasonry}}<br />
The '''Grand Lodge of India''' ('''GLI''') is the main [[Grand Lodge|governing body]] of [[Freemasonry]] within [[India]], it was officially constituted on Friday 24 November 1961.<ref>[http://www.masonindia.org/index6.html Grand Lodge Of India] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110827090942/http://www.masonindia.org/index6.html |date=27 August 2011 }}</ref><br />
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There were three delegations from the [[Grand Lodge of Scotland]], [[Grand Lodge of Ireland]] and [[United Grand Lodge of England|Grand Lodge of England]] in that order.<br />
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Out of a total of 277 individual Lodges in India, 145 opted for the new Grand Lodge of India. This represented a little over 52 per cent of the Warranted Lodges in India.<br />
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==Advent of Freemasonry in India==<br />
[[File:Masonic Lodge Picquet Tank Secunderabad.jpg|thumb|right|170px|[[Goshamal Baradari]], Hyderabad, circa 1890]]<br />
[[File:Stamp of India - 2011 - Colnect 259286 - Grand Lodge Of India.jpeg|alt=Commemorative stamp issued by the Department of Posts to mark the Golden Jubilee of the Grand Lodge of India (1961-2011)|thumb|Commemorative stamp issued by the [[India Post|Department of Posts]] to mark the Golden Jubilee of the Grand Lodge of India (1961-2011)]]<br />
Freemasonry traces its roots in India in the early years of the 18th century. In 1730 officers of the [[East India Company]] held their meetings in [[Fort William (India)|Fort William]] in [[Calcutta]]. The number given to the Lodge was 72.<br />
[[File:Kollam Crowther masonic hall.JPG|right|thumb|170px|The [[Freemasonry|Freemasons]]' [[Crowther Masonic Hall]] in [[Quilon]] city]]<br />
The [[Goshamal Baradari]], [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]], built in 1682 by Sultan [[Abul Hassan Tana Shah]], is the oldest building used as a Masonic Temple in India. Built in 1682,<ref>[http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/apac/photocoll/m/019pho000001056u00003000.html Masonic Lodge and Picquet Tank, Secunderabad] [[British Library]], accessed 1 September 2010</ref> it was donated to the fraternity in 1872 by the 6th [[Nizam]] of [[Hyderabad State|Kingdom of Hyderabad]] - [[Mir Mahbub Ali Khan]].<ref>[http://lodgeeagle.org/resources/goshamahalbaradari.htm Goshamahal Baradari Masonic Hall] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100911053813/http://lodgeeagle.org/resources/goshamahalbaradari.htm |date=11 September 2010 }}</ref><br />
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==Philanthropy==<br />
Under the Jyotirgamaya, initiated by Grand Master Dr Balaram Biswakumar to mark the Golden Jubilee of the GLI; The Grand Lodge of India took the initiative to light up 50 villages across remote areas in the country that did not have access to electricity till date.<ref>Business Standard date 20 Jan 2013 https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/freemasons-jyotirgamaya-project-to-electrify-50-villages-across-india-111050900023_1.html</ref><br />
The GLI constructed 74 houses for the tsunami-affected, building a 10,000 sq.ft hall in Pallam village in Kanyakumari.<ref>The Hindu dated 27 Jun, 2013 https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/putting-philosophy-into-practice/article4856715.ece</ref><br />
The GLI also organizes classrooms for children in prisons, and renders help for disaster victims. The GLI has close to 500 Lodges in India with close to 25,000 members.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.starofmysore.com/main.asp?type=news&item=47167 |title=Archived copy |access-date=5 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160606124812/http://www.starofmysore.com/main.asp?type=news&item=47167 |archive-date=6 June 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
* [http://grandlodgeofindia.in// Grand Lodge of India official website]<br />
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{{Authority control}}<br />
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[[Category:Grand Lodges]]<br />
[[Category:Freemasonry in India]]<br />
[[Category:1961 establishments in India]]<br />
[[Category:Clubs and societies in India]]<br />
[[Category:Organizations established in 1961]]</div>2409:4070:401E:B254:0:0:341:70A1