Devonshire’s Press Officer Bro Alec Collyer has recently been holidaying and seeing the sights and history of Northern India, one town of significance is the hill station of Shimla where the British rules used to move to avoid the heat of the India summer from around 1864. It’s a strange place with a Parish Church, half timbered houses, a town hall and the Gaiety theatre.
Alec went in search (via google) of a lodge, and found it behind the Church, windows open, workmen paint brushes in hand giving it a spruce up. Armed with a greeting letter on Raddisson hotel paper with S+F greetings from PGM Nick Ball and his Executive, and Warren Douglas WM of Newton 6129.
There were two Brethren in the back office who were very keen to show Alec around, it still has a lovely feel of dark corners with dust and old furniture which will have tales to tell !
The Brethren introduced themselves as R.W.Bro N.K.Sharma PDGM of India….and W.B.Kamal Butail Lodge of Hydaspes No 4842 under UGLE, who is also Secretary of the Masonic Fraternity of Shimla that has 3 craft Lodges under the Indian Constitution and one under UGLE, plus of course other degrees. They wished to return S+F best wishes to PGM Nick Ball and his Executive, and also W.Bro Warren Douglas of Newton 6129 ( i suspect greetings like this are not commonplace in 6129!).
The United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) recognizes the Grand Lodge of India (GLI) as the governing body for Freemasonry in India. UGLE introduced Freemasonry to India in the 1730s, and the GLI was formed in 1961. UGLE also has several District Grand Lodges within India that are under its jurisdiction.
There are approximately 22,000 to 25,000 Freemasons in India. This includes members of various lodges, including the Grand Lodge of India and other related bodies. Freemasonry in India has a history dating back to the 1700s, with lodges established in cities like Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay.
India has approximately 470 lodges, with over 160 Royal Arch Chapters, Mark Lodges, and Royal Ark Mariner Lodges.
The total membership across these lodges and bodies is around 23,000 to 25,000 Freemasons.
Freemasonry was introduced to India in the 18th century, with the first Indian Mason initiated in 1775. Freemasonry in India has continued to expand over the decades, with lodges and members distributed across numerous cities.
