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Sengol: The emblem of Independence and India’s Chola dynasty heritage

Sengol is a golden sceptre is some 76 years old. The British handed over the Sengol to Indian leaders to marks the transition of power from Britain to newly-independent Indians.

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Sengol: The emblem of Independence and India’s Chola dynasty heritage

By Pratik Agrawal

The inauguration of the new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday has already become a controversy with at least 19 opposition parties objecting over the decision and choosing to boycott the event.

The Narendra Modi-led government today has announced the installation of the Sengol, a Chola staff or sceptre, in the new Parliament marking it as a highlight of a often forgotten episode in India’s history.

The step taken by the Union government has not just put the spotlight on the Chola dynasty but has zeroed in on the old rulers of Tamil country. After its defeat in Karnataka, the BJP lost its lone hold in South India.

The decision to install the Sengol, which traces its origin to the Chola dynasty, is being seen as the BJP’s attempt to appeal to Tamils and create fresh influence for the party among the state’s voters.

What’s the Sengol?

Sengol is a golden sceptre is some 76 years old. The British handed over the Sengol to Indian leaders to marks the transition of power from Britain to newly-independent Indians.

Months before the people of the country were to listen to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s Tryst with Destiny speech, the last Viceroy of India, Lord Loius Mountbatten, asked Nehru a question that baffled him.

Mountbatten asked Nehru how would he symbolize India’s attaining independence. Puzzled, Nehru could not think of anything better than to seek the advice of C Rajagopalachari, popularly known as Rajaji, the first and last Indian Governor-General.

Rajaji, an erudite scholar of history, customs and civilisation, suggested to Nehru that during the Chola dynasty in Tamil tradition, the high priest (Rajaguru) of the state would hand over a sceptre to the new king during his coronation, symbolising his assumption of regal office.

Nehru warmed to Rajaji’s suggestion that a sceptre be handed to him to mark the change in one’s destiny from being a subject of the British king to a free, independent leader of India. He assigned the task to Rajaji to arrange such a sceptre.

Rajaji then contacted Thiruvaduthurai Aadheenam, the prominent mutt in Mayiladuthurai, the heartland of the Chola dynasty. The 20th Guru Sri La Sri Ambalavana Desika Swamigal, then seer of the mutt, took over the responsibility for making the golden sceptre despite his ill-health.

The seer assigned the task to Vummidi Bangaru Jewellers in Madras (now Chennai). The owner, Vummidi Bangaru, was entrusted with the job due to his expertise. Finally, the Sengol studded with jewels was ready with a bull (nandi) on top as a symbol of strength, truth and righteousness. The Sengol cost Rs 15,000 back then.

The seer sent a delegation from the mutt on a special plane arranged by the government to Delhi with the Sengol. He also sent a congratulatory note to Nehru with the delegation.

The Sengol was then taken to Mountbatten, who handed it back to the team, led by Sri La Sri Kumaraswamy Thambiran, whence Ganga water was sprinkled on it and was handed over to Nehru in a procession.

Finally on August 14, 1947 at 11:45 PM, exactly 15 minutes before India attained Independence and Nehru started his historic address, Tryst with Destiny, the delegation presented the Sengol to Nehru in the presence of Rajendra Prasad, India’s first President.

Sengol was presented with the chanting of the Kolaru Pathigam by Manickam Odhuvaar and Nadaswaram played by TN Rajarathinam. Kolaru Pathigam are hymns from Thevaram, originally composed by Shaivite saint Thirugnana Sambandar.

The Sengol not only marked India’s Independence, but also marked the birth of the nation as a union of the North and the South.

Bihar news

BPSC 70th prelims result 2024 out: Here’s direct link to check

The BPSC has also released the cutoff marks for the CCE, providing candidates with valuable insight into the performance benchmarks. The cut-off scores vary across different categories, reflecting the commission’s commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunity. 

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The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) released the results for the 70th Preliminary Examination on January 23, 2025. Candidates can view their results on the official BPSC website, bpsc.bih.nic.in. The results include those for the Combined Competitive Examination (CCE), Finance Administrative Officer, and Child Development Project Officer positions.

This year’s examination covered a wide range of posts, including those under the Combined Competitive Examination (CCE), Finance Administrative Officer (FAO), and Child Development Project Officer (CDPO). The release of these results marks a significant step forward for thousands of candidates pursuing careers in public service within Bihar.

The BPSC 70th Preliminary Examination, conducted on December 13th and January 4th, 2025, witnessed a massive turnout of 328,990 candidates. This substantial number underscores the immense competition and the high stakes involved in securing a government position in Bihar. The results, however, reveal a more selective outcome.

A total of 21,581 candidates successfully cleared the preliminary round for the CCE, demonstrating their competence and readiness to progress to the subsequent stages of the recruitment process. For the specialized roles of FAO and CDPO, a considerably smaller, yet still significant number of candidates qualified. 61 individuals successfully passed the preliminary examination for FAO positions, while 144 candidates qualified for CDPO posts.

The BPSC has also released the cutoff marks for the CCE, providing candidates with valuable insight into the performance benchmarks. The cut-off scores vary across different categories, reflecting the commission’s commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunity. 

Cut-off Marks:

  • Unreserved: 91
  • Unreserved Female: 81
  • EWS: 83
  • EWS Female: 73
  • SC: 70
  • SC Female: 55
  • ST/ST Female: 65

How to Check Your Results:

  1. Go to bpsc.bih.nic.in.
  2. Locate and click the “BPSC 70th Prelims Result 2024” link.
  3. A PDF containing the results will open. Download and save a copy for your records.

Examination Results: The Bihar prelims exam, held on December 13th and January 4th, 2025, saw 328,990 candidates. The following number passed:

  • Combined Competitive Examination: 21,581
  • Finance Administrative Officer: 61
  • Child Development Project Officer: 144

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India News

Har Jarurat Hogi Puri: Congress releases campaign song ahead of Delhi elections

Congress leaders, including Delhi Chief Devendra Yadav and national spokesperson Pawan Khera, expressed confidence in the anthem’s impact, emphasising its ability to capture the public mood and convey the party’s commitment to resolving Delhi’s pressing issues.

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The Congress party launched its campaign anthem, “Har Jarurat Hogi Puri, Dilli Mein Congress Hai Jaruri” (“Every Need Will Be Fulfilled, Congress is Essential in Delhi”), on Thursday, marking a significant step in its strategy for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections.

The 2-minute 48-second song serves as a potent weapon in the party’s arsenal, aiming to capture the attention of Delhi’s electorate and sway their votes in its favour.

The anthem’s lyrics directly confront the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), highlighting the prevalent disillusionment among Delhi’s residents regarding the current governance.

It boldly addresses critical local issues, painting a vivid picture of the city’s shortcomings under AAP’s rule. The polluted Yamuna River and the subpar quality of drinking water serve as central themes, with the powerful line “Yamuna Saaf Nahi, Pani Na Saaf Hai” (The Yamuna is not clean, the water is not clean) encapsulating the public’s growing discontent.

Beyond highlighting the existing problems, the Congress anthem meticulously outlines its own vision for Delhi, presenting a compelling alternative to the incumbent AAP government. The party pledges free electricity for households consuming up to 300 units, a promise designed to resonate with the city’s residents struggling with rising energy costs.

The ambitious “Pyari Didi Yojana,” promising a monthly allowance of Rs 2,500 to women from low-income families, aims to further strengthen the Congress’ appeal among the electorate.

Addressing the widespread concern about women’s safety in the city, the anthem criticizes the AAP government’s perceived lack of focus on this crucial issue, arguing that despite promises, women continue to feel unsafe. This pointed critique underscores the Congress’ commitment to addressing this critical aspect of governance, distinguishing its approach from its rivals.

The release of the anthem is strategically timed, closely following the BJP’s launch of its campaign song, “Jo Ram Ko Lekar Aaye Unka Raj Hoga Dilli Mein” (“Those who carry Ram will rule Delhi”). The timing underscores the intensity of the upcoming electoral battle, with both the Congress and BJP vying for the support of Delhi’s voters.

Congress leaders, including Delhi Chief Devendra Yadav and national spokesperson Pawan Khera, expressed confidence in the anthem’s impact, emphasising its ability to capture the public mood and convey the party’s commitment to resolving Delhi’s pressing issues.

The anthem’s release signifies the Congress party’s full-fledged entry into the electoral fray, setting the stage for a closely contested election on February 5th, with results due on February 8th. Over 1.5 crore voters will play a crucial role in deciding the fate of the 70-member Delhi Assembly.

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India News

ChatGPT outage affects thousands of users globally, OpenAI reacts

OpenAI swiftly acknowledged the outage, publishing updates on their dedicated status page. This transparency, while offering little in the way of immediate solutions, served to reassure users that the company was actively addressing the situation.

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On January 23, OpenAI’s popular AI chatbot, ChatGPT, suffered a significant global outage, leaving millions of users unable to access the service. The disruption affected multiple access points, including the web interface, the mobile application, and even integrations on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter). This widespread failure quickly drew significant attention, with reports flooding in from users worldwide.

The outage tracking website, Downdetector, registered a surge in user reports, exceeding a thousand complaints within a short period. This volume underscored the scale of the disruption and the significant impact on ChatGPT’s user base.

The majority of these reports indicated a complete inability to use the chatbot, highlighting the severity of the problem. A smaller percentage of users reported encountering difficulties with the website or API, suggesting a less comprehensive but still noticeable impact.

OpenAI swiftly acknowledged the outage, publishing updates on their dedicated status page. This transparency, while offering little in the way of immediate solutions, served to reassure users that the company was actively addressing the situation.

The official statements consistently described the problem as “degraded performance” and “elevated error rates” within the API, hinting at underlying technical issues that required investigation. However, specific details regarding the root cause remained undisclosed, pending a more thorough examination.

According to reports, the outage commenced around 5 PM IST and persisted for several hours. The lack of a definitive timeline and the ongoing nature of the disruption underlined the complexity of the problem and the challenges faced by OpenAI’s engineering teams in resolving the issue.

As of the latest updates, the exact cause of the outage remains under investigation by OpenAI. The company is actively working to restore full functionality and provide a more comprehensive explanation once the underlying problem has been identified and rectified.

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