Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam said that Sengol is a tool to achieve good governance and is not related to religion or monarchy. (News18)
The renowned Indian dancer, Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam, recalled that she had requested the government to make public the information of the 1947 ceremony on the occasion of India’s 75th Independence Day.
Renowned Indian dancer Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam’s letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2021, citing a Tamil magazine article about how the Sengol was handed over to Jawaharlal Nehru at the Diwali Day ceremony in 1947, will now lead to the historic golden temple facility. scepter in the new Parliament building.
Subrahmanyam recalled that he had asked the government to make public the information of the 1947 ceremony on the occasion of India’s 75th Independence Day.
“Not long ago, to be precise on May 5, 2021, Thuglak Tamil magazine published an article about the history of Sengol. That touched me a lot and I thought that it should be publicized in a proper way. It was too important in my mind, it had something to do with the very history of our independence. So, I wrote a translation of the entire article with a cover letter, requesting our honorable Prime Minister to see if he can be a part of the 75th year of Independence celebrations. That’s what I wrote, but I didn’t get an answer right away.
“It’s been almost a year and a half, but now I’m elated that it’s more than just a celebration. It has reached a point where it will be permanently installed in the very temple of our democracy. It will stand there as a symbol of freedom, a symbol of justice and a symbol of ethical values for those who govern. So, I am happy that something from Tamil Nadu has gone there and now it is a pride for all Indians and Tamilians,” he said.
Little did Subrahmanyam expect his letter to be recognized by the Prime Minister himself. “I didn’t think I would get an answer right away nor did I. I thought it must have gone to one of those invisible files. But since he has risen to the top, it is more than a dream come true,” he added.
However, there has been criticism surrounding the golden scepter, with the DMK calling it a symbol of “monarchy”. According to the renowned dancer, Sengol means justice and freedom and a tool to achieve good governance.
In response to the criticism, Subrahmanyam narrated an anecdote: “In the Tamil epic Silappadhigaram, the king of the Chera dynasty mistakenly gives the order to behead the hero. Kannagi, the heroine, proves him wrong and then the king feels so guilty that he immediately gives his life. As he goes down, the line he says is that his Sengol has doubled, which means that Sengol has made the mistake. This is not religion or monarchy, but something everyone connected with the government should understand. Looking at Sengol there with the understanding of the meaning of him will be an inspiration to all parliamentarians ”.
Subrahmanyam also praised PM Modi for being considerate of the people of the country. “I wrote to the Prime Minister’s office. He wasn’t sure if he would see it, but knowing Modi-ji, he cares about everyone and cares about every letter they send him. Although I did not get a response at the time, I realized that everything said in the article had to be verified with proper investigation and the Ministry of Culture formed groups to investigate and make sure everything is authentic. The authenticity was proven and well that it took more than a year for that. Now, instead of having a little function and forgetting about it, this scepter is going to be placed in the temple of democracy. It gives me great satisfaction,” he said.
