'Once Deafened Delhi's Emperor': Sharad Pawar's NCP Gets New Poll Symbol | All About 'Tutari', its Importance

Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar has been allotted “man blowing turha” (a traditional trumpet) as its symbol by the Election Commission of India. This is the same symbol that the party had indicated as its first preference.

The poll body had asked the Sharad Pawar-led faction of NCP to choose from the list of ‘free symbols’ — or symbols other than those ‘reserved’ for exclusive use by recognised parties — NCP(SCP) had listed three choices: ‘man blowing turha’ (trumpet), ‘autorickshaw’ and ‘torch’ in order of preference.

A report in Times of India quoted its sources as saying that the ‘man blowing turha’ being a free symbol, there was no scope for EC to raise any objection to its use by NCP(SCP), including in the imminent general elections.

“Man blowing turha is allotted to the group/party in all the parliamentary constituencies in the state of Maharashtra,” TOI quoted EC’s letter sent to Sharad Pawar on Thursday, citing the request received from Supreme Court to this effect.

“Our candidates will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls on this symbol,” outfit’s spokesperson Clyde Crasto was quoted by PTI.

Also called ‘tutari’ in Marathi, the trumpet is sounded to mark the entry of important persons, ranging from kings earlier to political leaders now.

The Sharad Pawar faction quoted lines from a popular poem ‘Tutari’ written by Jnanpith awardee Kusumagraj.

“The Tutari in the form of great valour of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had once deafened the emperor of Delhi. It is a great honour for our party to get Tutari (Man Blowing Turha) as our symbol for upcoming elections. Our Tutari is now ready to shake Delhi’s throne under the leadership of Sharadchandra Pawar,” the party said in a post on X.

The Sharad Pawar-founded NCP split in July last year after Ajit Pawar and eight other MLAs joined the Eknath Shinde government.

The ECI later gave the party name and ‘clock’ symbol to the faction led by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar.