BHOPAL: Hundreds of Freemasons from across the country will gather in the city on September 29-30 for a ‘special meet’ of Regional Grand Lodge of western India (RGLWI).Once a secret brotherhood, Freemasonry in central and western India is now ready for change — to attract more members to its fold by clearing myths and doubts about the society that has spawned myths and mysteries for centuries.There are 5,000 people associated with the Regional Grand Lodge of western India. Grandmaster of India, Harcharan Singh Ranauta, is coming for the meeting along with past grandmasters and Freemasons from other states, said Paresh Shah, past master of Lodge Sanchi.Freemasons in Bhopal have procured a property (lodge) in MP Nagar area, taking RGLWI’s craft lodge count to 69. It is one of the four arms administering Masonic activities, lodges and brethren on behalf of MW the Grand Lodge of India, in the western region, comprising Maharashtra, Gujarat , MP, Chhattisgarh and the Union territories of Daman, Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli. It was inaugurated on December 6 in1961 at the Sandhurst Temple, Freemasons' Hall, Mumbai.Freemasonry in Madhya Pradesh dates to the 18th century and was a wellkept secret for over 150 years. Now, they are fighting a legal battle with the state government and Indore district administration to free one of their oldest lodges (No. 84) citing violations of lease deed. This lodge was popular as ‘Bhoot Bungalow’ among Indoreans.On July 18, 1947, the Residency Authority (Indore) had leased this 2.56 acre of land to ‘worshipful master and member of freemason lodge central India No. 3647’ for 10 years. It’s worth at least 300 crore now.The administration took possession of the land recently to start services under Atal Indore City Transport Services limited (AICTL), arguing that the lease deed expired in 1957 and was never renewed. The Masonic hall (temple) was sealed, preventing freemasons from visiting the lodge. Indore Freemasons moved court, challenging the ‘takeover’. Freemasons Ravindra J Potdar and Dhananjay Dave, senior members of Lodge of Central India are pursuing this case.Till 1910, freemasons from Indore and surroundings areas used to visit lodges at Mhow and at the Old Daly College building in Indore. On November 19, 1910 Lodge Central India was constructed in Indore after constitutional approval from the grandmaster of India. This lodge is mentioned as 3467 EC in the register of Grand Lodge of England. Many famous personalities of Indore, including erstwhile ruler Maharaja Yeshwant Rao Holkar, have been members. Holkar was initiated as a mason in 1920.

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