Indian Mason

[Ed_Haynes]

Since I happen to have these medals here on "home leave", I thought I'd do a close-up of the Masonic medal of Khan Bahadur Nasarvanji Navraoji Sadri, Inspector-General of Police, Kolhapur State.

His full group has been posted, though apparently forgotten and undiscussed, in http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2324 -- maybe too exotic??

The lightly guilded silver medal is suspended from a faced (and fraying) blue ribbon from what I think of as the usual Masonic stick-pin. The obverse "LODGE ROYAL JUBILEE No 742 S.C." and named on the reverse "To Wor. Bro. Khan Saheb N. N. Sadry / Secretary 1932-33". It was made, and is marked by, the famous Bangalore jeweler Barton.

FYI.

[Mike Dwyer]

Very, very nice!

[Humber]

Should be noted that this Lodge is under the 'Grand Lodge of Scotland' jurisdiction

Formation of the Grand Lodge in India

At a meeting held in London on 29th October 1959 between the Pro Grand Master of England, the Grand Master of Ireland, and the Immediate Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland acting for the Grand Master Mason, it was decided that an independent Grand Lodge of India was desirable and that in order to help forward the above objective, it was further decided that one of the terms of the Concordat of 1905 requiring the assent of two-thirds of the Lodges under each of their jurisdiction to be necessary before recognition could be given to a new Grand Lodge, should be waived. To promote this decision, a Steering Committee was formed consisting of members in proportion to the number of Lodges in India under each Constitution, viz.,

English (180 Lodges) 12 Members

Scottish ( 75 Lodges) 5 Members

Irish ( 14 Lodges) 1 Member

The three Grand Masters agreed that the Irish representative, Rt. Wor. Bro. Lt. Gen. Sir Harold Williams should be the Chairman of the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee then proceeded to draw up the details for the establishment of the Grand Lodge of India at New Delhi. The Lodges under the English, Irish and Scottish Constitutions were permitted to opt to join the Grand Lodge of India from the aforesaid Constitutions.

However, where Lodges decided not to form part of the new independent Grand Lodge of India, they and their members would continue to enjoy their existing rights and privileges, under their respective Grand Lodges. More or less identical Concordats were drawn up by the three Grand Lodges and signed individually with the Grand Lodge of India soon after its inauguration in 1961.

Formation of District Grand Lodges in India

At the Quarterly Communication of the Grand Lodge of Scotland held in Edinburgh on 30th August 1961, it was decided that for better supervision of those Lodges in India and Ceylon, which had not opted to join the Grand Lodge of India (Constituted on 24th November 1961), two District Grand Lodges should be erected instead of the Grand Lodge of United Scottish Freemasonry in India and Ceylon, to be known as the District Grand Lodge of Western India and the District Grand Lodge of Eastern India. As a general principle, all Lodges west of longitude 76? E were assigned to the District Grand Lodge of Western India and all Lodges lying east of longitude 76? E were assigned to the District Grand Lodge of Eastern India.

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Edited March 22, 2006 by Humber

[Humber]

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[attachmentid=31689]Centenary Jewel

[Ed_Haynes]

Thanks, while I can say I understand more than one-quarter of all this, it surely gives some context to the later history of this facet of Sadri's life.

[Humber]

Don't think there is much to find out about the Bro. Masonically, other than he was a Past Master and been Lodge secretary for a year. There are no Masonic Honours noted behind his name on the 'jewel' (that is not to say he didn't get any). He is not mentioned on the list of noted Brethren for his District.

[Ed_Haynes]

That may be true, but there will be a great deal on the non-masonic aspects of his life. His Khan Sahib and Khan Bahadur recommendations are just the start!

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2324