What is the Sengol and why is it so important for India's new Parliament?

A historic 'Sengol' will be placed in the new Parliament, along with the building's inauguration by PM Narendra Modi on May 28, as a bridge connecting Indian traditions and modernity.

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What is the Sengol?

• The word Sengol comes from the Tamil word ‘semmai’, which means righteous, and ‘kol’ meaning a sceptre.
• A sengol is a wand-sized ornamented royal insignia carried by kings.
• As per the Chola traditions, it was handed over to the new king by the head priest to mark the coronation and transfer of power, as a guide and embodiment of justice.

The Golden Sengol from 1947

• The five-foot golden sceptre, with a Nandi on top and floral decorations, was crafted by Vummidi Bangaru Chetty, a jeweller in then Madras under the guidance of C Rajagopalachari to mark the Independence of India. 

• The sceptre was first handed over to Lord Mountbatten by a priest of Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam, a non-brahmin Saivaite mutt, in Tamil Nadu. It was however taken back and purified with gangajal.
• After getting it back, it was accepted by Nehru as a symbol of independence, minutes before midnight on August 14, 1947, in the presence of several leaders including Dr Rajendra Prasad to mark the handover of power.
• The Chola-style handover was celebrated with the singing of a special song composed for the occasion.
• Since then, the Sengol has been on display at Nehru’s Collection gallery at the Allahabad museum.

A new home for the Sengol

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah stressed that a mere handshake or signing of a document should not mark the transfer of power to the new Parliament, but that the transfer should be rooted in local traditions while keeping in mind modern needs. 

• According to Shah, the Parliament would be the most sacred and suitable place for the sengol. 
• It will be a reflection of 'Amrit Kaal', which will witness the glorious moment of New India taking its rightful place in the world, said Shah. 
• “Sengol represents the same feeling that Jawaharlal Nehru felt on August 14, 1947," said the Home Minister.