'Pagdi' meets 'veshti': Madras Regiment colonel performs sacred ritual at MRC's Murugan Temple

Colonel of the Madras Regiment of the Indian Army, Lt Gen Manjinder Singh, performed a sacred ceremony at the Murugan Temple of its regimental centre, wearing a traditional 'veshti', according to a post on X shared by the Army's Training Command. During the ceremony, Lt Gen Singh sported his traditional Sikh turban and also wore wore a 'veshti', a traditional wear of south India.

"On the occasion of 15th Reunion & 35th BBCC of the Madras Regiment, Lt Gen Manjinder Singh, AVSM, YSM, VSM, GOCinC, ARTRAC and COLONEL of the Madras Regiment in the best secular traditions of Indian Army performed the sacred Kumbhabhishekam ceremony at the Murugan Temple of the Madras Regimental Centre, Wellington on 01 May 2024," the ARTRAC posted.

"The ceremony was attended by the #Veterans and Serving Officers, JCOs & NCOs of the Madras Regiment," it said.


Underlining the ethos of the Indian Army, a senior official said, "Though, it is not a new thing for commanders in the Army to adhere to such a practice, yet the beauty of the ceremony doubled due to the gracious embracing of traditional south Indian 'dhoti' by a Sikh officer."

The ARTRAC post has gained wide traction on X and has garnered appreciation from many people.

"The Madras Regiment stands as one of the most distinguished regiments in the Indian Army, with a history that dates back to the 1750s. As the oldest regiment, it has been at the forefront of upholding the secular traditions of the Indian Army, a reflection of the nation's pluralistic society," the senior Army official said.

The official said the regiment's ethos is vividly displayed in its religious functions, which are conducted in South Indian traditions. "These ceremonies are inclusive, respecting the diverse religious beliefs of its soldiers while maintaining a unified regimental spirit," he said.

The Indian Army is a "secular organisation where officers and soldiers serve the nation with pride, irrespective of their religion, caste, creed, or gender", the official said.

Despite the diversity of regiments, the Army upholds "equal respect for all religions, making it a force of believers while defending a constitutionally secular state," he said.