New Delhi:
The inauguration of the brand new parliament constructing this Sunday can even see Prime Minister Narendra Modi set up a historic golden sceptre close to the Speaker’s seat, Union Dwelling Minister Amit Shah mentioned at the moment. This sceptre, Mr Shah mentioned, was handed over to the nation’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to mark the switch of energy from British to Indians. The Dwelling Minister mentioned this sceptre is known as “sengol” – which derives from the Tamil phrase “semmai”, which means “righteousness”.
The Historical past
The sengol got here into being after a sequence of occasions that began with a easy query by Lord Mountbatten, the final Viceroy of British India, to Prime Minister Nehru. In response to historic accounts and information experiences, Mountbatten had requested the soon-to-be-PM what would mark the switch of energy when India attains Independence.
Prime Minister Nehru then turned to C Rajagopalachari, the nation’s final Governor Normal, for recommendation. Mr Rajagopalachari, generally often called Rajaji, advised Prime Minister Nehru concerning the Tamil custom of the excessive priest handing over a sceptre to a brand new king when he involves energy. Rajaji, experiences mentioned, mentioned this custom was adopted throughout the reign of the Cholas and advised this might mark India’s freedom from the Raj. It then fell upon Rajaji to rearrange a sceptre for the historic second.
The Making of Sengol
Confronted with the daunting process of arranging the sceptre that can mark India’s Independence, Rajaji contacted Thiruvaduthurai Atheenam, a outstanding mutt in present-day Tamil Nadu. The then seer of the mutt accepted the accountability. The sengol was made by Vummidi Bangaru Chetty, a jeweller in then Madras. It’s 5 toes in size and has a ‘nandi’ bull on high, symbolising justice.
The Handover
In response to experiences, a senior priest of the mutt first handed over the sceptre to Mountbatten after which took it again. It was then sprinkled with gangajal, taken in a procession to Prime Minister Nehru and handed over to him, reportedly quarter-hour earlier than midnight, when India attained Independence. A particular tune was composed and rendered as Prime Minister Nehru obtained the sceptre.
Sengol’s Place In New Parliament
The historical past and significance of the ‘sengol’, the Dwelling Minister mentioned, was not recognized to many. Its set up within the new parliament, he mentioned, was an try and hyperlink our cultural traditions with our modernity. The plan to put in the sengol within the new parliament additionally displays the far-sightedness of Prime Minister Modi, Mr Shah mentioned. The sengol is now at a museum in Allahabad from the place it’s going to now be delivered to its new deal with – the parliament.
Responding to media queries, Mr Shah harassed that the Sengol shouldn’t be linked to politics. “We wish the administration to run by the rule of regulation and this may all the time remind us of that,” he mentioned. The set up of the sceptre, now at a museum in Allahabad, in parliament places the highlight on a forgotten episode of historical past.