E-Paper
U.P.: New Prayagraj mayor to grace historical chair
New mayor of Sangam city, Umesh Chandra Ganesh Kesarwani, received a 7kg silver mace from outgoing mayor Abhilasha Gupta Nandi in a tradition dating back to 1938. The city's historically significant mayoral chair, designed and brought from Bareilly, has been used by former prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Lal Bahadur Shastri. Since direct mayoral elections began in 1995, all former mayors have sat in the chair.
As the new mayor of Sangam city took oath and then headed to his office, the day also witnessed old traditions also being kept alive. As a symbol of transfer of power, outgoing mayor Abhilasha Gupta Nandi handed over a 7kg silver mace to new mayor Umesh Chandra Ganesh Kesarwani.
The tradition of handing over the ‘mace’, was first witnessed in 1938 when the Nagar Palika was formed. Prior to handing the same to the new mayor, the mace is taken out from the almirah, kept at the office of the mayor and taken to a local jeweller located in old city area for cleaning and polishing.
Similarly, the ‘historical chair’ which is placed at the ‘Mini Sadan’ (House) in the Prayagraj Municipal Corporation (PMC) building is equally important in the entire process of taking over the new mayoral post in Prayagraj.
The chair of the mayor is 108- years-old and was especially designed and brought from Bareilly. The chair in the historical house has remained unchanged and is the same on which former PMs Pt Jawaharlal Nehru and Lal Bahadur Shastri had occupied as chairmen of the then Allahabad Municipal Board.
Around two years before the formation of Allahabad Municipality (1914), the British had constructed the Sadan (house). After the formation of the house, a joint chair and table were installed for the members to sit.
At the same time, a special wooden chair was brought from Bareilly for the chairman to sit. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru sat on this chair after becoming the chairman of the Allahabad Municipal Board on April 3, 1923. After Pandit Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri also sat on this chair as the chairman, albeit for a brief period in 1925.
The Municipal Corporation of Prayagraj was formed in 1959 and there were only 27 wards in the city which gradually rose to 80 and then 100 as on today. Right since direct election of mayor started in Prayagraj (then Allahabad) in 1995, all former mayors namely Rita Bahuguna Joshi, KP Srivastava, Ch Jitendra Nath Singh and Abhilasha Gupta Nandi have graced the old wooden chair.
