Representatives of the Grand Lodge of Serbia (GLS), Grand Chancellor, Very Respectful Br. V.R. and Great Orator, Very Respectful Bro. E.M., attended the celebration of the Silver Jubilee – 25 years since the founding of the Grand Lodge of Upper India (GLUI, Grand Lodge of Upper India) in the city of Chandigarh, India, on January 19th to 21st 2020. The celebration was also attended by guests from the Grand Lodge of South India (GLSI), which Works together with GLUI and functions jointly as the United Grand Lodge of India (UGLI).
The following were also present as guests from Europe:
Very Respected Br. M.S. – Representative of UGLI in Europe and Grand Chancellor of the Grand Lodge of Hungary of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Order,
Very Famous Br. P.D. – member of the Grand Lodge of France,
Very Powerful Br. O. de W. – Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Belgium,
Very Powerful Br. M.M. – Grand Master of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Austria and
Very Respected Br. H.W. – Grand Chancellor of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Austria.
At the Ritual Work, held on January 19th 2020, Brothers: Very Powerful Br. Regiment S.S.D. Grand Master GLUI, Very Powerful Br. R.K. – Grand Master GLSI, Very Respected Bro. Ph.D. P.S.E. – President of the Great Council of UGLI and Very Respected Bro. P.F. – The Grand Secretary of the UGLI, informed the attendees in detail about all activities in the previous period and further Work plans.
At the ceremonial Ritual Work, held on the day of the 25th anniversary of the founding of GLUI, on January 21st 2020, memories of significant events in the past 25 years of their Freemasonic Work were awakened. On that occasion, awards were given to three Brothers for 40 and three Brothers for 25 years of Freemasonic activity (Long Term Service Jewels).
GLS (Very Respected Br. V.R.) and UGLI (Very Respected Br. Dr. P.S.E. and Very Respected Br. P.F.), signed the Treaty of Friendship, Mutual Recognition and Visitation (Treaty of Amity, Mutual Recognition and Inter-visitation).
The Brothers from India were exceptional hosts. The two-member GLS delegation was accommodated and hosted in the home of the Past Grand Master of the GLUI, the Very Powerful Br. R.M, in which they experienced the way of life in India in the most direct way.
The hosts gave the GLS delegation and other delegations from Europe a tour of Chandigarh and a visit to the towns in its surroundings:
Shimla and Kurfi – on the foothills of the Himalayas, at 300 and 2750 meters above sea level,
Armicar – with the most important Sikh shrine, Golden Temple and
Atari – on the border with Pakistan.
In Atari, on the very border of India and Pakistan, the hosts and guests attended a particularly interesting event – the ceremony of opening a special border crossing, lowering the flags of India and Pakistan and closing the border crossing.
The Brothers from GLSI introduced the GLS delegation with the idea of completing the 25th anniversary of Freemasonic Work under the auspices of UGLI with another cycle, but in South India, in the city of Coimbatore. In order for the meeting to be attended by as many delegations as possible from outside India, the Brothers from GLSI will probably organize it in May 2021, about which they will inform the GLS in a timely manner.