New Delhi: By making the ‘sengol’ (Tamil for sceptre) a part of the inauguration of the new Parliament building Sunday, the central government has reminded every Tamilian of their culture, said V. Balasubramaniam, the president of Delhi’s Malai Mandir temple.
“Most people have forgotten Tamil history. But now, we are seeing its reminiscence,” he told ThePrint over the phone Saturday, in the context of the ‘sengol’ finding a place in the new Parliament building.
The central government has also invited Adheenams and Oduvaars of Thevaram, Tamil Nadu, to be a part of the inauguration ceremony.
The ‘sengol’ will be handed over to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by the head priest of Madurai Adheenam on 28 May, reminiscent of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru being handed over the same sceptre on 14 August 1947 by the then deputy chief priest of the Thiruvadutharai Adheenam — a Shaivite mutt in present day Tamil Nadu.
Around 30 Adheenams and Oduvaars visited the Malai Mandir temple in Vasant Vihar Friday. According to V. Balasubramaniam, these Tamil pandits are regarded as the “walking encyclopedias of Tamil culture and literature”.
Adheenams are chiefs of Tamil mutts and are in charge of temples. They were instituted by the ancient Tamil kings, Balasubramaniam said. Whereas the Oduvaars, also priests, are the “walking encoders” of Tamil literature, and are well versed in the Tamil epics, he said.
These Shaivite priests visited the temple for darshan and blessed the country and wished for its “economic, military and cultural domination”. According to Balasubramaniam, it was a “unique experience” to see all the Shaivites and Oduvars chiefs in one place, since they are all an “embodiment of Tamil culture and literature”.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced Wednesday that the historic sceptre would be placed beside the Lok Sabha Speaker’s seat in the new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the inauguration of the building.
(Edited by Smriti Sinha)
Also read: How Chennai jewellers crafted ‘sengol’ for Nehru, forgot it & rediscovered it 7 decades later