Omkar Dattatray
The Sengol is not a walking stick and a redundant thing as the congress party took it to be, but it is in fact the living symbol of our culture, tradition, heritage, virtue and national pride and to term the Sengol as a stick is very unfortunate.
It is very disturbing that the grand old party congress whose role and contribution in the struggle of India’s independence is next to none has termed the Sengol as a stick. The fact is that it is the symbol of our cultural legacy ,virtue and national pride which had been handed over to the then prime minister Pt Nehru by Lord Mountbatten as a symbol and testimony of the transfer of power from British government to India and therefore there is great need to hold the Sengol in high esteem but the congress which had ruled India for a very long period did not accord required and due place to Sengol but regarded it as the walking stick and thus relegated it to a museum at Prayajraj which does not augur well for the country.
In fact Sengol is the symbol of our national pride, virtue, heritage and history and it has got much cultural and historical value.
For the seventy four long years of independence, Sengol was not accorded its due and required place in the country’s history and culture and this is very unfortunate.
Now at last the BJP government under Modi which is correcting historical wrongs done to the country is on the job of giving proper place to Sengol giving it its due place.
The new Parliament building is ready and Modi has on 28th May 2023 inaugurated the parliament building and has also installed Sengol near the speaker’s chair and it is in fact the time of our national pride amid boycott from 22 opposition parties.
It is very disturbing as well as unfortunate that politics is played on Sengol which is our cultural heritage, thing of virtue and national pride.
All political parties should raise above petty politicking and cooperate with the government to give proper place to Sengol which is the symbol of our national pride and object of virtue and political parties of different hues and colours should learn to respect and revere the symbols of national pride and cultural ethos. The largest and oldest political party the congress should respect the objects of national heritage and culture and shun the baggage of dishonoring the national and cultural things and symbols of the country. It should learn to respect and honoUr the cultural and national symbols of the country. The Sengol speaks much about the long standing ethics of democratic values and culture of nation. One should know about the history and memory surrounding the historical royal mace. In a momentous and historical occasion, Prime minister Modi on the morning of sundy-28th of May inaugurated and dedicated to the nation and parliamentarians the new building of parliament in the august presence of galaxy of personalities and leaders and the speakers and president also graced the occasion by their benign presence. In a momentous occasion Modi placed the historical golden sceptre, known as the ‘Sengol’ near the seat of Lok Sabha speaker. Union Home minister Amit Shah in a statement today emphasized the significance of the ‘Sengol’ in the history of the nation. This revered sceptre was originally handed over to India’s first PM Jawaharlal Nehru, symbolizing the transfer of power from British colonial rule to Indian self governance by the last viceroy of British India, Lord Mountbatten.
The’ Sengol ‘ is derived from the Tamil word ‘Semmai’ meaning righteousness. It is believed that this sceptre ,when conferred upon an individual carries the profound responsibility of promoting Just and impartial governance. The story behind the creation of the ‘Sengol’ dates back to a conversation between Lord Mountbatten. The last viceroy of British India and prime minister Nehru. Mountbatten had inquired about the symbolic gesture that would commemorate India’s attainment of freedom.
Seeking guidance, Nehru turned to C Rajagopalachari the final Governor General of India ,who shared an intriguing Tamil tradition with him. According to historical accounts, Rajagipalchari informed Nehru about the practice of high priest presenting a sceptre to a newly crowned King during Chola dynasty’s rule. This tradition was suggested as a way to symbolize India’s liberation from British rule. Rajagopalchari took on the task of procuring the sceptre for this historic momentous occasion. Amit Shah has said that there is no better place than the new parliament for housing the sengol .In a new announcement by Home Minister Amit Shah, it was revealed that the 75 year old sceptre known as Sengol will be placed in new Parliament building marking its significance of authority and democracy. The Sengol represents the values of fair and equitable governance.
It has been made to shine near the Lok Sabha speaker’s podium as a national symbol of Amrit Kaal ,an era that will witness the new India taking its rightful place in the world.
Sengol is a scptre is made of gold and silver and is decorated with many precious stones. The Sengol is five feet long and carries a golden orb at the top. The orb has a carving of Nandi, the bull that is precious to Lord Shiva. The Sengol is a powerful symbol of Chola Kings authority and their commitment to justice. Sengol is considered to be the symbol of Justice, transfer of power and good governance. It was presented to India’s first PM Nehru on August ,14,1947.
This was marked as the transfer of power from British government to India. On May 28 ,after a gap of 75 years the very same Sengol was signified as the transfer of power symbol.
The sengol is currently kept at the Nehru Gallery of the Allahabad Museum ,PM Modi decided to adopt it as a national symbol of the Amrit Kaal.
The sengol was presented and handed over to the PM Modi by the learned priests from Tamil Nadu amid chanting of Vedic hymns. The new placement of the sengol in the Parliament is a significant event that has the potential to motivate, unite and inspire the people of India .
In brief the Modi government has really done a commendable job in placing the Sengol in the new parliament as it is the symbol of India’s culture ,history and righteousness and above all virtue .It should be respected and revered by all political parties and the common citizens as it is India’s national pride and symbolizes the transfer of power from British to Indians.
(The author is columnist,
social and KP activist).