On May 26, 2023, Viduthalai, the Tamil daily edited by K. Veeramani, president of the Dravida Kazhagam, reproduced an interesting and revealing essay in literary journalism published in the Tamil weekly, Dravida Nadu, on August 24, 1947. The essay was written by none other than C N Annadurai .
Annadurai cautions the new government, and especially Nehru, about the motives behind, and the socio-political implications of the ‘gift’ of the Sengol, which he characterises as a self-serving appeal for protection by the exploiters of the people. He even seems to have anticipated what was to come when he makes a sycophantic devotee exult before the head of the mutt: “Who else could think like this? The King holds the Sengol. Who gave the Sengol to the first government? The Adheenam! Everyone will talk about the Adheenam who blessed, sanctioned, and handed over the Sengol as a seal of authority – and only then the new government started functioning! This will be the common talk not just now, but in the days to come as well.”
