Grand Lodge of India
Date of Issue: 25 November 2011
Freemasonry is one of the world’s largest and oldest secular fraternal organization promoting the principle of the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man. Its universal motto is spreading “Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth” which teaches secularism, respect, tolerance for all religions and belief in a Supreme Being, without reference to any religion. Freemasonry is an apolitical society encouraging charity and the practice of the moral virtues of Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence, Justice and extending the hand of fellowship and providing relief to those in distress.
The exact date of origination of Freemasonry though not available but its present form originated in England in 1717. Freemasonry society in India was established in 1729 at Kolkata. The Indian Freemason society has more than 20,000 members. Its membership consists of a cross section of society drawn from all walks of life, who meet on an equal footing. The Masonic Lodge is the unit which a member joins as a Freemason. The apex body of Freemasonry is called ‘the Grand Lodge‘. On its origination, the lodges in India functioned under the aegis of Grand Lodges of England, Scotland and Ireland. After the Independence Lodges in India decided to constitute a sovereign body of Freemasonry and accordingly the Grand Lodge of India was consecrated on 24 November, 1961 at New Delhi. Some of the prominent Indian Freemasons include Swami Vivekananda, Sh. Motilal Nehru, Sh. C. Rajagopalachari and Sh. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed to name a few.