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News: The new NCERT Class 9 Social Science textbook mentions the Sengol as a cultural marker of rulership and good governance.
About Sengol
- The Sengol is a sacred sceptre linked to righteous governance and the cultural traditions of ancient Tamil civilisation.
- Naming: The term Sengol is derived from the Tamil word “Semmai”, meaning “righteousness”.
- Origin: The tradition of using the Sengol as a symbol of righteous governance began more than a thousand years ago during the Chola dynasty.
- Key Features:
- Symbol of Authority: Emperors carried the Sengol during ceremonial occasions to represent their authority.
- Succession: The Chola tradition involved handing over the Sengol from one king to another as a mark of succession and legitimacy.
- Religious Blessing: A high priest or guru traditionally blessed the new king and conferred the Sengol.
- Symbol of Independence: In 1947, it was used in a ceremony to symbolize the transfer of power from the British to the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru.
- The act signified the beginning of self-governance and the transfer of power to the people of India.
- Post-Independence: After the ceremony, the Sengol was kept at the Anand Bhavan Museum (Allahabad Museum) for over seven decades before being relocated to New Delhi.
- Parliamentary Installation: On May 28, 2023, the Sengol was formally installed in a dedicated glass enclosure near the Speaker’s chair during the inauguration of the new Parliament building.
- Making and Sanctification: The Sengol presented during the 1947 independence ceremony was handcrafted by Vummidi Bangaru Chetty and sanctified by the seers of the Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam.
