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 Freemasons,
a Masonic Temple on the Commander-in-chief Road in Egmore after
three years of talking, planning and exerting, has been restored
almost with a magic wand to its original magnificence.
The building, a fine piece of colonial structure, constructed on
January 26, 1923, has a symmetric form with four imposing circular
fluted columns of Ionic order. The highly decorated ceilings with
cornice bands and circular motifs in the center, enriched with interior
walls in the form of architraves, mid level cornice brands, the
Italian tiles and marbles all speak volumes of this ornamental but
functional edifice.
The two-storey hall, headquarters of the Regional Grand Lodge of
Southern India, has a large Lodge Room, capable of accommodating
about 200 Brethren and a small Lodge Room, suitable for Masonic
Meetings with attendances of up to about 60, on the first floor.
The one dinning room on the first floor, which can be approached
through a winding staircase, can accommodate 150 diners. The winding
staircase is constructed of Sholingar Stone with wrought iron hand
grill. The verandahs are paved with Italian tiles.
 The
two Lodge Rooms, more especially the larger one, have been lighted
and ventilated by means of clerestory windows placed at 12 feet
above the floor. The walls are decorated with Masonic emblems formed
in plaster and gilded; there is a large gilded star at the center
of each ceiling.
The joinery in the Lodge Rooms is of rosewood and the floors are
paved with grey marble. In the large lodge Room there is a tessellated
pavement with an indented border in black and white marble.
The design of the building which is finished internally and externally
with fine polished Madras plaster is based on Greek motifs modified
where necessary to suit modern conditions of planning and Indian
conditions of climate.
With the exception of certain special door and window furniture,
it is interesting to note that the whole of the work was supplied
and erected by Madras firms.
Address: Freemasons’ Hall, 87, Ethiraj Salai, Egmore,
Chennai-600008
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