Sengol Included in New NCERT Class 9 Textbook

Sengol Included in New NCERT Class 9 Textbook

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Key takeaways

  • The NCERT Class 9 textbook now highlights the Sengol, linking the golden sceptre installed in Parliament in 2023 to classical Chola traditions.
  • On 14th August 1947, freedom fighter C. Rajagopalachari arranged for the 14th-century Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam to present this sacred sceptre to Jawaharlal Nehru.
  • The word Sengol originates from the Tamil term semmai, standing for equitable governance in classic Sangam literature dating back over 2,000 years.
  • The new textbook emphasizes ancient ethical roots by linking India's national motto to the Mundaka Upanishad and the Supreme Court's motto to the Mahabharata.

Why in News

  • The newly released NCERT Class 9 textbook titled Understanding Society and Beyond Part 2 features the sacred sceptre called Sengol.
  • Authorities installed the Sengol in the new Parliament building during the year 2023.
  • The textbook connects this sceptre directly to the ancient Chola ideal of righteous governance.
  • It also highlights how the sceptre marked the historic transfer of political power in 1947.

Historical and Cultural Significance of the Sengol

  • The term Sengol comes from the Tamil root word semmai, which translates to righteousness.
  • The sceptre signifies fair and equitable governance by a king, contrasting sharply with Kodungol, which represents harsh tyranny or corrupt rule.
  • Ancient Tamil society treated the sceptre as a moral guideline rather than an ordinary decorative golden staff.
  • The rod constantly reminded the ruler of his divine decree called aanai to uphold justice and serve his subjects faithfully.
  • In the epic Silappadikaram written by Prince Ilango Adigal, King Cheran Senguttuvan praises a Pandya monarch who gave up his life to protect the moral uprightness of the sceptre after executing an innocent person by mistake.
  • The classical text Tirukkural composed by sage Thiruvalluvar devotes a full chapter to Sengonmai, arguing that a ruler wins real victories through justice rather than military weapons.
  • Several 2,000-year-old Sangam works such as Purananooru, Kurunthogai, and Tholkappiyam describe the sceptre as a fundamental symbol of righteous rule.
  • High priests from royal maths traditionally presented the sceptre to incoming monarchs during coronation ceremonies in the Chola dynasty and Nayaka kingdoms.
  • This sacred handover ceremony represented the formal transfer of executive power alongside serious ethical responsibilities.
  • Ancient Tamil political literature considers the sceptre one of the 10 vital pillars of a kingdom, placing it beside other royal insignia like the white umbrella called venkottra kudai and the royal drum called murasu.

Sengol Connection to India Independence in 1947

  • Freedom fighter C. Rajagopalachari suggested to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru that an ancient ritual could formally mark the transition from colonial British rule to freedom.
  • Following this idea, leaders reached out to the Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam, a famous 14th-century Saivite monastery located in Tamil Nadu.
  • The monastery commissioned skilled artisans to create a five-foot gold-plated silver sceptre crowned with the sacred bull Nandi.
  • On 14th August 1947, priests brought the sceptre to New Delhi and handed it to Lord Mountbatten before purifying it with holy water.
  • The priests then formally delivered the purified staff to Jawaharlal Nehru just hours before midnight.
  • This sacred act represented the peaceful transfer of power from British authorities to an independent India along with an oath of righteous leadership.
  • The sceptre installed inside the modern Lok Sabha chamber in 2023 carries the carved figure of Nandi, representing firm justice, integrity, and strict adherence to truth or Nyaya.

Ancient Governance Concepts in NCERT Textbook

  • The new curriculum links India's national motto Satyameva Jayate to the ancient Mundaka Upanishad, replacing the colonial British phrase Heaven's Light, Our Guide.
  • It also notes that the Supreme Court adopted its official motto Yato Dharmastato Jayah directly from the epic Mahabharata.
  • The text discusses how Mahatma Gandhi drew upon the Ramayana and the 16th-century text Ramcharitmanas to describe Ram Rajya as a model of clean governance, compassion, and public welfare.
  • The chapter explains that ancient Indian traditions from the Vedic period through the epics viewed rulership as a sacred duty toward the community rather than an instrument of raw power.
  • In the section titled Resistance and Resilience, the book discusses traditional accounts where rulers received blessed divine weapons from mother goddesses like Kali, Durga, and Bhavani to fight off invaders.
  • Prominent historical figures mentioned in this context include Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who received a sacred blade from Goddess Tulja Bhavani, and prince Kumara Kampana during his southern campaigns against Sultanate forces.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The Sengol is an ancient ceremonial staff representing moral governance, originating in Tamil traditions and used during the 1947 transfer of power.
  • It primarily symbolizes fair and ethical rule where rulers must temper political authority with deep social responsibility.
  • The national motto Satyameva Jayate translates to Truth alone triumphs and traces its origins to the ancient Mundaka Upanishad.
  • The phrase Yato Dharmastato Jayah comes from the Mahabharata and means Where there is righteous duty, there is victory.
  • In Indian administrative thought, Ram Rajya serves as an ideal framework for governance centered on personal probity, public welfare, honesty, and empathy.