Was celebrated by the brethern of hubli and Dharwad under the leadership of our Master W Bro. Praklash Konnur by feeding the needy at the Home for dying destitutes - Hubli

• On June 16th & 17th 2007, brethren of the Hubli Area held a very unique event called  masonic_retreat@colva-goa.  The event was hosted by Lodge Gomantak No. 248 under the guidance of the  ARGM of the area W. Bro. V S Nayak.  The program was enhanced when the Regional Grand Master R. W. Bro.  G K Selvarajan consented to attend the meeting and the brethren of the area were highly enthused.  A large  contingent of masons descended on Colva Beach near Margao in Goa, many of them accompanied by their  families in the afternoon of Saturday, 16th June and were treated to a sumptuous lunch at Hotel Colva  Tavern.  The total registration was 120 masons, 39 ladies and there were 21 children who were accommodated  free of cost.  All the seven Lodges in the area participated.

• The object of the meet was to create a platform for the brethren of all Lodges in the area to meet and develop  close fraternal relations.  However, it was felt that it also presented an opportunity to use the occasion for  furthering Masonic knowledge.  Accordingly, it was decided to have a demonstration of the Ceremony of  Initiation, in time for the various Lodges to view a good ceremony before they participated in the Ritual  Working Competition Stage I.  Past ARGM’s of the area were approached to occupy the different offices and it is  gratifying to note that most of them agreed readily.

• On the evening of June 16, at the regular meeting of Lodge Gomantak No. 248, the RGM was received in the  Lodge in due form with an impressive deputation.  The Worshipful Master W. Bro. Sagar Dalvi then handed  over the Eastern Chair to V. W. Bro. Dr. R N Joshi who appointed his officers.  They were V. W. Bro.  Venkatratnam as Director of Ceremonies, V. W. Bro. Dr. R Y Kittur, Senior Warden; W. Bro. Dr P V Datti,  Junior Warden; W. Bro. Dr. Shirsat, Senior Deacon; W. Bro. R G Pai, Junior Deacon; W. Bro. V S Nayak, Inner  Guard; & W. Bro. Manohar Bhat, Tyler.  Mr. Basavaraj Bangarshettra of Gadag, the candidate, was initiated by  the galaxy of senior brethren of the area in a very solemn and impressive ceremony.  The Regional Grand  Master was highly appreciative of the working during his address on second rising.

• Meanwhile the ladies were taken on a sight-seeing tour and visited Ancestral Goa which is a unique museum of  Goan life in the old days.  They then spent a pleasant lime on Colva Beach and were brought to Hotel Colva  Tavern by 7.30 pm.

• This was followed by a get-together on the terrace of Colva Tavern, a hotel owned by Bro. Chris Collingwood, a  mason from South Africa who has now settled down in Colva.  There was Karaoke and a large number of  brethren and their families exhibited their singing talents.  Young Ameya Karpe, son of W. Bro Dr Prithvi  Karpe showed his skill on the tabla.  This was followed by a super tambola.  Winners of all the prizes donated  their winnings towards the building fund of Lodge Gomantak.  The host brethren then requested the brethren  present to donate liberally for their building fund and could get promises of over Rs. 70,000/-.

• On the morning of the 17th, after breakfast, brethren assembled in the beautiful conference hall of The  Oceanique Resort to participate in yet another unique function.  A Masonic Debate was conducted on the topic:  ‘Freemasonry is tending to become just another social organization.’  Though all Lodges were requested  to depute two speakers, one to speak for the proposition and the other, against, a few of the Lodges could not find  volunteers to participate.  Thus there were only four speakers on each side.  V. W. Bro. Dr. R Y Kittur was the  moderator and gave a key note speech setting the trend for the debate. He was assisted by W. Bro. V S Nayak  and W. Bro. A B Bhalerao. The speakers were judged by a very eminent panel chaired by R. W. Bro G K  Selvarajan and assisted by R. W. Bro. Dr John Reginald, V. W. Bro. Dr. R N Joshi & W. Bro. Pratapkaran Paul.

• The speakers were all well prepared and the contest was close.  The speakers for the proposition were: Bro. V R  Deshpande (Lyons Centenary No. 274, Hubli), Bro. Col. Dr. U S Dinesh (Dharwad No. 54, Dharwad), W. Bro.  Basavaraj Athani (Hubli No. 44, Hubli) & W. Bro. Dr. S T Shirsat (Gomantak No. 248, Goa).  Those who spoke  against the proposition were: Bro. Jitendra P Nayak (Lyons Centenary No. 274, Hubli), Bro. Dr. Naveen  Mankani (Dharwad No. 54, Dharwad), W. Bro. Dr. Murlidhar Rao (Hubli No. 44, Hubli) & Bro. Shrikrishna  Kelkar (Victoria No. 9, Belgaum).  The moderator then threw the house open for speakers from the floor and W.  Bro. C V Angadi (Lodge Dharwad), W. Bro. B D Hegde (Lodge Hubli), W. Bro. R G Pai (Lodge Dharwad) & W. Bro.  G M Daivagna (Lodge Gomantak) spoke.

• After V. W. Bro. Dr Kittur summed up the proceedings, R. W. Bro. Selvarajan made his concluding remarks  and was highly appreciative of the concept of the debate as well as the way it was conducted.  He complimented  the participants for the well prepared speeches and expressed his opinion on how our great organization was  different from all the others and that it would ever remain so.

The winners were announced by the panel of judges and prizes awarded to all participants who were placed as follows:

• SPEAKING FOR SPEAKING AGAINST PLACE

• BRO. COL DR DINESH BRO. KELKAR FIRST

• W. BRO. DR SHIRSAT W. BRO. MURLIDHAR RAO SECOND

• & BRO. DESHPANDE

• BRO. DR MANKANI THIRD

• W. BRO. ATHANI BRO. J P NAYAK FOURTH

• The meeting ended with a vote of thanks by the ARGM W. Bro. V S Nayak to R. W. Bro. Selvarajan and all the  visitors from Chennai, to the brethren of all the Lodges for attending in such large numbers, the panel of senior  brethren who conducted the demonstration of the Ritual Working, the moderator of the debate and the panel of  judges and especially to the brethren of Lodge Gomantak for going to great lengths to ensure the success of the  meeting.

• The event ended with lunch and the brethren returned to their respective places highly charged with the  spirit of masonry.

• FORTHCOMING EVENTS

• The area is set to witness a lot of Masonic activity in the near future.  The R W the Regional Grand Master will   be attending the Installation Meeting of the Lodge of Goodwill No. 5 at Bellary on August 4, 2007.  On the next   day, he will be in Hospet for the presentation of 25 year LTS jewel to V. W. Bro. Venakatratnam in Mark Lodge   Vijayanagar as well as Royal Arch Chapter.

• On 27th & 28th of October there will be a surfeit of Masonic events.  In the forenoon, the R W the Regional   Grand Master will preside over the Silver Jubilee Celebration of Royal Arch Chapter Dr Ganesh Joshi No. 79 at   Hubli.  LTS jewels to eight companions will also be presented on the occasion.  In the evening, M. W. the Grand   Master of the Grand Lodge of India will consecrate Lodge Kritapura (Gadag).  The Area Meeting of the area will   be held on Sunday, 28th October 2007 at Hubli wherein the brethren from all eight Lodges will be present and   will acquaint the RGM with the activities of the preceding twelve months which they have done.  These   promise to be glittering functions which will be enjoyed by all the freemasons and their families.