The New Parliament Building, which is a component of the Central Vista Redevelopment Project, will be officially opened by the prime minister on May 28th, 2023. The installation of a venerable golden sceptre named Sengol near the Speaker’s seat will be one of the event’s centrepieces. The Sengol represents India’s independence, sovereignty, cultural diversity, and history.
What is Sengol?
In essence, the “Sengol” is a sceptre. One of the longest-reigning dynasties in history, the Chola dynasty of South India, is where Sengol first appeared. Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of Independent India, accepted the “Sengol” as a symbol of the handover of authority from the British. It was then placed in an Allahabad museum.
As a token of just and equitable governance and during the Chola dynasty, the sacred “sengol” was used to signify the handover of authority from one monarch to another. The five-foot-tall sceptre, which will be displayed for everyone to see close to the Lok Sabha Speaker’s platform, is topped with a Nandi, or bull. The sceptre is made of silver and is covered with gold. It is currently on display in the Allahabad Museum.
The expectation that the person receiving the sengol will rule in a just and fair manner is what matters most. On August 14, the “sacred sengol ceremony” was held shortly prior to Pandit Nehru’s well-known midnight “Tryst of Destiny” speech. It is a representation of the need for just, policy-compliant, and morally righteous governance. This will convey a message to the general public and elected officials.
History
The Sengol, which is derived from the Tamil word “Semmai” and means “Righteousness,” has a profound connotation. It was constructed out of gold or silver and frequently adorned with priceless stones. Emperors carried a Sengol sceptre during ceremonial events to symbolise their might. It is connected to the Chola Empire, one of South India’s most enduring and powerful dynasties.
From the ninth to the thirteenth centuries CE, the Cholas reigned over portions of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, and Sri Lanka. They were well-known for their temple construction, marine trade, administrative effectiveness, and military might. The Sengol sceptre was traditionally passed from one Chola king to another as a symbol of legitimacy and succession. A high priest or guru would typically conduct the event, blessing the new monarch and bestowing upon him the Sengol title.
Formation
The last British viceroy, Lord Mountbatten, intended to commemorate the historic occasion when the British ceremonially handed over authority to the Indians. He approached Jawaharlal Nehru, who apparently sought advice from C Rajagopalachari, a fellow member of the Indian National Congress, regarding the situation.
Rajagopalachari developed the concept of the sceptre that was employed in Tamil tradition after doing some research. A high priest presents a sceptre to the new king when he takes over the throne. He is reported to have told Nehru that this is the tradition followed by the Cholas and that it might be utilised to commemorate India’s independence from the British Raj.
Rajagopalachari approached Thiruvaduthurai Atheenam, a significant religious organisation in contemporary Tamil Nadu, with the task of having a sceptre made. Vummidi Bangaru was given the task by the mutt’s spiritual leader at the time, and with his assistance, the sceptre’s design and acquisition were completed.
Significance
Sengol is regarded as a representation of justice, the handover of power, and sound government. On August 14, 1947, it was given to Jawaharlal Nehru, the nation of India’s first prime minister. This event served as the official handover of authority from the British Government to India. After more than 75 years, the very same Sengol will once again represent the transition of power on May 28.
The sceptre serves as a symbol of India’s illustrious past and vibrant culture. Its ancestors were members of the Chola dynasty, one of India’s most significant and powerful empires. “Even after 75 years of independence, most Indians are unaware of this event, in which India’s transfer of power took place through the handing over of Sengol to Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru,” claims Home Minister Amit Shah.
The sceptre serves as a symbol of India’s illustrious past and vibrant culture. Its ancestors were members of the Chola dynasty, one of India’s most significant and powerful empires. “Even after 75 years of independence, most Indians are unaware of this event, in which India’s transfer of power took place through the handing over of Sengol to Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru,” claims Home Minister Amit Shah.”
Sengol in New Parliament Building
Nehru kept the Sengol sceptre at his home in Delhi for a while after receiving it in 1947. Then he made the choice to give it to his ancestral home’s Anand Bhavan Museum in Allahabad (now Prayagraj). His father Motilal Nehru founded the museum in 1930 to preserve the background and legacies of the Indian independence movement.
For more than seven decades, the Sengol sceptre was housed at the Anand Bhavan Museum. The government made the decision to resurrect this historic occasion and place the Sengol sceptre in the new Parliament building in 2021–2022, when the Central Vista reconstruction project was under way. It will be situated next to the Speaker’s seat in the new Parliament building, and a plaque explaining its background and significance will be erected alongside it.
Sengol’s placement in the new Parliament building sends a profound message in addition to serving as a symbolic act. It shows that India’s democracy is inclusive, respects diversity, and is based on the country’s long-standing traditions and ideals.
