ARANYAMITHRA

Installation of Founder Worshipful Master R. W. Bro. Dr. Challagalla Narasimha Rao, IFS (Retd.)

Installation of Founder Worshipful Master R. W. Bro. Dr. Challagalla Narasimha Rao, IFS (Retd.) by M. W. Bro. Vasudev J. Masurekar, OSM, Most Worshipful Immediate Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of India as Installing Officer during the Consecration Meeting of Lodge Aranyamithra No. 433 GLI on 5 August 2016 at Freemasons Hall, Janpath, New Delhi

Installing Officer, M. W. Brother Vasudev J. Masurekar, OSM, M. W. Immediate Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of India enquiring with incoming Founder WM. To his right, M. W. Brother Harcharan Singh Ranauta, OSM, M. W. Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of India, Consecrating Officer. Also seen, to the right, R. W. Brother Arvind Prasad Chitra, R. W. Regional Grand Master of Regional Grand Lodge of Southern India.

R. W. Bro. Dr. Challagalla Narasimha Rao, IFS (Retd.), incoming Founder Worshipful Master of the Lodge Aranyamithra No. 433 GLI (above).

And having being installed as Founder Worshipful Master in the East and assumed the Chair (below)

Visiting brethren present for the consecration meeting of Lodge Aranyamithra No. 433 GLI on 5 August 2016

The following visiting brethren were present for the meeting

R W Bro.	Lt. Cdr. (Retd.) R K Sahgal
R W Bro.	Ashok Bharadwaj
R W Bro.	Porus Debara
R W Bro.	Umesh Dhandhania
R W Bro.	Ali Asgar Rangwalla
V W Bro.	Dr. B. Maheshwara Rao
V W Bro.	V. K. Ailawadi
W Bro.	Pinaki Narayan Ganguly
W Bro.	Siddhartha Adhikari
W Bro.	Anil Agarwal
W Bro.	Ashok Agarwal
W Bro.	Sudarshan K. Agarwal
W Bro.	Rathindra Nath Bandhopadhyaya
W Bro.	Balaram Kundu
W Bro.	Vinod K. Khanna
W Bro.	A K Kohli
W Bro.	Abhijit Chatterjee
W Bro.	Ashok Kapoor
W Bro.	J. P. Mundra
W Bro.	Pradip Kumar Dutta
W Bro	Dr. Ashok Kumar Gupta
W Bro.	Dr. A. K. Chakraverty
W Bro.	Dr. N. K. Maitra
W Bro.	Dr. R. K. Karan
W Bro.	Dr. E. Jayanthi Rao
W Bro.	Nirmal Jesudasan
W Bro.	John Zachariah
Bro.	K. Pramod

Brethren accompanying MW Grand Master of Grand Lodge of India's deputation for the consecration of the Lodge Aranyamithra No. 433 GLI on 5 August 2016

The Grand Masters’ deputation also included the following brethren

R W Bro.	Arvind P. Chitra, RGM (SI)
R W Bro.	Rajeev R. Khandelwal, OSM
R W Bro.	Amalendu Sain
R W Bro.	Ashok Kumar Gupta, AGM
R W Bro.	Suman Kapoor
R W Bro.	Subhash Chawla
R W Bro.	C. S. Kochhar
R W Bro.	G. D. Rao
V W Bro.	Mahesh Malik
V W Bro.	Suresh Singh

List of officers for the consecration meeting of the Lodge Aranyamithra No. 433 GLI on 5 August 2016

M.W.BRO. HARCHARAN SINGH RANAUTA, OSM, M W, THE GRAND MASTER OF THE GRAND LODGE OF ANTIENT, FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF INDIA

Assisted by

M W Bro.	Vasudev J. Masurekar, OSM	as	I.O.
R W Bro.	Dr. N. S. Sodhi	as	I.P.M.
R W Bro.	Ashwani Kumar Gupta	as	Senior Warden
R W Bro.	Dr. A. V. Pathak	as	Junior Warden
R W Bro.	S. Thirugnanamurthy	as	Chaplain & Oration
R W Bro.	V. K. Gupta	as	Secretary
R W Bro.	M. Krishna Mohan	as	D O C
V W Bro.	Sunil Mehra	as	Sword Bearer
V W Bro.	S. K. Srivastava	as	Senior Deacon
V W Bro.	Vishal Bakshi	as	Junior Deacon
W Bro.	Arvind Madan	as	A D O C
W Bro.	Ashwani Suri	as	Standard Bearer
W Bro.	Pankaj Bansal	as	Standard Bearer
W Bro.	S. S. Bhatti	as	Inner Guard
W Bro.	Dr. Ashish Gupta	as	Tyler

Officers for the consecration meeting of the Lodge Aranyamithra No. 433 GLI on 5 August 2016

M W BRO. HARCHARAN SINGH RANAUTA, OSM, M W, THE GRAND MASTER OF THE GRAND LODGE OF ANTIENT FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF INDIA

was assisted by

R W Bro. V K Gupta, Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of India as the Consecrating Secretary on 5 August 2016 for Lodge Aranyamithra No. 433 GLI

R W Bro. Ashwani Kumar Gupta as the Grand Senior Warden for the Consecration Meeting on 5 August 2016 for Lodge Aranyamithra No. 433 GLI

R W Bro. Dr. Anand Vardhan Pathak as the Grand Junior Warden (acting) for the consecration meeting on 5 August 2016 for Lodge Aranyamithra No. 433 GLI

Consecration meeting of the Lodge Aranyamithra No. 433 GLI on 5 August 2016

The Lodge Aranyamithra No. 433 of the Grand Lodge of India was consecrated on 5th August 2016 corresponding to the fourteenth day of Shravana, Saka Era at the Freemasons Hall, Janpath, New Delhi. The Lodge was consecrated by M. W. Bro. Harcharan Singh Ranauta, OSM, MW Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of India. The pan-Indian Lodge is under the aegis of the Regional Grand Lodge of Eastern India, and will meet in national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and wilderness areas of India and abroad (by dispensation).

MW Bro. Harcharan Singh Ranauta, OSM, MW Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of India entering the premises in his delegation to conduct the consecration ceremony of the Lodge Aranyamithra No. 433 GLI at 5.30 pm on 5 August 2016

MW Bro. Harcharan Singh Ranauta, OSM, MW Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of India addressing the brethren assembled for the consecration meeting of the Lodge Aranyamithra No. 433 GLI

MW Bro. Harcharan Singh Ranauta, OSM, MW Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of India addressing the brethren assembled for the consecration meeting of the Lodge Aranyamithra No. 433 GLI

Photographs courtesy and copyright with - R W Bro. Louis Francis Emmanuel and W. Bro. J. Thiagarajan, Founder Petitioners, Lodge Aranyamithra No. 433 GLI

Application information for Joining Members

The list of founder petitioners has been closed at 34. The petition has been forwarded to the Grand Lodge of India and accepted. After consecration on 5 August 2016, as on 8 October 2016, the membership stands at 40 brethren + 1 Honorary Member.

Brethren interested in joining Lodge Aranyamithra No. 433 are requested to download or obtain the application forms available at GLI and RGL web pages, or with your Craft Lodge Secretary. Please submit the application form (3 copies) by postal mail.

Also please expedite and forward the No Dues Certificates (NDCs) from each one of your respective Lodges wherein you are or have been a member, and / or are continuing to be a member. The NDCs may be forwarded by paper copy by postal mail or by image files or PDF files by email or WhatsApp etc.

A blank NDC format is provided here for your use if your Lodge Secretary does not have a copy.

FURTHER REQUEST

All interested Brethren are requested to send the following to EMAIL IDS - lodgearanyamithra433@gmail.com and birdwala@yahoo.com

a) Full Name:
b) Full Mailing Address:
c) All Contact Numbers:
d) Email ID:
e) Date of Birth:
f) Profession / Occupation:
g) Name and Number of Lodge in which Initiated:
h) Date and Lodge of Initiation:
i) Date and Lodge of Passing:
j) Date and Lodge of Raising:
k) Name and Number of Lodge in which served as Worshipful Master:
l) Year/s of Mastership:
m) Current Grand Rank (Year):
n) Current Regional Grand Rank (Year):
o) List of Lodges as Member:
p) No Due / Clearence Certificate(s) from the Lodges you are / were a Subscribing
Member:

Also, please send No Demand Certificates from each of the Lodges that you are currently a
member of, as well as, Clearance Certificates from those Lodges that you are no longer a
member. - Contact birdwala@yahoo.com or lodgearanyamithra433@gmail.com for mailing address

Why did we want to start this Craft Lodge?

Lodge Aranyamithra 433, GLI

(Under the Regional Grand Lodge of Eastern India)

It is now essential, in India, after years of understanding the pure aspects of Freemasonry, to extend our initiatives to Nature and Science. We are instructed, as Freemasons, to explore the mysteries of Nature and Science, while accepting earlier, that Mercy is a sister to Charity. Freemasons’ Craft, Chapter, Mark and RAM Lodges have always continually emphasized, proposed and implemented excellent initiatives in charity and also have enabled exactitude of mercy.

It has been legally recognized by India and many nations that this sacred planet, Earth, is enabled by many communities of living creatures and that Man is only a visitor to this wilderness. Nature provides habitats, watersheds, economic value and connects us with our ability to sustain. It is well known that only natural systems can create water, and this cannot be done by human governments.

As Freemasons, our initiatives to appreciate and protect nature should be strengthened in our quest to “make good men better”. We, as Freemasons, with all the noble teachings of our ancient and honourable Fraternity, are taught to love, honour, and, obey the GAOTU, the GGOTU, and the Most High! This love necessarily includes love for all his creatures and creations.

It is with this view that we decided to petition for and consecrate an exclusive Lodge for lovers of Nature and Wildlife that will meet mostly in National Sanctuaries and Parks. Its membership will be drawn only from such like-minded Brethren from all over India so as to provide a forum for them to meet in the different areas under the jurisdiction of each Regional Grand Lodge(s) periodically, exchange views, formulate practical plans and assist the authorities in the humungous task ahead.

In this regard, the Regional Grand Lodge of Eastern India forwarded the petition to the Grand Lodge of India. This unique petition was accepted and approved by MW Brother Shri Harcharan Singh Ranauta, OSM, MW the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of India. The consecration was duly completed on 5 August 2016 by MW the Grand Master at the Freemasons Hall, Janpath, New Delhi. The installation of the Founder Wor. Master of the Lodge Aranyamithra 433 GLI was conducted by MW Brother Vasudev J. Masurekar, OSM, MW the Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of India.

Why we chose the name "Aranyamithra"?

Aranyamithra

The pan-Indian name Aranyamithra is to present the members of the unique Craft Lodge as being “friends of the forest” or “friends of nature”. Here, ‘Aranya’ is meant to represent ‘forest’ or ‘nature’. The all-Indian term to represent ‘brethren’ as friends of nature would also be easily understandable. It would be acceptable to the Indian diaspora around the World, and within the Subcontinent.

For long, there has been recognized need to expressly understand the mysteries of Nature and Science, in exploring the ability of Freemasons to extend support to nature conservation and sustainable development. One cannot protect nature if one cannot help local human communities to become stronger and resourceful in protecting the wilderness around them. These communities are very vulnerable, mostly tribal and mostly in marginal economic levels.

There is need to understand the requirements of human communities around National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries and provide them an Indian or Global support platform. Aranyamithra will be a Craft Lodge to enable brethren from all over India to understand these perspectives during their meetings at National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries or Wilderness areas.

About fees and remittance for subscriptions, annual fees and payments towards charity

"As this proposed new Lodge will be functioning each time at a different location, we need to
develop and source easily transportable furniture, accouterments and regalia. This will
obviously cost some money. Keeping this in view, it is proposed to seek at least Rs. 7,500/- as the
Founder’s Fees or Joining Member's Fees for the first two calendar years (more donations are always welcome!). This does not include the airfare or the trip costs for Lodge meetings, such as boarding and lodging and sight-seeing." - RW Bro. Bharat V. Epur, RW RGM RGLEI and Founder acting IPM

The payments for subscriptions and annual fees may be forwarded to -
"LODGE ARANYAMITHRA"
The bank details are -
Indian Bank, Ethiraj Salai, Chennai 600008
Savings Account
a/c # 6437520260
IFSC Code = IDIB000C032

Cheques, if drawn, may be on "LODGE ARANYAMITHRA" and be forwarded to -

W. Bro. R. V. Umashankar
22 (OLD NO. 23) VENUGOPAL AVENUE,
SPUR TANK ROAD, CHENNAI - 600031
(W. Bro. R. V. Umashankar is the Founding Treasurer and is located at Chennai. The bank account for the proposed LODGE ARANYAMITHRA is therefore located at Chennai to facilitate ease of operations.)