Stories of Sengol

In my post on the coronation jewels of the UK, I mentioned an orb and a sceptre that was used during the coronation ceremony. At that point, I did not know that the transfer of power during the Independence of India was symbolised by a sceptre too. That Sceptre is the Sengol, the Tamil symbol of righteousness and good governance. It laid forgotten for 47 years at the Allahabad museum, listed as “Nehru’s long walking stick.” After years of efforts by many experts, including Shri K Annamalai, an Ex-IPS Officer and BJP leader, the Sengol and stories surrounding it are being discussed in the public domain. On the 28th of May 2023, it has been installed at the new parliament building in India. Join me as I regale some stories of Sengol. At my father’s insistence, I grew up reciting Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s famous “Tryst with Destiny” speech. Little did I know then, that the speech was preceeded by the transfer of power between the British Empire and the newly formed Indian government symbolised by the passing of the sengol. So how did the sengol become the symbol of independent India? While the word “Sengol” refers to  any sceptre used by a Tamil King or Queen, the word “Sengol” in this article refers to a particular sceptre made by VBC (now VBJ) jewellers in 1947. This Sengol is a 5ft long, gold-plated silver sceptre with a bull topper. It has floral imagery and Goddess Lakshmi in repousse, along with an engraving of the Indian National flag, and Tamil Inscriptions.

1947 Pre-Independent India

Due to increasing pressure from both inside and outside India, the British decided to leave India in the 1940s. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was chosen to be India’s first Prime minister. Lord Mountbatten wanted to know how to conduct the investiture ceremony. He asked Pandit Nehru if there was any object such as a crown or a receptor that could symbolise the transfer of this power. This was, after all, the birth of a democratic Nation State of India and therefore, a ritual needed to be created. Pandit Nehru in turn consulted Mr. C Rajagopalachari, also known as Rajaji the last Governor-General of India. Rajaji deep-dived into India’s pre-colonial history and researched various royal families.

The Sengol of the Chozhas

While each of the royal families in India had their own rites for the transfer of power from ruler to ruler, Rajaji was inspired by the practices of Chozha Kings (also spelt Chola). The Middle and later Chozhas ruled Southern India from their capital in Thanjavur from the 9th century CE to the 13th Century CE. They were known for their shipbuilding and maritime routes which they used for both trade and war. Architectural marvels such as the Brigadeeshwarar temple and Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple were built by them. The recent superhit Tamil movie Ponniyin Selvan Parts 1 & 2 is the cinematic visualisation of a fictional narrative (of the same name) of the lives and times of Chozhas. Yet to read Ponniyin Selvan? Find the English translation here.

The Chozhas had an elaborate passing of power ceremony. The item that they used to symbolize the passing of power apart from the crown (manimudi – gem-encrusted headgear) was a gold sengol encrusted with gemstones. These coronation jewels would be handed over to the new king by the high priest of the kingdom. Honourable PM Modi after the installation of the Sengol remarked that “In the Chola dynasty, the Sengol symbolised justice, righteousness, and good governance.” Ironically, there is no sceptre in the coronation scene in the movie.

Stories of Sengol

It is said that Rajaji suggested this practice to Pandit Nehru, who in turn conveyed it to Mountbatten. The Viceroy found it acceptable as it was similar to the practice followed in Britain. Rajaji wrote to Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam, a Saivite monastic institution in Tamil Nadu, and requested the head of the institution to advise on the further course of action. The head of the institution visualised a sceptre that would symbolise the newly formed democratic Nation State of India. They commissioned VBJ jewellers who were then known as VBC Vummudi Bangaru Chetti jewellers, in Chennai to create this piece. Mr Vummidi Ethirajulu, who is 97 years old now and his brother made the Sengol and it was transported to New Delhi, via a special plane. Mountbatten approved the sceptre. On August 14th 1947, priests from the Aadheenam purified the sceptre by sprinkling holy water on it and handed it to Pandit Nehru. It is said that Thampiran Swamigal chanted “Kolaru Padhigam” a prayer of 10 verses to Lord Shiva composed by saint Thirugnanasambandar to offset any maleficent planetary influence.

At the stroke of midnight, India became independent and in the years that passed by the sceptre was forgotten. Indian Independence Day is celebrated on 15th August every year. Here is a video that further showcases this chain of events.

Controversies

Like every other object-driven history, this too is wrought with controversies. There is severe opposition to the sceptre being installed in the new parliament. Here are a few of those arguements.

Not every object (gift) received by the PM symbolises the transfer of power

While a Black and white photo of the Adheenam and Vummudi’s archival records serves as proof that such a sceptre was presented to Pandit Nehru on August 14th, 1947, there is no proof that it was created to symbolise the transfer of power. Also, Lord Mountbatten would have been in Pakistan on August 14th to witness the signing of the Independence Agreement. When looked at critically, more questions arise. Why did Pandit Nehru, a self-proclaimed non-believer sit through a Vedic ritual? Was it because he wanted the sceptre to symbolise independence as the story suggests or was it because he did not want to upset the beliefs of the Hindu priests who came bearing gifts? This hints that the PM could have received other religious gifts as well. Therefore, the current opposition party claims that the “Story of sengol” is made up. Writer Jeyamohan, claims the story to be WhatsApp History.

Interpreting History

Other controversies stem from the discontinuities that are all too common in Indian history. How is it that no historian identified the sengol correctly for 70+ years and let it remain mislabeled as Nehru’s staff at the Allahabad Museum? It was not that the sengol was never mentioned in publications. It was mentioned in a book by Dr Subramaniam, who chronicled the oral history of Kanchi mahaperiyava – Chandrashekarendra Saraswati Swami, later popularised by several Tamil publications. Therefore, was it a deliberate attempt to keep it away or was it just one of those many objects that lay forgotten in the vast archives of Indian history?  Other texts that recount the story of Sengol

• Betrayal of India(1950) by Dosabhai Framji ‘DF’ Karaka 
• Freedom at Midnight (1975) by Dominic Lapierre & Larry Collins
• Kolaru Padhigam Virivurai by M.B. Sathyavel Muruganar

Religion and a secular land

Was the sengol sidelined as it was considered as a “Hindu” symbol in a secular nation? The bull (Nandi) derived from Shaivism and the image of Goddess Lakshmi, derived from Vaishnavism could point to how Hinduism became a composite religion during the colonial period absorbing existing divergent religious beliefs. However, in my opinion these images must be read as signs and not as symbols.

Lakshmi is the Mother Goddess of wealth. Bull signifies strength, steadfastness and protection. Be it the bull seal of the Harappa period (2500 BC), the bull graffiti at Keezhadi (8th century BC), or the bull bas-relief in Awantipura ruins of Kashmir (9th CE  it is one of the earliest visual imagery found in the Indian sub-continent. A sketch of the Harrapan bull drawn by artist Nandalal Bose (and his students) can be seen on the original illustrated version of the Indian constitution. As such these signs both denote and connote ideas of Pre-Colonial India and cannot be reduced to a decorative image on a staff. Another argument is that the passing of power through a staff is a British practice, entwined in Christianity and therefore should be avoided in a secular nation that is trying to decolonise itself.

Hindi X Tamil

Finally, there is the language politics. One would think that the sengol with Tamil inscriptions installed at Parliament where Hindi is the official language would seem like a bridge between the Northern and Southern parts of the country, one between Hindi and Tamil. However, there is no such luck and the issues related to “Hindi imposition and Tamil rebellion” continue.

Parting thoughts

I agree that the sengol and its history is riddled with controversies. However, as a student of oral and public history, I feel that we should not look for a linear chronological narrative. Rather we should look at the sengol as a palimpsest of the many stories surrounding it. It should be looked at for what it is – a meaningful object that carries within itself, stories from Indian history.

I hope you find it interesting

Cheers