12th December 2009, Installation Night

Brethren,  Saturday 12th December 2009, Installation Night of Saxena, the young vibrant lodge of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Ireland in India.. It is not my calling her so, but by many a distinguished visitor, to our lodge, and I am proud of being a member . Till about 3 in the afternoon I was not sure if I would make it, having fallen a victim to  the flu. But I was determined to be there. I felt OK , not good . I wouldnt miss the Installation, beside being the Secretary, Bro. Ramakrishnan is my Initiate of 2000.


The evening was wonderful, with about 34 of our regulars and about 8 visitors. The WM , W.Bro.Gokulan, rocked the evening.He certainly did his homework, and well,. not that Bro.Ramakrishnan did badly, he was as good. It was difficult to judge who did better, they both were wonderful.


At the banquet, W.Bro. Ramakrishnan made one hell of a speech, which floored every one (for a rare standing ovation). Ramki, I knew that all the while that you had it in you, the eloquence , the words , the rhetoric. He made my evening. And today I am back in bed again, not that I indulged in excess. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening, and would have been more, had I not been  under the wheather. Ramki, you will have a great year. Thanks be to all those Wonderful Masons around you.

W.Bro. K Chandra Mohan.

11th July 2009 - Initiation

I thought that it was a fairly good evening well spent, last Saturday. Our candidate Dr.P.R.Vijay, I call him Madam Vijay (he is a Gynecologist ) was a soft spoken well mannered young man. I suppose being a gynecologist one has to be so. The various portions allotted to brethren were well done. But the D/C should be a little more watchful during the rehearsals to avoid blundering by brethren. Bro. Jayaprakash, the candidates brother in law, (JP has married the candidates sister), who did portion of the ritual was amazing. He most certainly has the brother in law impressed and most of us too. He was so good, to be told that he is also an amateur actor. JP keep up the good work. Banquet was good, but if the time at the festivities were reduced may be we can see a little more discipline at the table. Now a twelve week wait for Bro.Vijay to go up the ladder.

W.Bro.Chandra Mohan

Provincial Grand Lodge of Ireland in India

Dear brethren of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Ireland of India.

While we make no claim of superiority in numbers, we are proud to be close, compact, coherent and caring group of Freemasons and our relationships inter se are so cordial that they may well be envy of other Constitutions. We are ever ready and willing to comfort the distressed, to soothe their afflictions, and exert our outmost to practise the truly Masonic principles of Benevolence and Brotherly love. It is, therefore, a most apt and timely endeavour to have a Directory of Irish Freemasons in India, which is sure to make an impact on our Brethren and strengthen ties of Brotherly Love, It will assist our Brethren to effectively interact, and play a vital role in promoting their zeal for the principles of Freemasonry--the cardinal principles of Peace, Love, Harmony.

Our Most worshipful Grand master, in his speech of St. John's Day, 27th December 2001, drew our attention to the general trend of failing numbers. Happily, we are in a fortunate position to say that despite deaths, resignations and removals, our numbers have been fairly steady. But if we are to progress, prosper and flourish, we must seek out identify of it and competent and suitable candidates for Freemasonry, and induct them into our Order.

R. W. LAHU CHANDRAKANT CHOGLE

Rt.Worshipful The Provincial Grand Master of The Provincial Grand Lodge of Ireland in India

History

The Provincial Grand Lodge of Western India was formed under the leadership of Late R W Bro. William Mason, the then Grand Inspector for Irish Freemasonry in India on 1st May 1956. R W Bro. William Mason was the first Provincial Grand Master of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Western India, followed by R W Bro. M D Bharucha in 1961 and R W Bro. E G Reporter from 1964 to 1978 and R W Bro. Capt. Sam B Aga. The Provincial Grand Lodge of Western India was reconstituted as the Provincial grand Lodge of Ireland in India on 22nd October 1983 with R W Bro. Capt. Sam B Aga as the first Provincial Grand Master of the reconstituted Provincial Grand Lodge which also incorporated the Provincial Grand Lodge of Eastern India .

The Irish fraternity in India consisted of 27 Lodges. Not many survived. The ravages of time and eventual opting of a few Lodges to join the newly constituted Grand Lodge of India, the total number of Lodges in the Province stabilised to 10, equally distributed between Eastern and Western India. With the Lodges in Eastern India having difficult times, it was decided to relocate them to other Masonic centres. Accordingly, they were relocated at new Delhi, Chennai, Kanpur, Pune and Calicut. It was a prudent move of R W Bro.Capt. Sam B Aga, the provincial Grand Master of the reconstituted Provincial Grand Lodge and R W Bro. C K Maarfatia, the then Provincial Grand Secretary to relocated the stagnant Lodges to better locations where they could, and indeed have, prospered and flourished with the active and dynamic support of the local Brethren.

Lodges in the province

St Patrick's - 3rd Thur 7.00pm, Mumbai
Tara - Last working day in 1,4,7,10, Mumbai
Donoughmore - 4th Thur 6.45pm (ex 5,6,7,12), Poona
Mindin - 3rd Fri 7.00pm (ex 6,7), Chennai
Hely Hutchinson - 1st Fri 1,4,7,10. 1st Sat 2,3,5,6,8,9,11,12. 6.30pm
Harp of Erin - 3rd Thur 6.30pm, Mumbai
The Bombay - 1st Fri 7.00pm, New Delhi
Swastik - 2nd Wed 6.30pm, Bombay
Nowroze Wadia - 2nd Tue 6.30pm (ex 5), Calcutta
Saxena - 2nd Sat 6.30pm (ex 2 & 8) Calicut, Kerala

Saxena lodge 815 - Officers for 2009

Worshipful Master         W.Bro. C.Gokulan
Senior Warden                Bro.K.G.Ramakrishnan
Junior Warden                Bro.M.Nithyanand Kamath
Treasurer                        W.Bro.T. Gopakumar, PM
Secretary                         W.Bro.K.Chandra Mohan Pro.G.Suptd of Wks ,PM
Director of Ceremonies W.Bro.M.G.Gopinath Pro.G.Organist, PM
Steward of Charities      Bro.S.Sivakumaran
Almoner                          Bro.P.M.Harris
Chaplain                          Bro.Sabu Rahiman
Senior Deacon                Bro. Haseeb Ahamed
Junior Deacon                Bro. K.V.Vinod
Inner Guard                   Bro. Satheesh Chandran
Asst.Secretary               Bro.Ramesh Narendran
Asst. Dof C                      Bro.K.P.Prashob
Steward                          Bro.Srinath Gireesh
Steward                          Bro.Anil Viswanath
Steward                          Bro. Jos Thomas Cheriyanirappil
Steward                          Bro.Schiller Jos
Tyler                               Bro.K.Mohandas

Irish freemasonry and Ireland links

17 Molesworth Street, Dublin
A review of freemasonry
Asian Masonic Resource
Freemasonry for women
Freemasonry in Society Today and Tomorrow
Insiders guide to hidden Dublin
Lodge Ailsa No 1172 S.C Singapore
Provincial Grand Lodge of Ireland in India (being updated)
St Patrick's Lodge No 5742 E.C. ! !
The Hon. Mrs Elizabeth Aldworth
The Lodge of research # CC
The Oldest Travelling Military Lodge in the World
The Origin of Freemasonry
The Premier Lodge of Connaught, No. 14

Saxena lodge 815 IC - Members

63 R.W.Bro. S.B. Chatterjee H.P.G. Stwd., P.Pro.Dy.G.M., Pro. G. Insp. PM(1991-93) A 17-04-82
78 R.W.Bro. P.R. Datar H.P.G.D., P.Pro.Dy.G.M. P.M.(1994) A 23-02-94
80 W. Bro. K.K. Varma, P.Prov.G.Almoner, Director of Ceremonies P.M.(2001) A 23-02-94
81 W. Bro. Abdul Jifri, Pro.G.Sup. of Wks P.M.(1996) A 23-02-94
82 V.W.Bro. Darius.P. Marshall, Pro.G.Chaplain P.M.(1997) A 23-02-94
83 W. Bro. D.V. Vijayakumar, P.Pro.G.Steward P.M.(1998) A 23-02-94
86 W. Bro. Kirit P. Asher, Hon.P.Pro.G.Sup. of Wks, Secretary P.M.(1999) A 23-02-94
87 W. Bro. K.P. Surendran A 23-02-94
88 W. Bro. K. Chandra Mohan, P.Pro.G,Steward of Charities P.M.(2000) A 23-02-94
89 W. Bro. K. Janardanan A 23-02-94
92 W. Bro. K.V. Kunhamed A 23-02-94
93 W. Bro. P. Sugathan A 23-02-94
94 W. Bro. K.V. Basheer Ahmed A 23-02-94
96 W. Bro. P.A. Bhaskaran , PM A 23-02-94
98 W. Bro. U. Rajkumar A 23-02-94
99 Bro. A. Ramachandran A 23-02-94
100 W. Bro. K. Neelakandan A 23-02-94
103 W. Bro. M.S. Duleep, P.Pro. G. Organist P.M.(2002) A 23-02-94
104 W. Bro. P.M. Suresh P.M.(2003) A 23-02-94
105 Bro. K.P. Narendran, Treasurer I 27-07-94
106 Bro. C. Vivek, P. Pro.G.Organist W.M.(2004) I 26-09-94
107 Bro. T. Gopakumar, Junior Warden I 24-10-94
108 Bro. V.K. Rajan I 30-01-95
109 W. Bro. Abraham K. Thomas A 24-04-95
110 W. Bro. N. Jayakrishnan Nair A 24-04-95
111 Bro. Velayudhan Moni,Senior Deaconi A 24-04-95
112 Bro. P.K. Nazeem A 24-04-95
113 Bro. P. Jayachand A 24-04-95
114 Bro. M.G. Gopinath, PM I 24-07-95
116 W. Bro. D.V. Rajkumar, Chaplain A 29-01-96
118 Bro. K. Venugopal A 29-01-96
119 Bro. M. Nithyanand Kamath, Tyler I 25-11-96
120 Bro. T.T. Paul I 10-01-98
121 Bro. K. Sajan Sukumaran I 13-06-98
122 Bro. K. Mohandas, Asst. Secretary A 24-05-99
123 Bro. K.V. Vinod, Steward of Charaties A 24-05-99
124 Bro. P.V. Nidish I 12-06-99
125 Bro. C. Gokulan, Junior Deacon I 10-07-99
126 Bro. K. Kesavaram I 11-09-99
127 Bro. K.V. Haseeb Ahamed,Asst. D of C A 13-11-99
128 Bro. T.R. Venugopal I 14-10-00
129 Bro. K.G. Ramakrishnan, Inner Guard I 11-11-00
130 Bro. Manoj Kumar Madathil, Steward I 08-09-01
131 Bro.K.R.Ramachandran A 11-05-02
132 Bro.T.Satheesh Chandran, Almoner I 14-09-02
133 Bro.K.P.Prashob, Steward A 14-12-02
134 Bro.K. Ramesh Narendran I 08-03-03
135 Bro.C.S.Saleem, F.C. I 12-07-03
136 Bro. Ajit T. Mathew, E.A. I 10-04-04
137 Bro. Sabu Rahiman, E.A. I 08-05-04
138 Bro. P.M.Harris, E.A. I 11-09-04
139 Bro. S.Sivakumaran, E.A. I 09-10-04
140 Bro. Anil Vishwanath, E.A. I 13-11-04

Calicut

Calicut (Kozhikode) , the most important city of Malabar region of Kerala, was a leading trading centre for spices on the West Coast of India during the medieval period. Ruled by the Zamorin dynasty, calicut found a place in World History with the discovery of sea route to India in 1498 by the Portuguese navigator Vasco Da Gama. The landing of Gama at Kapat near Calicut changed the political scanario of India, which ultimately ended with it's colonization by the British. It remained under the Madras Presidency till the formation of Kerala in 1956 after independence.

Early History :

Not much is known about the early history of Calicut. However a few prehistoric relics like rock cut caves were found in the district at many places. During the sangam age, the district formed part of the Chera Empire. It played a leading part in fostering trade relations between Kerala and outside world. Tondi, the present Kadalundi as per scholars, was one of the most flourishing seaports of Kerala that time. Again nothing is known in the post-sangam age which is considered to be the Dark Age in South India's history. In the 9th century, Calicut became a part of the Second Chera Empire. The Chera's also known as Perumals, ruled the territory till 1122 AD. With the fall of Cheras, the kingdom was divided into many independent districts called 'Nadus' such as Ernad and Polanad. Originally Calicut area was under the Porlarthris, rulers of Polanad. It became an important town in 13th century with the conquest of Polanad by the King of Ernad.

Formation of Calicut :

The Udaiyavar of Ernad, whose headquarters was at Nediyiruppu wanted an outlet to the sea and after fighting with the Polatthiri King for 48 long years conquered the area around Ponniankara and build a fort at a place called Velapuram. Thus the city of Calicut came into existence sometime in the 13th Century AD. With the accession of Calicut, the status of Nediyirippu increased and he come to known as Swami Nambiyathiri Thirumulpad, which gradually became Samuri or Samuthiri over the years. The Europeans called him Zamorin. The place surrounded by the fort was known as Koyil (palace) Kotta (fort) and hence the name of the place became Kozhikode. Foreigners called it by different names, For Arabs it was Kalikat, for Chinese it was Kalifo while the city is known to outside world by its European name - Calicut.

Calicut became a mighty seaport, where the Arabs and the Chinese met to exchange the products of west with the east and vise versa. Religious tolerance, good administration, which gave security and impartiality to all and the friendly attitude of Zamorin to all traders, made Calicut the chief centre of trade in Malabar region. Zamorin gave special concession to Arabs (the Moors) to carry out trade. Islam was also propagated here.

According to K.V. Krishna Iyer, the rise of calicut is at once a cause and a consequence of Zamorin's ascendancy in Kerala. By the end of the century, Zamorin was at the zenith of his powers with all princes and chieftains of Kerala north of Cochin acknowledging his suzerainty.