The Chola Sengol Tradition
- May 25, 2023
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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The Chola Sengol Tradition
Subject : History
Section: Art and Culture
Concept :
- The New Parliament to house Sceptre (Sengol) that ssymbolised transfer of Power on 1947.
Historical Significance of the Sengol:
- The sceptre is a historical symbol of Independence as it signifies the transfer of power from the British to the Indians.
- Sengol’s origin can be traced back to the Chola dynasty of South India, one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the world.
- During Chola’s rule the power was transferred in the presence of a priest, and it was sanctified with Sengol that would remind the king to rule with justice.
- The Sengol in Tamil Nadu state is also taken as a mark of heritage and tradition, serving as an integral part of various cultural events, festivals, and significant ceremonies.
The Transfer of Power Ceremony of 1947:
- Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, asked Nehru about “the ceremony that should be followed to symbolise the transfer of power from British to Indian hands”.
- C Rajagopalachari, the last Governor-General of India, told Nehru about a ceremony performed during the Chola dynasty, in which the transfer of power from one king to the other was sanctified and blessed by high priests.
- “The symbol (for the transfer of power) used was the handover of the ‘Sengol’ from one King to his successor.
- Rajagopalachari was tasked with the responsibility of arranging a sceptre. He reached out to Thiruvaduthurai Atheenam, a well-known mutt in Tamil Nadu’s Tanjore district, and its leader commissioned the manufacturing of the Sengol to Chennai-based “Vummidi Bangaru Chetty” jewellers.
- The Sengol was constructed by two men Vummidi Ethirajulu and Vummidi Sudhakar.
- During the ceremony, which took place on August 14, 1947, a priest gave the sceptre to Lord Mountbatten and then took it back. It was then “taken in procession to Pt Jawaharlal Nehru’s house, where it was handed over to him.
- A special song known as Kolaru Padhigam which was composed by the 7th century Tamil saint Tirugnana Sambandar was rendered during the event.
- The cermony was also attended by Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India.