History of By R.W.Bro. Bharat V. Epur

Grand Lodge of India (GLI) – Past Deputy Grand Master

Regional of Eastern India – R.W. Regional Grand Master Regional Grand Lodge of Southern India – Past Deputy Regional Grand Master Regional Grand Lodge of Northern India – Past Deputy Regional Grand Master Regional Grand Lodge of Western India – Past Deputy Regional Grand Master

(Delivered at ACACIA – The Madras Masonic Study Circle at Chennai on 14th March 2016)

The early history of the Freemasons is clouded in some mystery. This is, I suppose, to be expected, as Freemasonry and Freemasons seem to be cloaked in an aura of mystery, willingly or not! Although the activities of today’s Masons are widely documented, there is very little irrefutable evidence as to the origins of the Masons. This has lead to much speculation.

No one knows with absolute certainty how or when the Masonic Fraternity was formed. A widely accepted theory among Masonic scholars is that it arose from the stonemasons’ guilds during the Middle Ages. The language and symbols used in the fraternity’s rituals come from this era. Some occidental historians, however, have attributed the origin of Freemasons to the construction of the Temple at Jerusalem by King Solomon or to such famous historical minds as Noah (Fig.1), Moses (Fig.2), Euclid (Fig.3), Pythagoras (Fig.4), Baron Verulam also known as Lord Francis Bacon (Fig.5), Lord Oliver Cromwell (Fig.6), Sir Christopher Wren (Fig.7) and so on. Other historians think that the traditions of Freemasonry can be traced back to the Essenes, the Chaldeans, the Rosicrucians, the Druids, or even the Gypsies. Some think that Freemasonry owes its origins to the ancient ‘mystery schools’ or even to the Knights Templar. Some believe that Freemasons are the descendants of other popular groups, such as the Priory of Sion, the Roman Collegia, the Comacine Masters, the German Steinmetzen, or the French Compagnonnage.

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Fig.1: Noah receiving animals into his Ark Fig.2: Moses depicted with the Ten Commandments

Fig.3: Euclid, the “Father of Geometry” Fig.4: Pythagoras Fig.5: Francis Bacon

Fig.6: Oliver Cromwell, Palace of Westminster Fig.7: Christopher Wren and St Paul’s Cathedral

There are yet others who suggest that Freemasonry can be traced even further back in time – to the East, in fact – Egypt, China and India too! It is an undeniable fact that extraordinary knowledge and engineering skills were harnessed in a systematic manner to build not only the Great Pyramids of Egypt but also the awesome Temples of ancient

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India. Masons’ marks are to be found in each and every one of these structures. To stretch it even further, think about the Vedic, Sangam, Aztec, Incan and Mayan empires! One cannot escape the fact that such monumental achievements would not have been possible had it not been for some over-arching guiding force! I have written a Paper in which I have presented my theory, buttressed by arguments and some evidence that ancient India was where Freemasonry got its start. I presented this paper in London some years ago at The Masonic Study Society, probably the oldest such body in the world. It was accepted and published in their Transactions.

The Masons themselves use an allegorical foundation myth to explain how Freemasonry came into being. They point to the fraternity of the builders of King Solomon’s Temple as the earliest Freemasons. Historians, however, think that there is very little physical evidence of Freemasonry early on because the organization grew only very gradually out of the lodges of working stonemasons of the Middle Ages. These historians claim that the earliest Freemasons were not a fraternal organization at all but rather working partnerships or working relationships between stonemasons. Eventually, stonemasons created more formal organizations and added some social or moral issues to their gatherings, so that over many generations something akin to the Masons emerged.

Whatever may be the ‘truth’, there have been several plausible interpretations offered by well-meaning and erudite researchers to support each of the above theories. The subject is vast and it would be audacious to try and cover it in its entirety in this Paper. I shall confine myself to making some general observations and shall add some details with respect to specific geographies and timelines, starting from its verifiable, recorded facts pertaining to Freemasonry as now practiced worldwide.

The fundamental unit in Freemasonry is the Lodge, which is comprised of its members. These members have to be initiated in to Masonry through a peculiar ceremony, known as the First Degree. After suitable time has elapsed and they prove themselves worthy of further advancement, they are progressed to their Second and, later, the Third Degree. These three basic Degrees comprise what if known as the Craft and form the foundation of all Masonry. Beyond this, there exist several hundred other Degrees and Orders within the ambit of Masonry that are being, or, at one point or the other in history, have been practiced somewhere in the world. For the purpose of this Paper, I shall confine myself to the Craft – its possible origins and history.

Origins of the Name and the Order

There has been some speculation as to where the term “Freemason” comes from. Historians have found that medieval stonemasons were sometimes called "Freemasons." The name may also come from the French word “Maçon,” which refers to a Mason, working in a Lodge, who is allowed to work on Church property free from taxation or regulation by the King or the local government. The origins of the word may also stem from the French term "frère Maçon" which translated literally into "Brother Mason."

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Other historians believe that the term Freemasons comes from the term “Free Men,” used to refer to men who were not serfs and not indentured, and so were free to move from one place to another. Some believe that the name comes from the word "freestone," which is a type of quarry stone.

Yet others refer to the incident of the candidate in the Cryptic Degrees being divested of his chains and thus ‘freed’ as the actual origin of the word ‘free’ as in ‘Freemason’.

King Athelstan (Fig.8), who was the first to be crowned King of “All-England” in 925 AD at the All Saints Church (Fig.9) in Kingston-on-Thames, Surrey ruled from his capital at York. It was during his reign that a set of rules and regulations were formulated to govern the behaviour and activities of the Guild of Masons. These rules have been adopted, albeit with some modifications, as the basic duties of the modern Masons.

Fig.8: Athelstan, King of All-England Fig.9: All Saints Church, Kingston-on-Thames, Surrey

Most historians agree that Freemasonry began with actual Masons, or artisans and builders who worked with stone. However, today Freemasonry is a fraternal and not a professional organization. There are two theories as to how the early history of Freemasonry allowed the organization to move from professional masonry to a fraternal order.

Some historians believe that the earliest Masons were those Master Masons who built castles and cathedrals. These Masons organized themselves into groups, called “Lodges” to discuss trade matters. Since there were no methods of certification or licensing, Masons designed secret codes and signs so that other Masons could identify them. This was a Masons’ proof that he was a Mason and had achieved a certain level of proficiency at his Craft. This was an important consideration, as Masons travelled from location to location for work, and needed a way to prove their expertise. By the 1600s, some historians claim, Masons began to accept members who were not actual stone masons. These “gentlemen Masons” gradually began to outnumber actual

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Masons until Lodges became “speculative” or “free and accepted” Lodges rather than Lodges of practicing Masons.

Other historians, however, believe that Freemasonry stems from a movement in the 1500s and 1600s to promote political and religious tolerance. In the late 1500s and early 1600s, political and religious intolerance led to conflict and civil wars, so some individuals wanted to promote greater tolerance. To this end, these individuals formed Freemasonry to create a better society, and used symbolism and allegory from the Bible (especially the stories of King Solomon’s Temple) to teach their message. The ‘Renaissance’, the “Reformation’ and other great upheavals took place. There was great ferment in society. Established idioms were being questioned. Newer and conflicting standards were becoming increasingly accepted. The venality of the existing religious dispensations was driving the more educated and the more perceptive people into the realm of ‘reason’ and ‘science’.

Fig.10: “Chemical Wedding” by Christian Rosenkreutz

Seminal events like the publication of the famous tract, “The Chemical Wedding” (Fig.10) by someone calling himself Christian Rosencrantz sparked the founding of the Rosicrucian Order. Intellectual giants spanning a vast array of fields of interest, including nature and science, as well as the recently re-discovered field of alchemy began to challenge the hegemony of the Church. All these various strains were to cross-pollinate and flourish for some time, ultimately leading to an intellectual ferment and then the founding of the Royal Society in England. The founding of the Grand Lodge of England came not too later thereafter, with both these bodies sharing a large number of founding members.

Over centuries, Freemasonry developed into a worldwide fraternity emphasizing personal study, self-improvement, and social betterment via individual involvement and philanthropy. During the late 1700s it was one of the organizations most responsible for spreading the ideals of the Enlightenment: the dignity of man and the liberty of the

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individual, the right of all persons to worship as they chose, the formation of democratic governments, and the importance of public education. Masons supported the first public schools in both Europe and America. These concepts were transformed into reality with the founding of the United States of America!

Early Records of Freemasonry

The oldest available document that makes reference to Masons is the Regius Poem (Fig.11), printed circa 1390 AD, which was a copy of an earlier work. The earliest records of Freemasonry date back to the 1600s. For example, there is a record that Sir Robert Moray (Fig.12) was initiated on 20th May 1641 in a Scottish Lodge near Newcastle-upon-Tyne. This is the earliest record of an initiation. Early Masonic records show that a Masonic Company of Craft Masons, not a secret society, was founded by King James VI of Scotland (Fig.13), near the end of the sixteenth century. There is a at Kilwinning whose records go back to 1642, the date of the Battle of Naseby (Fig.14), the decisive battle won by the Parliamentarian forces commanded by Sir Thomas Fairfax (Fig.16) and Oliver Cromwell against the troops of Charles I (Fig.15).

Fig.11: “Regius Poem” Fig.12: Robert Moray Fig.13: James VI of Scotland and James I of England

Fig.14: Cromwell at the Battle of Naseby Fig.15: Charles I

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Fig.16: Thomas Fairfax Fig.17: Charles II Fig.18: Elias Ashmole

Fig.19: George I Fig.20: James II Fig.21: James III (“Old Pretender)

Fig.22: Frederick, Prince of Wales Fig.23: Anthony Sayers Fig.24: “Goose and Gridiron” Tavern

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There is also an early record of an Elias Ashmole becoming a Freemason in 1646. Elias Ashmole (Fig.18), founder of the world’s oldest museum – the Ashmolean at Oxford University – was a polyglot of formidable intellectual rigour. Under date 6th October 1646 at 4.30 PM, he wrote: “I was made a Free mason at Warrington.” This short and, at that date, cryptic sentence, revealed nothing to the eye of the initiated. Maybe this was due to the need for reticence during that period in history: remember, this was the time of the rule of Oliver Cromwell, the Lord Protector, and the various intrigues and plots of the Royalist forces to return the monarchy to England! But, thirty-five years later, Ashmole, wrote in his diary, under date of March 1681: “Received a Summons to appear before a Lodge at Masons’ Hall, London, and was admitted into the Fellowship of Freemasons.” This entry shows that Freemasons professed themselves openly, without fear, in the year 1682: Charles II (Fig.17) had been crowned twenty years earlier.

[In fact, I had the privilege of holding in my hands Elias Ashmole’s original handwritten diary in which he recorded that he had been initiated into Freemasonry on that day. For those who are interested, this historic manuscript is available in the Library of the High Council of the S.R.I.A. – in Anglia, at Hampstead, London.]

From the death of Charles II in 1685 until the accession of George I (Fig.19) of the Hanoverian House in 1714, Freemasonry in England appears to have again been under a cloud. James II (Fig.20) who succeeded Charles II, fled to Paris after the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, and took Freemasonry with him as a means of communicating secretly with his adherents at home especially Scotland. At his death in 1701, his son James was proclaimed King of England by Louis XIV of France. This James III (Fig.21) known to history as “The Pretender” was one of the founders of French Freemasonry. He was no more successful in re-establishing his reign and the sun began to set on the then- reigning House of Stuart. Under the royal patronage of the new ruling dynasty, more especially, that of Frederick, Prince of Wales (Fig.22) and the House of Hanover, Freemasonry once again came before the world publicly and constituted itself into a legal association.

Officially, the Grand Lodge of England was founded in London on St. John the Baptist's Day, 24 June 1717, when four existing Lodges gathered at the Goose and Gridiron Ale- house (Fig.24) in St. Paul's Church-yard in London and constituted themselves a Grand Lodge. The four lodges had previously met together in 1716 at the Apple-Tree Tavern, "and having put into the Chair the oldest Master Mason (now the Master of a Lodge), they constituted themselves a Grand Lodge pro Tempore in due form." It was at that meeting in 1716 that they resolved to hold the Annual Assembly and Feast and then choose a Grand Master from among themselves, which they did the following year. All four lodges were simply named after the public houses where they were accustomed to meet, at the Goose and Gridiron Ale-house in St. Paul's Church-yard (Lodge now called Lodge of Antiquity No. 2); the Crown Ale-house in Parker's Lane off Drury Lane; the Apple-Tree Tavern in Charles Street, Covent Garden (Lodge now called Lodge of Fortitude and Old Cumberland No. 12); and the Rummer and Grapes Tavern in Channel

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Row, Westminster (Lodge now called Royal Somerset House and Inverness Lodge No. IV). The first Grand Master to be so chosen was Anthony Sayers (Fig.23).

Thus was established the very first Grand Lodge in the world! Almost all other Grand Lodges sprang from it, thus earning it the nickname of “Mother Grand Lodge!” Grand Lodges were thereafter established in Ireland in 1725 and in Scotland in 1736. All the regular Grand Lodges now in existence can trace their origins back to these three initial Lodges.

Within thirty years, the fraternity had spread throughout Europe and the American Colonies. Freemasonry became very popular in colonial America. George Washington (Fig.25) was a Mason; Benjamin Franklin (Fig.26) served as the head of the fraternity in Pennsylvania, as did Paul Revere (Fig.27) in Massachusetts. Other well-known Masons involved with the founding of America included John Hancock (Fig.28), Marquis de Lafayette (Fig.29) and Baron Fredrick von Steuben (Fig.30). Another Mason, Chief Justice John Marshall (Fig.31), shaped the Supreme Court into its present form.

Fig.25: George Washington laying the foundation stone of the Capitol Fig.26: Benjamin Franklin

Fig.27: Paul Revere Fig.28: John Hancock

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Fig.29: Marquis de Lafayette Fig.30: General von Steuben

Fig.31: John Marshall During the 1800s and early 1900s, Freemasonry grew dramatically. At that time, the government had provided no social "safety net". The Masonic tradition of founding orphanages, homes for widows, and homes for the aged provided the only security many people knew. Today in North America, the Masonic Fraternity continues this tradition by giving almost $1.5 million each day to causes that range from operating children’s hospitals, providing treatment for childhood language disorders, treating eye diseases, funding medical research, contributing to local community service, and providing care to Masons and their families at Masonic Homes. The four million Masons worldwide continue to help men and women face the problems of the 21st century by building bridges of brotherhood and instilling in the hearts of men ideals for a better tomorrow.

The nineteenth century witnessed the tumultuous French Revolution as well the Civil War in the U.S. – both of which had many Freemasons actively involved espousing the very same ideals. In more recent times, Freemasons and Freemasonic ideals lent

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themselves to other social and political transformations, including the foundation of the Indian National Congress, the various Freedom movements in South and Central America inspired by Simon Bolivar (Fig.32).

Fig.32: Simon Bolivar

Freemasonry in India

The honour of receiving Freemasonry in India goes to Calcutta. In 1730 officers of the East Indian Company held their meetings in Fort William, Calcutta. The number given to the Lodge was 72.

0n 27th December 1728, a Deputation was granted by the Grand Lodge of England to George Pomfret, authorizing him to "open a new Lodge in Bengal." Thus, says Preston, “he first introduced Masonry into the English settlements in India" and Pomfret figures in the Masonic Year Book as the first for East India, The Grand Lodge issued a letter "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 still does!) 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. Nothing further, however, is known of this individual and even the voluminous Calcutta records are silent concerning him. He was succeeded in 1729 by Captain Ralph Farwinter as Provincial Grand Master "for East India in Bengal" and, under his direction, a Lodge was duly established in 1730, known as Lodge East India Arms, which, in the Engraved Lists, is distinguished by the Arms of the Company and is described as No.7 at Bengal in the East Indies. The records of the

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Grand Lodge of England contain an entry to the effect that, on December 3, 1731, Captain Farwinter attended a Communication as the Provincial Grand Master for India and that, on his return to India, he sent "from his Lodge of Bengal a chest of the best arrack for the use of the Grand Lodge and ten guineas for the Masonic Charity." At the Communication held on December 13, 1733, the thanks of the Grand Lodge of England were voted to him for his gift.

The following letter of thanks, which was sent by the Grand Lodge of England to the Provincial Grand Lodge of Bengal, is taken from a copy which appears in the Rawlinson Collection in the Bodleian Library at Oxford. (Rawl. Ms., c. 136).

“Rt Worshipful G. Master, Deputy and Wardens, with the other Worshipful Members of the Grand Lodge at Calcutta in Bengal in East India.

All our Fraternity here rejoyce much in the frequent good account of your excellent Conduct, the Grand Lodge have been refreshed by your genteel Present of Arrack, which made curious Punch and you may without telling believe that we drank all your healths after the ancient manner of Masons.

We return our hearty Thanks for it, but much more for your two handsome Presents of ten Guineas by Br. Capt. Farr Winter and twenty Guineas by Br. Capt. Rigby for the Releife of our poor Brethren: which we lodged in the hands of our Treasurer and recorded in our Books as a lasting Evidence to Posterity how strong and extensive appears the Brotherly Love of true and faithful Masons surmounting all tempestous Billows, Promontories and distant Capes and Climes.

You have well rewarded us for our Deputation or Patent and we heartily rejoice in your Honour and Reputation, as you are a part of our Selves, for it all I98 FREEMASONRY IN INDIA AND CEYLON 199 redounds to us and we cannot forbear saying that no Lodge out of Britain has been so generous and so deserving our esteem.

Providence has fixed your Lodge near those learned Indians that affected to be called Noachidx, the strict observers of his Precepts taught in those parts by the disciples of the great Zoroastris, the learned Archimagus of Bactria or Grand Masters of the Magians, whose religion is largely preserved in India (which we have no concern about) and also many of the Rituals of the ancient Fraternity used in his Time, perhaps more than they are sensible of themselves. Now if it was consistent with your other Business to discover in those parts the Remains of old Masonry and transmitt them to us, we should be all Thankfull, but especially the learned Brothers who grasp at new Discoveries from ancient Nations that have been renowned for Arts and Science and must have some valuable remains among them still.

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The Grand Master (the Lord Viscount Weymouth) orders me to write this, with as many commendations as you can imagine from all the Brethren, who, I may assure you, of their most sincere affection, and I am with great esteem R` Worship' and Hon`d Brethren

Your most humble servant and affectionate brother I. R. Secretary to the Grand Lodge.”

From those charming beginnings, Freemasonry in India grew strong roots and spread throughout, primarily under the hegemony of the East India Company, at first, and, then under that of the British Raj. Other European colonisers also added their own flavours to the heady mix. In the beginning, the majority of Freemasons were drawn from the nobility, military, administrative staff, clergy and then the mercantile class. It remained a purely European club for a long time. Indians, especially Hindus had to wait for several years to pass before being admitted into the Fraternity.

I give below some interesting facts of early Masonic achievers and achievements.

ü The first Lodge in Madras bore the No. 222 EC, in 1752, and it does not appear to have received a name.

ü The first Lodge in Bombay was Bombay Lodge No. 234 EC in 1758.

ü The first Lodge in the Punjab was Lodge No. 489 EC, in 1786.

ü Soon there were many Lodges functioning in India in colonial times, holding their Warrants from many Grand Lodges. Some of these include:

§ Lodge Solomon, under the Dutch Constitution, was founded on April 7, 1758 at Tandelga near Chinsurah in Bengal by the commander of the merchant fleet of the Netherlands East India Company, Bro. Jacob Larwood Van Chevichaven.

§ Lodge Sincere Amite, Pondicherry was chartered in 1787 under the French Constitution. (Additionally, there were quite a few Naval Lodges. Though Naval Lodges were not recognized by the Grand Lodge of France, the members of the Naval Lodge in due course found their way to get affiliated to and remain under the protection of a stationary Lodge.)

§ The first Lodge to be consecrated under the Scottish Constitution was in 1801 in Ceylon (Sri Lanka). One Lodge Hope No. 334 SC, Karachi was chartered in 1767; in 1770 it was shifted to New Castle and in 1782 to New York. The date of its arrival in India cannot at present be stated. Lodge Hope was chartered by the Provincial Grand Master of Western India on April 25, 1842.

§ A Lodge under the Danish Constitution was introduced in Tranquebar (near Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu) in 1805. The Danish colony at Tranquebar was fairly numerously populated by Danes. Due to the efforts of one Bro. Ewald a

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Warrant was granted for a Lodge at Tranquebar in 1807 by the of Denmark. The name of the Lodge was "De L’amour Fraternelle" (To Brotherly Love).

§ The Irish Constitution made its maiden appearance with The Light of the North No. 357 at Kurnaul [now Karnal] in 1835. This Lodge survived for three years only. The next was Lodge Duke of Abercorn No. 382 IC, in Calcutta in 1905.

Now let us take a quick look at some of the pioneering Indian Masons.

ü Omdat-ul-Omrah, the Nawab of Carnatic (Fig.33) has the distinction of becoming the first Indian to be Initiated. This happened in 1775 in Trichinopoly Lodge. The circumstances attending this are singular: the Anglo-Mysore Wars were on. The British, sometimes assisted by the Nawabs of Arcot, defeated the father-son duo of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. Making the Nawab a Mason probably was a reward of merit! The second Indian Mason was M. Bandeh Ali Khan, initiated in Marine Lodge, Calcutta in 1812.

[I must here state that I had another stroke of good luck! Within a day of my reading Elias Ashmole’s diary, I had gone to the Masonic Museum at Freemasons’ Hall, Great Queen Street, London – the home of the United Grand Lodge of England. While browsing there, I asked the Librarian if there was anything of interest pertaining to this particular Nawab of the Carnatic. Lo and Behold! Within a few minutes, she brought out an extremely fragile looking parchment, sealed within its own micro-climatically controlled container. She then placed it on the table and allowed me to handle it, albeit only after putting on the mandatory gloves! It was, in fact, a letter from the very same Nawab to the then Grand Master, expressing his sincere thanks for having allowed him to be Initiated into the Craft! Now wouldn’t you say that my cup runneth over? I reproduce for you this letter, translated into English from Persian.]

“To the Right Worshipful His Grace the Duke of Manchester, Grand Master of the Illustrious and Benevolent Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons, under the Constitution of England and the Grand Lodge thereof.

Most honoured Sir and Brethren, An early knowledge and participation of the benefits arising to our house from its intimate union of councils and interests with the British nation and a deep veneration for the laws, constitution and manners of the latter, have for many years of my life led me to seize every opportunity of drawing the ties subsisting between us still closer and closer.

By the accounts which have reached me of the principles and practices of your Fraternity, nothing though be more pleasing to the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe, whom we all, though in different ways adore, or more honourable to His creatures, for they stand upon the broad basis of indiscriminate and universal benevolence. Under this conviction I have long wished to be admitted of your Fraternity; and now that I am

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initiated, I consider the title of an English Mason as one of the most honourable I possess, for it is at once a cement to the friendship between your nation and me and confirms me the friend of mankind.

I have received from the Advocate-General of Bengal, Sir John Day, the very acceptable mark of attention and esteem with which you have favoured me; it has been presented with every circumstance of deference and respect that the situation of things here and the temper of the times would admit of; and I do assure your Grace and the Brethren at large that he has done ample justice to the commission you have confided to him and has executed it in such manner as to do honour to himself and to me.

I shall avail myself of a proper opportunity to convince your Grace and the rest of the Brethren that Omdat-ul-Omrah is not an unfeeling Brother, or heedless of the precepts he has imbibed; and that, while he testifies his love and esteem for his Brethren, by strengthening the hands of humanity, he means to minister to the wants of the distressed.

May the common Father of Aft, the One Omnipotent and Merciful God, take you into His holy keeping and give you health, peace, and length of years.

Prays your highly honoured and affectionate Brother, OMDAT-UL-OMRAH BAHADUR. MADRAS, September 29, 1778.”

ü Parsis from Mumbai were initiated into Masonry before Hindus. The Britishers accepted them earlier because of their perceived “more-European outlook and temperament” and probably because they were adherents of a monotheistic faith, much like Muslims. But this did happen overnight. Maneckjee Cursetjee (Fig.34), the doyen of the Bombay Parsi community in the 1840s applied to become a Freemason in Lodge Perseverance No.546 E.C. He was rejected. He then went to Paris and got initiated in Loge La Gloire de l’Universe. He then returned to Bombay and once again applied to Lodge Perseverance, only to be rejected a second time! Thereafter, well-meaning Britishers petitioned to start a new Lodge wherein ‘natives’ could be initiated. This was granted and Lodge Rising Star of Western India came into being. Maneckjee Cursetjee joined this Lodge and rose to pre-eminence.

ü Hindus, with their apparent polytheism, presented a severe challenge to the powers-that-be. This diffidence to accept Hindus lasted until the more erudite among them as well as among the Hindus were able to clarify that the various Deities in Hinduism were nothing more mere manifestations of the different aspects of the same God! Ranganath Sastry was the first Hindu to be admitted into Freemasonry – in Lodge of Perfect Unanimity No. 233, Madras in 1857. Prosonno Coomar Dutt (Fig.35) became the first Hindu to become a Freemason in Bengal. He doggedly persevered in his quest to become a Freemason against entrenched racism among the Englishmen of Bengal in the 1860s. He began a long series of correspondence with the Grand Lodge in England protesting the iniquity of their Bengal representatives. Finally, his pleas were heard and

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England directed the illiberal locals to initiate him, which was done despite their unrepentant dismay. So doughty was Bro Dutt, that with diligence and faith in himself and in the true Masonic principles, he ultimately rose to the high Office of Deputy District Grand Master, the duties and responsibilities of which, he acquitted himself with honour and distinction!

ü The earliest Sikh to be made a Mason was Bro. Duleep Singh in Lodge Star in the East in 1861.

Fig.33: Omdat-al-Omrah Fig.34: Maneckee Cursetjee Fig.35: Prosonno Coomar Dutt

Freemasonry flourished in India under the Grand Lodges of the European colonisers, specifically England, Scotland and Ireland well beyond India attaining independence in 1947. It was only on 24th November 1961, that our own regular, sovereign Grand Lodge of India was consecrated at Hotel Ashoka, New Delhi by the representatives of the three parent Grand Lodges, viz. the Deputy Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England, R.W.Bro. William Gerald Charles Cadogan, 7th Earl of Cadogan (Fig.36) ; the Grand Master Mason of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, M.W.Bro. Archibald Montgomerie, 17th Earl of Eglinton (Fig.37); and, the Deputy Grand Master of the , R.W.Bro George S Gamble.

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Fig.36: 7th Earl of Cadogan Fig.37: 17th Earl of Eglinton

I applaud these pioneers of yesteryears as it is to them we owe our subsequent entry into this ancient and honourable society. It may be pertinent to reiterate that the colonial mentality of the Europeans preventing Indians from being admitted into Freemasonry till the flood-gates burst forth due to untiring efforts of these illustrious ancestors of ours. Among the more well-known pre-independence personalities are: . ü Swami Vivekananda (Fig.38) (initiated in 1884 under the name of Bro. Narendra Nath Dutt in Lodge Anchor & Hope, Calcutta) ü Motilal Nehru (Fig.39) – Lodge Harmony, Kanpur (Father of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Grandfather of Smt. Indira Gandhi) ü Chakravarty Rajagopalachary (Fig.40) (First Indian Governor General of India) ü Sir Dadabhoy Nawroji (Fig.41) ü Womesh Chandra Bonerjee (Fig.42)

Fig.38: Swami Vivekananda Fig.39: Motilal Nehru

History of Freemasonry by R W Bro Bharat V Epur presented at ACACIA – The Madras Masonic Study Circle on 14th March 2016 Page 17

Fig.40: C. Rajagopalachari Fig.41: Dadabhoy Nawroji Fig.42: W C Bonerjee

Fig.43: The Nawab of Rampur

Before I conclude my all-too brief an introduction to the history of Freemasonry, I would like to share some interesting facts:

ü The Goshamahal Baradari, , built in 1682 by Sultan Abul Hassan Tanasha is the oldest building that is being used as a in India.

ü M W Bro Major-General His Highness Ali Jah, Farzand-i-Dilpazir-i- Daulat-i- Inglishia, Mukhlis ud-Daula, Nasir ul-Mulk, Amir ul-Umara, Nawab Sayyid Sir Muhammad Raza Ali Khan Bahadur, Mustaid Jang, the Nawab of Rampur,

History of Freemasonry by R W Bro Bharat V Epur presented at ACACIA – The Madras Masonic Study Circle on 14th March 2016 Page 18

GCIE, KCSI (Fig.43) was installed as the Founder Grand Master of the newly- consecrated Grand Lodge of India comprising 145 Foundation Lodges with a total membership of 7466 in 1961.

ü This has since grown to over 400 Lodges spread throughout our country, from Dimapur in the East to the Kathiawar in the West, from Srinagar in the North to Kanyakumari in the South, with over 25,000 members.

I am afraid that I have to stop here as I am running out of time although there is no dearth of material to be shared. I urge you all to devote yourselves to further research. I guarantee you will find yourself seeking more and more as your learn more and more.

Once again, my profuse thanks to all of you for a patient hearing.

Jai Hind!

History of Freemasonry by R W Bro Bharat V Epur presented at ACACIA – The Madras Masonic Study Circle on 14th March 2016 Page 19