Page 15 - MML - Journal - Centenary Edition - Vol. 01 / 2023

Sovereign Grand Lodge of India with four Regional Grand Lodges and drafted the constitution also. Various lodges in India were asked to decide whether they would form part of GLI or wish to continue under their existing constitutions. On 15-05-1961 an emergency meeting was convened to decide that issue. After passing out the visitors the resolution “This Lodge do opt to join the proposed Grand Lodge of India on its inauguration” was taken for voting. Excluding the tyler 26 brethren were present in the lodge. 14 brethren voted for the resolution and 11 voted against. One vote was declared invalid. The lodge by a majority decision opted to be a part of Grand Lodge of India. The other lodges which opted to be affiliated with the Grand Lodge of India from the erstwhile District of Madras were Lodge Goodwill, Mount Lodge, Lodge Bangalore, lodge Mayo, Lodge Deccan, Lodge Mysore, Carnatic Lodge, Lodge Southern Cross, Lodge Pandyan, Lodge Coorg, Lodge Waltair, Lodge United Services, Lodge Salem, Lodge Justitia, Lodge Burroughs Strange, Lodge Murray Hammick, Lodge Annamalai and Lodge University. The inauguration of the new Grand Lodge of India was to be conducted at New Delhi on 26-11-1961 and this information was conveyed to the members during the meeting on 15-09-1961.
The minutes of the lodge for the meeting held on 01-12-1961 discloses that the lodge was informed of several amendments made by the Grand Lodge of India. The number of the lodge was changed to 103 GLI from 4487 (EC). Wherever the words English and England appeared they were changed into Indian and India respectively. The word Regional substituted the word District. Rules 140 and 181 of the existing constitution were amended and, in their place, new Rules 115 and 155 were substituted. During the second time of asking it was informed that the Regional Grand Lodge of Southern India
would be inaugurated at Madras on 09-12-1961.
The newly appointed Regional Grand Master of SI, R W Bro. S.T. Srinivasa Gopalachari was installed by the Deputy Grand Master, R. W. Bro. Bhogilal C. Shah. He was one of the founder members of Lodge Justitia and became its Master in the year 1914. He has held the office of District Grand Secretary of the District Grand Lodge of Madras for over 25 years before he was appointed as Deputy District Grand Master. He along with his deputy attended the lodge on 09-02-1962 and witnessed the raising ceremony. In fact, both the RGM and his deputy attended all the meetings of the lodge in the year 1962. The founder Lodge Jewel was presented to the WM by the RGM on 09-02-1962. In the meeting held on 01-12-1962 W Bro. Santhanakrishna Naidu was nominated for the election to the Regional Board of General Purposes, and he won the election with flying colours.
A curious practice was adopted in those days to pass out all Grand Lodge officers (present and past) before the Lodge received the RGM or his representative. They were again readmitted after the RGM, or his representative was received saluted and seated. The salutation prescribed by the English Constitution namely, 11 salutes for the Grand Master and 9 for the RGM was also followed in the GLI for several years.
Somewhere in the year 1962 due to financial strain, the lodge held negotiations with the Regional Grand Lodge of Southern India to take over the printing of the Madras Masonic journal. This proposal was not accepted by the RGL as the Lodge demanded extra copies to be given to the members and the members of the masonic circle. The publication temporarily discontinued for some time and in the year 1966 there was no member remained in the study circle.
Madras Masonic Journal Vol. 01 / 2023 - Centenary Year Edition
A Publication of Madras Masters Lodge No. 103, GLI 14