25TH ANNUAL GRAND LODGE MEETING

Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of Upper India is now 25 years old and it celebrated its Silver Jubilee on 19th, 20th and 21st January 2020 at the Masonic Complex Daun, Mohali (Chandigarh). The Annual Grand Lodge Meeting was held on Sunday 19th January 2020 at 6.00 p.m. It was attended by the Grand Officers (Present and Past), Past Masters, reigning Worshipful Masters, reigning Wardens and Master Masons of daughter Lodges and of recognized Grand Lodges. M.W. Bro. Ajit Singh Ranauta, M.W. Bro. Dr. Satwinder Singh Bhamra, M.W. Bro. Dr. P.S. Egan – President of the Grand Council of United Grand Lodges and other senior brethren graced the occasion.

M.W. Bro. Col. Shamsher Singh Dhanoa, the Grand Master, opened the Grand Lodge in ample form. After the usual Grand Lodge Agenda, he welcomed and greeted the visiting dignitaries. All the visiting heads of the Grand Lodges were saluted and greeted in the usual Masonic tradition.

The entire function was a grand success, especially due to the participation of Senior Brethren from Europe and South India. The delegates from Europe and South India were:

• Grand Lodge of Belgium represented by M.W. Bro. Oscar de Wandel- Grand Master.
• Sovereign Grand Lodge of Austria represented by M.W. Bro. Michael Muarer- Grand Master and R.W. Bro. Heiner Wiegele- Grand Chancellor.    
• Grand Lodge of Serbia represented by R.W. Bro. Veka Radonjic - Grand Chancellor and R.W. Bro. Edvard Miljanic- Grand Orator.    
• Grand Lodge of Hungary represented by M.W. Bro. Michel Singer- Grand Chancellor and Grand Representative of United Grand Lodges of India in Europe.
• Grand Lodge of South India represented by M.W. Bro. Rajkumar Vaiyapuri- Grand Master, R.W. Bro. E.K. Nagrajan- Dy. G.M., R.W .Bro. K.R. Raman- Asst G. M. and 12 other brethren along with their ladies.
• T.ILL.Fr: Philippe Douillet 33ème D (S.C. de France).

About 22 delegates were present from South India and Europe. Five Grand Lodges were represented from Europe. A good number of our brethren were present including those from Amritsar and Delhi.
M.W. Bro. Michel Singer, our Grand Representative in Europe, introduced the visiting Dignitaries. 

Long Term Service Jewel Presentation:

M.W. the Grand Master invited M.W. Bro. Dr. P. S. Egan, President of United Grand Lodge of India, to take control of the Grand Lodge and conduct the Ceremony to present the Jewels for Long Term Service to Masonry.

M.W. Bro. Dr. P. S. Egan took control and addressed the Grand Lodge.  He proceeded to conduct the ceremony of presentation of Long Term Service Jewels.

40 years Long Term Service Jewels were presented to the Grand Master, M.W. Bro. Col. Shamsher Singh Dhanoa and one to R.W. Bro. Dayawant Singh Loomba, and a 25 years Long Term Service Jewel was presented to R.W. Bro. Hardev Singh Ranauta the Grand Secretary.

M.W. Bro. Dr. P. S. Egan requested MW Bro. Rajkumar Vaiyapuri to invest RW Bro Hardev Singh Ranauta with the 25 yrs Jewel and present him the Certificate.
M.W. Bro. Dr. P. S. Egan requested MW Bro.  Ajit Singh Ranauta to invest M.W. Bro. Col. Shamsher Singh Dhanoa and R.W. Bro. Dayawant Singh Loomba with the 40 yrs Jewel and present them the Certificates.

MW Bro. Rajkumar Vaiyapuri- Grand Master of Grand Lodge of South India decorated RW Bro, Hardev Singh Ranauta with the 25 years LTS Jewel and presented him the Long Term Service Certificate.
MW Bro. Ajit Singh Ranauta, Chairman Silver Jubilee Celebrations Committee, decorated MW Bro. Col. Shamsher Singh Dhanoa and RW Bro. Dayawant Singh Loomba with the 40 years LTS Jewels and presented each of them  their Certificates of Long Term Service.
MW Bro. Dr. P.S. Egan congratulated the recipients of the Jewels and handed back the Grand Lodge to M.W. the Grand Master.

Address by UGLI President:

MW Bro. Dr. P. S. Egan President of United Grand Lodge of India addressed the brethren and welcomed our brethren from Europe who came all the way to India to support us, to encourage us and to participate in the Silver Jubilee Celebrations of the Grand Lodge. He said Grand Lodge of Upper India has faced many ups and downs in the last many years and are happy today to be celebrating the Silver Jubilee.
He said that while Jewels for Long Term Service to Freemasonry were presented to three brethren, in fact among our rolls we have 25 or more brethren who have served Freemasonry for more than 25 years and there are many others who have served for more than 40 years.
The Grand Lodge of South India is also making good progress. They have a good number of dedicated Freemasons on their roll. The United Grand Lodges of India have now established itself in India.

Address by MW Bro. Rajkumar  Vaiyapuri

    MW Bro. Rajkumar  Vaiyapuri - Grand Master of Grand  Lodge of South India addressed  the  Grand Lodge. He said that on the outset he was highly impressed by the new look of the renovated Temple of the GL U I. He remarked that new illuminated fitments had enhanced the beauty of the Temple many fold.
     He specifically mentioned his appreciation of wonderful hospitality extended to him and his Delegation including arrangements for a visit to Shimla and to Amritsar
As a token of Brotherhood he   presented a Special South Indian Scarf of Honour to the Grand Master MW Bro. Col. S S  Dhanoa.                                                

Address by R.W. Bro. Veka Radonjic

R.W. Bro. Veka Radonjic - Grand Chancellor of Grand Lodge of Serbia addressed the Grand Lodge. He said he and his colleague Bro. Edvard Miljanic were happy to be present here in Chandigarh to attend this 25th Annual Grand Lodge meeting. He is looking forward to signing a Treaty of Friendship with the United Grand Lodges of India.          
He congratulated the Grand Master on receiving the 40 years Long Term Service Award.
He appreciated the hospitality and the courtesies extended to him by MW Bro. Rakesh Mittal in particular and the Grand Lodge in general. 
RW  Bro. Veka Radonjic who was accompanied by R.W. Bro. Edvard Miljanic- Grand Orator, presented a Photo of the famous painting  “The Ancient of Days”  by William Blake to the GM, MW Bro. Col. S S  Dhanoa.

‘The  Ancient  of  Days’  is  a painting by William Blake.  It shows
‘Urizen’- signifying conventional reason and law, which is usually
depicted as a bearded  old  man with  architect's  tools, to create
and constrain the universe.   He is shown crouching in a circular
design with a cloud-like background, while his outstretched hand
holds a compass over the darker void below.

Address by M.W. Bro. Michel Singer

M.W. Bro. Michel Singer- Grand Chancellor of Grand Lodge of Hungary and the Grand representative of United Grand Lodges of India for Europe addressed the Grand Lodge. He expressed his happiness for being amongst the brethren of Upper India where a good number of brethren from G L of South India are also present. He thanked MW Bro Ajit Singh Ranauta with whom he and T.ILL.Fr: Philippe Douillet were staying, and for the warm hospitality   
He said he is associated with the UGL of India since 2004 when a Treaty of Friendship was signed with GL of France. Since then UGLI has signed such Treaties with eight more G.lodges of Europe, and there are other Grand Lodges who are keen to establish cordial relations with Grand Lodges from India.
He congratulated the brethren who were presented Awards for Long Term Service to Freemasonry.

Address by MW  Bro. Michael Muarer

M.W. Bro. Michael Muarer- Grand Master of Sovereign Grand Lodge of Austria, who was accompanied by R.W. Bro. Heiner Wiegele- Grand Chancellor, addressed the Grand Lodge.   He said last year his Grand Lodge had signed a treaty of Friendship with United Grand Lodges of India and this year he was happy to be attending the 25th Annual Meeting of this Grand Lodge.  
He said he was impressed with the working of the Grand Lodge. He congratulated the Grand Master on receiving the 40 years Long Term Service award. He emphasized the need to have younger masons on the roll of Grand Lodge.  Younger masons are future of Freemasonry he said.
  He thanked MW Bro Ajit Singh Ranauta and his family members, with whom he and Bro. Heiner Wiegele were staying, and for looking after them and making their stay so very comfortable.     
He presented a Melody Music Box of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart the famous Austrian Freemason and Musician to the GM, MW Bro. Col S S Dhanoa. He presented a similar Melody Music Box   to MW  Bro. Rajkumar  Vaiyapuri - Grand Master of Grand  Lodge of South India and one to MW  Bro. Dr. P. S. Egan President, UGL of India

Address by MW  Bro. Oscar de Wandel
 
M.W. Bro. Oscar de Wandel- Grand Master of Grand Lodge of Belgium   addressed the Grand Lodge. He said his association with this Grand Lodge is more that 15 years, for it was in April 2006 that our Grand Lodges had signed the Treaty of Friendship.  This is his first visit to Chandigarh and he is happy to be attending the 25th Annual Meeting of the Grand Lodge.  He congratulated the brethren who were presented Awards for Long Term Service to Freemasonry.  
He thanked MW Bro Ajit Singh Ranauta and his family with whom he was staying for their kind hospitality. He was especially full of praise for his three mason sons who looked after his every need.   
M.W. Bro. Oscar de Wandel presented a set of Square and Compasses to the Grand Master MW Bro. Col. S.S. Dhanoa

Address by MW Bro. Col. S.S.  Dhanoa

He emphasised that Silver Jubilee had afforded him a chance to fulfill his cherished desire to carry out some improvements and decorative works in the temple of the Grand Lodge. 
He expressed his happiness that he was addressing an August Masonic gathering comprising of European Brethren besides Brethren from South India, Amritsar and locals.