In its issue dated August 25, 1947, the US based @TIME publication reported the momentous event in these words “Even such an agnostic as Jawaharlal Nehru, on the eve of becoming India's first Prime Minister, fell into the religious spirit. …/1 #SengolOfIndia @sgurumurthy
/2 ...From Tanjore in south India came two emissaries of Sri Amblavana Desigar, head of a sannyasi order of Hindu ascetics. … #SengolOfIndia #SengolAtNewParliament @threadreaderapp oneindia.com/feature/sengol…
/3 …Sri Amblavana thought that Nehru, as first Indian head of a really Indian Government ought, like ancient Hindu kings, to receive the symbol of power and authority from Hindu holy men.” #SengolOfIndia #SengolAtNewParliament
/4 “With the emissaries came south India's most famous player of the nagasaram, a special kind of Indian flute. Like other sannyasis, who abstain from hair-cutting and hair-combing, the two emissaries wore their long hair properly matted and wound round their heads."
/5 Their naked chests and foreheads were streaked with sacred ash, blessed by Sri Amblavana. In an ancient Ford, the evening of Aug. 14, they began their slow, solemn progress to Nehru's house. oneindia.com/feature/sengol…
/6 Ahead walked the flutist, stopping every 100 yards or so to sit on the road and play his flute for about 15 minutes. Another escort bore a large silver platter. On it was the pithambaram (cloth of God), a costly silk fabric with patterns of golden thread.” #SengolOfIndia
/7 “When at last they reached Nehru's house, the flutist played while the sannyasis awaited an invitation from Nehru. Then they entered the house in dignity, fanned by two boys with special fans of deer hair. One sannyasi carried a sceptre of gold, 5 feet long, 2 inches thick.
/8 He sprinkled Nehru with holy water from Tanjore and drew a streak in sacred ash across Nehru's forehead. Then he wrapped Nehru in the pithambaram and handed him the golden sceptre. #SengolOfIndia #SengolAtNewParliament oneindia.com/feature/sengol…
/9 He also gave Nehru some cooked rice which had been offered that very morning to the dancing god Nataraja in south India, then flown by plane to Delhi.” #SengolOfIndia #SengolAtNewParliament oneindia.com/feature/sengol…
/10 “Later that evening Nehru, and other men who would be India's new rulers on the morrow, went to the home of Rajendra Prasad, president of the Constituent Assembly. #SengolOfIndia #SengolAtNewParliament oneindia.com/feature/sengol…
/11 On his back lawn four plantain trees served as pillars for a temporary miniature temple. A roof of fresh green leaves sheltered a holy fire attended by a Brahman priest. #SengolOfIndia #SengolAtNewParliament oneindia.com/feature/sengol…
/12 There, while several thousand women chanted hymns, the ministers-to-be and constitution-makers passed in front of the priest, who sprinkled holy water on them. The oldest woman placed dots of red powder (for luck) on each man's forehead.” #SengolOfIndia #SengolAtNewParliament