In 1841 Maneckji Cursetji was refused admission into Freemasonry, and started a movement which, with his indomitable energy and praiseworthy and unflagging zeal, he ultimately succeeded in carrying out. A requisition signed by twenty-seven leading Masons, dated the 19th November, 1843, was presented to the Provincial Grand Master of Western India praying that the signatories might be constituted by dispensation into a lodge. Vide a reply dated 1st December 1843 the then Provincial Grand Master of Western India readily agreed to the request of starting a new Lodge, with the sole purpose of admitting "natives" into Freemasonry. On the 11th December, 1843, a circular was issued inviting them to meet the Provincial Grand Master at the Town Hall, on the 15th December, 1843, in order that they might be duly constituted into a lodge to be designated "The Lodge Rising Star of Western India".

A meeting was accordingly held at, the Town Hall, on I5th December, 1843, at which the warrant prepared for the lodge, was read, and then the Provincial Grand Master declared the brethren present to be a lawfully constituted Lodge of Freemasons to work under the Warrant and to be designated "Lodge Rising Star of Western India" and authorized the brethren to carry on in the lodge the work of the three degrees of St. John or Craft Masonry. This Warrant is the birth of our lodge.

To celebrate 175 years of that momentous occasion, the current Brethren of Lodge Rising Star of Western India met, with their family and friends on that exact date (15th December 2018), to rekindle fraternal bonds, and commit to the Lodge and Freemasonry, for a celebratory evening of fun and frolic with family and friends.

You can click here to view pictures of that enjoyable evening.