Examine individual changes

'{{italics title}} {{Short description|Symbolic sceptre in Indian history}} {{About|a gold sceptre installed in the Parliament of India|other purposes|Sceptre}} <!-- Please do not remove or change this AfD message until the discussion has been closed. --> {{Article for deletion/dated|page=Sengol|timestamp=20230528022622|year=2023|month=May|day=28|substed=yes|help=off}} <!-- Once discussion is closed, please place on talk page: {{Old AfD multi|page=Sengol|date=28 May 2023|result='''keep'''}} --> <!-- End of AfD message, feel free to edit beyond this point --> [[File:Sengol.jpg|thumb|The Sengol installed in the Indian Parliament]] '''''Sengol''''' ([[Tamil language|Tamil]]: செங்கோல், [[ISO 15919|romanised]]: ceṅkōl) is a [[gold-plated]] [[sceptre]], installed in India's [[new Parliament House]] in 2023.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-05-24 |title=Inspired by the Cholas, handed over to Nehru: historic 'Sengol' to be installed in new Parliament building |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/inspired-by-cholas-handed-over-by-british-to-nehru-historic-sengol-to-be-installed-in-new-parliament-building/article66888185.ece |access-date=2023-05-28 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-26 |title=Vummidi Sudhakar: How 'Sengol' was crafted? |language=en-GB |work=www.hamaribaat.com |url=https://www.hamaribaat.com/vummidi-sudhakar-how-sengol-was-crafted |access-date=2023-05-26}}</ref> According to [[The New York Times | NY Times]], during the inauguration of the new Indian Parliament, this scepter emerged as a key object encapsulating the meaning of the new Parliament - "to shed not just the remnants of India's colonial past, but also increasingly to replace the secular governance that followed it."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/28/world/asia/india-parliament.html|title=Modi Opens India's New Parliament Building as Opposition Boycotts|publisher=New York Times}}</ref> This Sengol was handed over to the first [[prime minister]] of the [[India|Republic of India]], [[Jawaharlal Nehru]], in 1947 by two [[Sanyasi|sannyasis]] from Sri Amblavana Desigar in [[Thanjavur]], who believed it apt that the first head of the new government of Free India be presented with a symbol of power and authority from [[Hindus|Hindu]] holy men.<ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine |date=1947-08-25 |title=INDIA: Oh Lovely Dawn |language=en-US |magazine=Time |url=https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,798062,00.html |access-date=2023-05-26 |issn=0040-781X |archive-date=2023-05-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230524200128/https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,798062,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Though ''Sengol'' is a generic term for sceptre in Tamil,<ref>{{Citation |title=செங்கோல் |date=2016-08-24 |url=https://ta.wiktionary.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=%E0%AE%9A%E0%AF%86%E0%AE%99%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8B%E0%AE%B2%E0%AF%8D&oldid=1461798 |work=தமிழ் விக்சனரி |access-date=2023-05-25 |language=ta}}</ref> the term got wider national attention after the [[Government of India]] decided to install the 1947 sceptre in the [[New Parliament House, New Delhi|New Parliament House]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-24 |title='Sengol' to be installed in the new parliament: Significance of the sceptre, first given to Nehru |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-history/sengol-new-parliament-significance-nehru-8626977/ |access-date=2023-05-27 |website=The Indian Express |language=en |archive-date=2023-05-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230524134242/https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-history/sengol-new-parliament-significance-nehru-8626977/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On 28 May 2023, during the inauguration of the New Parliament House, Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]] installed the ''sengol'' near the chair of the [[Speaker of the Lok Sabha|Speaker]] of the [[Lok Sabha]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/historic-sengol-installed-in-new-parliament-building-by-pm-modi-101685240768840.html | title=Historic 'Sengol' installed in new Parliament building by PM Modi | date=28 May 2023 }}</ref> == Etymology == The word ''sengol'' ([[IAST]]: ceṅkōl) is a combination of the Tamil word ''cemmai'',<ref>{{Citation |title=செம்மை |date=2022-04-20 |url=https://ta.wiktionary.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=%E0%AE%9A%E0%AF%86%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%88&oldid=1968967 |work=தமிழ் விக்சனரி |access-date=2023-05-25 |language=ta}}</ref> which means 'righteousness' or 'prosperity', and ''kol'', meaning 'rod'.<ref>{{Citation |title=கோல் |date=2017-04-25 |url=https://ta.wiktionary.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8B%E0%AE%B2%E0%AF%8D&oldid=1634223 |work=தமிழ் விக்சனரி |access-date=2023-05-25 |language=ta}}</ref> == History == [[File:Sengol Photo Andhra Patrika Telugu.jpg|thumb|Mention of 'sengol' being presented to Jawaharlal Nehru in the ''[[Andhra Patrika]]'', a [[Telugu language|Telugu]] newspaper on 17th August 1947. {{efn|The exact mention in Telugu is ''{{transliteration|te|ISO|tiruvāḍudurai maṭhādhipatulu śrī ambāvāṇa banḍāra sannadhavāru svatantradina sandharbhamuna śrī panḍita jawaharlāl nehrū gāriki samarpincina bangāru rājadanḍamu (i.e. 'sengol')}}'', (Translation: Head of Thiruvaduthurai Mutt, His holiness Sri Ambavana Bandara Sannadha handed over golden sceptre to Sri Jawaharlal Nehru on the occasion of the [[Independence Day (India)|Independence Day]]).}}]] === Historical Background === According to the tradition of the [[Chola dynasty]], a sceptre, called a ''sengol'' in Tamil, is handed over to the new king of the royal family during their [[Rājyābhiṣeka|coronation]].<ref name="indiatoday2"/> In the [[Tamil culture|Tamil]] tradition, the ''sengol'' represented the idea of righteousness for [[Chola Dynasty | Chola]] kings, noted in [[Tamil literature]] including ancient epic, ''[[Cilappatikaram |Silapathikaram]]''.<ref name =Hindu-Sengol>{{Cite news |date=2023-05-28 |title=Sengol | A symbol of virtue |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sengol-a-symbol-of-virtue/article66901846.ece |access-date=2023-05-28</ref> Prior to independence day's official secular ceremonies, in an non-official setting, among various other events, Nehru was given a sengol by emissaries of Sri Amblavana Desigar.<ref name=":1">{{cite magazine |date=25 August 1947 |title=INDIA: Oh Lovely Dawn |url=https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,798062-2,00.html |access-date=28 May 2023 |magazine=Time}}</ref> According to the [[Time (magazine)|Time magazine]]: ''"Even such an agnostic as Jawaharlal Nehru, on the eve of becoming India's first Prime Minister, fell into the religious spirit. From Tanjore in south India came two emissaries of Sri Amblavana Desigar, head of a sannyasi order of Hindu ascetics. Sri Amblavana thought that Nehru, as first Indian head of a really Indian Government ought, like ancient Hindu kings, to receive the symbol of power and authority from Hindu holy men...'' ''When at last they reached Nehru's house, the flutist played while the sannyasis awaited an invitation from Nehru.'' ''Then they entered the house in dignity, fanned by two boys with special fans of deer hair. One sannyasi carried a scepter of gold, five feet long, two inches thick. He sprinkled Nehru with holy water from Tanjore and drew a streak in sacred ash across Nehru's forehead. Then he wrapped Nehru in the pithambaram and handed him the golden scepter."''<ref name=":1" /> === A new narrative in 2023 === The handing over of the sengol to Nehru is generally accepted to have been an obscure event, unheard by most Indians until the inauguration of the [[New Parliament House, New Delhi|New Parliament]] in 2023, 75 years later. The government of India now presented a new narrative that was publicised by many mainstream newspapers''.<ref name="anandabazar1" /><ref name="bangla-hindustantimes1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />.'' This new narrative has been widely criticised as [[Historical negationism|unhistorical]].<ref name="TOI-Sengol">{{cite news | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/why-is-a-golden-sceptre-being-talked-about-today/articleshow/100531917.cms?%7Caccess-date=2023-05-28 | title=Explained: Why is all of India talking about a blessed 'gold baton'? | newspaper=The Times of India }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Many Holes in the Union Government's Claims Around the Sengol |url=https://thewire.in/history/the-many-holes-in-the-union-governments-claims-around-the-sengol |access-date=2023-05-28 |website=The Wire}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=सेंगोल क्या है जिसे पीएम मोदी ने नए संसद भवन में स्थापित किया है |language=hi |work=BBC News हिंदी |url=https://www.bbc.com/hindi/india-65694270 |access-date=2023-05-28}}</ref> According to this new narrative, [[Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma|Lord Mountbatten]] asked [[Jawaharlal Nehru]] about a symbol of the transfer of power when India gains independence.<ref name="anandabazar1">{{cite web |date=24 May 2023 |title=নতুন সংসদ ভবনে থাকছে স্বাধীনতার অন্যতম প্রতীক 'সেঙ্গল'! সোনার রাজদণ্ডে লুকিয়ে কোন ইতিহাস? |url=https://www.anandabazar.com/photogallery/all-you-need-to-know-about-historical-septre-sengol-that-is-going-to-be-placed-in-new-parliament-building-dgtl-photogallery/cid/1432390?slide=4 |access-date=25 May 2023 |website=Anandabazar |publisher=Anandabazar Patrika |language=bn |location=New Delhi}}</ref><ref name="bangla-hindustantimes1">{{cite web |author1=Abhijit Chowdhury |date=25 May 2023 |title=এবার থেকে সংসদে স্পিকারের আসনের পাশে থাকবে 'সেঙ্গল', ৫ ফুট উঁচু সোনার এই রাজদণ্ডের ইতিহাস জানেন? |url=https://bangla.hindustantimes.com/pictures/sengols-history-what-is-the-sceptre-that-is-to-be-installed-by-pm-modi-in-new-parliament-on-may-28-31684987102408-5.html |access-date=25 May 2023 |website=bangla.hindustantimes.com |publisher=Hindustan Times - Bangla |language=bn}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Govt of India Sengol Website |url=https://sengol1947ignca.in/contents}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Mutt's tryst with destiny 15 minutes before freedom |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2022/aug/15/mutts-tryst-with-destiny-15-minutes-before-freedom-2487673.html |access-date=2023-05-29 |website=The New Indian Express}}</ref> Nehru discussed the issue with his fellow Congress leader [[C. Rajagopalachari]]. Rajagopalachari, being a scholar in Tamil, told Nehru about the Chola tradition of transfer of the sceptre.<ref name="indiatoday2" /> Rajagopalachari advised Nehru to take the sceptre from the British as a symbol of transfer of power.<ref name="anandabazar1" /><ref name="bangla-hindustantimes1" /> Rajagopalachari took the responsibility and approached [[Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam]] [[Matha]] in Tamil Nadu to make the sceptre. The then head of the matha got the golden sengol sceptre made from Vummidi Bangaru Chetty, a jeweller from [[Madras]] at that time.<ref name="thehindu1">{{cite web |author1=Sreeparna Chakrabarty |date=24 May 2023 |title=How a letter to PMO set off a search for the Sengol |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/new-parliament-building-opening-how-a-letter-to-pmo-set-off-search-for-the-sengol/article66889495.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230524181219/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/new-parliament-building-opening-how-a-letter-to-pmo-set-off-search-for-the-sengol/article66889495.ece |archive-date=24 May 2023 |access-date=25 May 2023 |website=www.thehindu.com |publisher=The Hindu |language=en |location=New Delhi}}</ref><ref name="indianexpress1">{{cite web |date=25 May 2023 |title='Sengol' to be installed in the new parliament: Significance of the sceptre, first given to Nehru |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-history/sengol-new-parliament-significance-nehru-8626977/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230524134242/https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-history/sengol-new-parliament-significance-nehru-8626977/ |archive-date=24 May 2023 |access-date=25 May 2023 |website=www.indianexpress.com |publisher=The Indian Express |language=en |location=New Delhi}}</ref> In this revisionist narrative, Mountbatten handed over the sengol, via the adheenams, to Nehru to symbolize the transfer of power in an official religious ceremony.<ref name=":2" /> <ref name=":3" />The home minister, [[Amit Shah]], claimed the sengol transfer occurred at "precisely the moment in which power was transferred by the British into the hands of Indians."<ref>{{Cite web |title=At the inauguration of the new Parliament House, PM Modi will establish the historical and sacred "Sengol" in the Parliament House. |url=https://pib.gov.in/pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1926883 |access-date=2023-05-29 |website=pib.gov.in}}</ref> The government of India [https://sengol1947ignca.in/faq dedicated website] to the sengol states: ''"This is the defining occasion that actually marked the transfer of power from British to Indian hands. The sacred Sengol, the staff of Righteousness, was first given to Lord Mountbatten by Dharmic priest, who were flown in specially from Tamil Nadu. They took it back from him, and purified the Sengol with ganga jal. Then they took it in a procession to Pt Jawaharlal Nehru and handed it to him. They sang the sacred song “Kolaru Padhigam”, scripted by the 7th century Tamil saint Thirugnanasambandar, to mitigate ill effects. Nehru accepted the Sengol sanctified by the high priests."'' [[File:Narendra Modi Sengol.jpg|thumb|Prime Minister Narendra Modi installing ''Sengol'' in the Lok Sabha]] === 2023 New Parliament House inauguration === The Sengol was kept at Nehru Gallery of [[Anand Bhavan|Anand Bhavan Museum]] in [[Prayagraj]], [[Uttar Pradesh]] after it was given to Jawaharlal Nehru.<ref name="indiatoday1">{{cite web |author1=Pramod Madhav |title=Kept in Allahabad museum among Nehru's items, how Sengol returned to limelight |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/sengol-allahabad-museum-retrieved-installation-new-parliament-building-pm-modi-inauguration-2383907-2023-05-24 |website=www.indiatoday.in |publisher=India Today |access-date=25 May 2023 |location=Chennai |language=en |date=25 May 2023}}</ref> On 28 May 2023 it was shifted to the [[New Parliament House, New Delhi|New Parliament House]] on 28 May 2023.<ref name="anandabazar1"/><ref name="thehindu1"/> At the inauguration of the New Parliament House, Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]] installed the Sengol near the chair of the [[Speaker of the Lok Sabha]] in the new Parliament building following a [[Veda|Hindu]] ritual.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/historic-sengol-installed-in-new-parliament-building-by-pm-modi-101685240768840.html | title=Historic 'Sengol' installed in new Parliament building by PM Modi | date=28 May 2023 }}</ref><ref name="indiatoday2">{{cite web |author1=Poulomi Saha |title=Sacred ritual steeped in Tamil culture: How PM Modi will install Sengol in new Parliament building |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/sengol-ceremony-new-parliament-building-sacred-ritual-tamil-culture-pm-modi-2383774-2023-05-24 |website=www.indiatoday.in |publisher=India Today |access-date=25 May 2023 |location=New Delhi |language=en |date=24 May 2023 |archive-date=24 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230524154522/https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/sengol-ceremony-new-parliament-building-sacred-ritual-tamil-culture-pm-modi-2383774-2023-05-24 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="indianexpress1"/><ref name="hindustantimes1">{{cite web |author1=Lingamgunta Nirmitha Rao |title='Sengol' (sceptre) to be installed by PM Modi in new Parliament on May 28: All you need to know |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/new-parliament-building-what-is-sengol-a-historic-sceptre-to-be-intalled-101684915055857.html |website=www.hindustantimes.com |publisher=Hindustan Times |access-date=25 May 2023 |language=en |date=24 May 2023 |archive-date=24 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230524105632/https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/new-parliament-building-what-is-sengol-a-historic-sceptre-to-be-intalled-101684915055857.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="pib1">{{cite web |title=At the inauguration of the new Parliament House, PM Modi will establish the historical and sacred "Sengol" in the Parliament House. |url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1926883 |website=pib.gov.in |publisher=PIB Delhi |access-date=25 May 2023 |language=en |date=24 May 2023}}</ref> == Design == ''Sengol'' is a [[gold-plated]] sceptre, about {{Convert|5|ft|m}} in length<ref name=":0" /> and 2-inch (5 cm) thick with a core made of silver.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Parliament: What Is The Significance Of Sengol In Rs 20,000 Crore-Worth Central Vista Project? |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/business/new-parliament-what-is-the-significance-of-sengol-in-rs-20-000-crore-worth-central-vista-project--news-289354}}</ref> Total {{Convert|800|g|lb}} of gold were used to make the ''sengol''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-05-25 |title=Jeweller had charged Centre Rs 15,000 in 1947 |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/jeweller-had-charged-centre-rs-15000-in-1947/articleshow/100487698.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2023-05-28 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> It is decorated with intricate designs and has [[Nandi (Hinduism)|Nandi]] carved on the top. Nandi is a sacred bull ''vahana'' of Hindu deity [[Shiva]] and is a sacred animal in [[Hinduism]]. It is seen as a symbol of [[dharma]], which is personified as a bull in the [[puranas]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-05-24 |title=New Parliament building opening {{!}} How a letter to PMO set off a search for the Sengol |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/new-parliament-building-opening-how-a-letter-to-pmo-set-off-search-for-the-sengol/article66889495.ece |access-date=2023-05-25 |issn=0971-751X |archive-date=2023-05-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230524181219/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/new-parliament-building-opening-how-a-letter-to-pmo-set-off-search-for-the-sengol/article66889495.ece |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=அகஸ்டஸ் |date=2023-05-25 |title=நாடாளுமன்றத்தில் செங்கோல்; இதற்கும் சோழர்களுக்கும் என்ன தொடர்பு? - தரவுகளுடன் விரிவான அலசல் |url=https://www.vikatan.com/government-and-politics/story-about-historic-sengol-to-be-installed-in-new-parliament-building |access-date=2023-05-25 |website=www.vikatan.com |language=ta}}</ref> Nandi also represent Righteous way to run the Country by chola King during 13th to 16th century CE. == See also == * [[New Parliament House, New Delhi|New Parliament House]] * [[Staff of office]] * [[Bulawa]] * [[Pernach]] * [[Baton (military)|Baton]] * [[Ceremonial mace]] * [[Black Rod]] == Note == {{notelist}} == Reference == {{Reflist|30em}} [[Category:Formal insignia]]'