Sengol

• The Sengol  is a gold-plated, silver sceptre that is installed in New Parliament House in New Delhi, India. The sceptre was originally gifted to Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, by a Tamil Adheenam in a religious ceremony on the evening before the Independence of India in 1947.
• The Sengol was housed at Allahabad Museum for seventy years until it was moved to its present location upon the building’s inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2023.

‘Sengol’ As Symbol Of Succession 

• The concept of the ‘Sengol’ emerged when Lord Mountbatten asked Jawaharlal Nehru to choose a symbol to represent.
• India’s attainment of independence. Nehru sought the advice of C Rajapogalachari, the last Governor-General of India,
• who suggested adopting the Tamil tradition of presenting a spectre to a new king upon assuming power. Nehru readily agreed to the idea, and Rajaji was entrusted with creating the specter.
• Rajaji enlisted the help of Thiruvadunthurai Aadheenam, who, in turn, assigned the responsibility of crafting the spectre to the 20th.
• Gurumaha Sannithanam Sri La Sri Ambalavana Desika Swamigal,  The specter was fashioned out of gold, with a bull (Nandhi) placed atop it.

Who Design Sengol

• Vummidi Bangaru Chetty, a Chennai-based jeweler, is the mastermind behind the creation of the sengol.
• The sengol is a unique handcrafted scepter, measuring approximately 5 feet (1.5 meters) in length. It features a top diameter of about 3 inches (76 millimeters) and a bottom diameter of 1 inch (25 millimeters).
• This special scepter is made by covering a wooden staff with a layer of gold plating and is adorned with a seated Nandi figure at the top, representing qualities like justice and strength.

Historical Significance of Sengol

• The Sengol is profound in meaning, derived from the Tamil word “Semmai”, it means “Righteousness”. It was made of gold or silver and was often decorated with precious stones.
  • A Sengol sceptre was carried by emperors on ceremonial occasions, and used to represent their authority.
• It is associated with the Chola Empire, one of the longest-ruling and most influential dynasties in South India.
  • The Cholas ruled over parts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, and Sri Lanka from the 9^th to 13^th century CE.
  • They were known for their military prowess, maritime trade, administrative efficiency, cultural patronage, and temple architecture.
• The Cholas had a tradition of handing over the Sengol sceptre from one king to another as a mark of succession and legitimacy.
  • The ceremony was usually performed by a high priest or a guru who blessed the new king and conferred him with the Sengol.