The inauguration of the brand new parliament constructing this Sunday may even see Prime Minister Narendra Modi set up a historic golden sceptre close to the Speaker’s seat, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated right now.

This sceptre, Mr Shah stated, was handed over to the nation’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to mark the switch of energy from British to Indians. The Home Minister stated this sceptre is named “sengol” – which derives from the Tamil phrase “semmai”, which means “righteousness” 

The History

The sengol got here into being after a series of occasions that began with a easy query by Lord Mountbatten, the final Viceroy of British India, to Prime Minister Nehru. According 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 General, for recommendation. Mr Rajagopalachari, generally referred to as Rajaji, informed Prime Minister Nehru in regards to the Tamil custom of the excessive priest handing over a sceptre to a brand new king when he involves energy. The Rajaji, experiences stated, stated this custom was adopted throughout the reign of the Cholas and recommended 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

Faced with the daunting job 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 duty. The sengol was made by Vummidi Bangaru Chetty, a jeweller in then Madras. It is 5 ft in size and has a ‘nandi’ bull on high, symbolising justice.

The Handover

According 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 achieved Independence. A particular track was composed and rendered as Prime Minister Nehru acquired the sceptre.