Page 3 - northmasondigest

October 2019

procedures from senior & experienced masons in semi- Some isolated cities in Haryana, UP, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan
formal atmosphere. shall be served by other LOI's/RLOI's till dedicated RLOI's are
2.) Improve attendance & membership when Lodges become feasible and formed.
more vibrant. MEETINGS:
3.) To make the attendance in lodges a more enjoyable The RLOI's will hold their meetings every month by rotation in
experience. different cities. The decision on the day of meetings shall be left
4.) To prepare teams of good ritualists from various lodges in the to the individual RLOI's. The host city for the particular meeting
Area to assist the RLOI's and other Lodges of the Area in ritual shall arrange and provide the local Temple and other facilities for
working. holding the meetings without any charges. Refreshments and
ACTIVITIES: dinner/lunch, if provided, shall be contributory but the host city
In addition to Ritual working, the RLOI's will help brethren in the will make arrangements.
Area to learn and teach the symbols, emblems, beautiful phrases OFFICERS:
and words, to deliver lectures in degree workings with proper The RMLOI will have a Preceptor, Dy. Preceptors, Asst.
punctuations, practice the Installation Ceremonies and Preceptors, Secretary & Treasurer. There will be Mentors from
standardize the ritual working etc, under the Guidance of senior different cities (at least one per city) in the Area.
experienced brethren who are appointed or elected by a lawfully GOVERNANCE:
constituted authority under the Regional Grand Lodge of RW the Regional Grand Master has formed a Council of Past
Northern India. Preceptors in the Regional Grand Lodge of Northern India by the
They will also organize workshops, lectures & seminars on approval of the Regional Grand Board of General Purposes. This
masonic subjects and charity. will oversee the functioning of Lodges of Instructions (including
PROPOSED AREAS FOR SETTING UP OF RLOI's: Roving) in the Region. It will formulate policies and make rules
Delhi has already two operational LOI's (Janpath & Qudsia etc. It will be based in New Delhi. RW the Regional Grand Master
Gardens) to cater to more than 60 lodges (51at Janpath & 9 at will be its Chairman and the Dy. Regional Grand Master shall be
Qudsia Gardens) in the city. No other city in the Region has any the Vice-chairman. The Regional Grand Secretary shall be it
operational Lodge of Instruction. While Kanpur, Lucknow, Convenor. All Past-Preceptors & reigning Preceptors of all the
Allahabad & Chandigarh have multiple number of Lodges, most Lodges of Instructions, including the Roving Lodges of
of other cities have 1 to 3 Lodges (most of them with only one Instructions in the Region shall be its members. The Convener
Lodge) per city. This is not sufficient to warrant a Lodge of will call the meetings on the instructions of the Chairman.
Instructions dedicated to the city. The RLOI's will cater to an Area PROGRESS SO FAR:
comprising of various lodges. After taking the permission of the Regional Grand Board of
Based on the number of Lodges and the traveling distance General Purposes, the Region has obtained a License from the
between the cities following Areas/Centers for the MLOI's are Grand Lodge of India to form and operate the Lodges of
suggested: Instructions (including RLOI's). The first RLOI - Agra Roving Lodge
1. Agra (Agra, Jhansi, Aligarh, Moradabad& Mathura.) – 6 of Instructions was inaugurated on 20th September 2019 at Agra
Lodges. Lodges in Jaipur & Ajmer will be under its by MW the Grand Master, MW Bro Rajeev Ramkrishna
jurisdiction. Khandelwal, OSM in the presence of RW Bro AK Sharma, RW the
2. Uttarakhand & Western UP (Dehradun, Mussourie, Regional Grand Master. RW Puneet Sohal was the presiding
Saharanpur, Yamuna Nagar, Roorkee& Muzaffar Nagar.) – 8 officer & installing officer. RW Bro Porus Debara was installed as
the Preceptor for the year 2019-20.
Lodges.
3. Kanpur (covering the cities of Kanpur, Lucknow & Allahabad) Process of formation of Dehradun Roving Lodge of Instructions
– 25 Lodges. and LAK (Luknow-Allahabad-Kanpur) Roving Lodge of
Instructions has been completed and these are proposed to be
4. Punjab (covering the cities of Ludhiana, Patiala, Jullundur,
Amritsar, Firozpur&Ambala.) – 6 Lodges. inaugurated on 13th October and 19th October respectively.
5. Chandigarh (Chandigarh, Mohali, Kalka, Solan & Shimla.) – 13
RW Bro. Puneet Sohal
Lodges.
Dy. RGM/Dy. Chairman – Council of Past Preceptors.

Brethren, another piece from History of Lodge Charity,

‘JUMAN’ OF LODGE ‘CHARITY’ NO:8
Probably the person, who knew more about Lodge “Charity” No.563E.C. (now 8 GLI at Ambala) than records can show, passed away in
the latter part of the year 1891. He was the Lodge peon, “old Juman,” and had been engaged when the Lodge was in its earliest infancy,
and for upwards of forty-three years retained his post. There is a story about him, generally accepted as true, that on the outbreak of
the Mutiny, in 1857, he buried the jewels, clothing, s & c., and so preserved them until the lodge was re-opened. His wife was awarded
a small pension in recognition of his long and faithful service, after his death.