MYRIAD SHADES OF INDIA:
REPUBLIC DAY PARADE 2021 HIGHLIGHTS:
January 28, 2021
Muneeta Aneja
The land of diverse culture with a solid foundation of art, architecture, heritage and a dash of fusion with different cultures, tribes and communities residing together with a feeling of fraternity and mutual respect for all. A nation like no other in this world, The Country of Gods themselves and the divinity of its surroundings.
India is unique & distinct in its own manner because it is sweeter than spicy or bitter. And sweetness tends to erode away the bitterness. With the grounded ideals of Gandhi and the heroic strength of our ancient rulers and their kingdoms, whether it be Mughals, Marathas, Sikh, Rajputs and many more, India has always stood up as a prolific power and a force to reckon with.
REPRESENTATION OF 32 TABLEAUX:
India exhibited tales of its rich history, mythological importance, distinct culture and heritage to mark the celebration of its 72nd Republic day. How can one not celebrate the largest written constitution and democracy in this world? The 72nd Republic day event marked, the unique representation of the idea of diverse cultures residing together, despite being different and inseparable at the same time, like brothers of the same soil.
A total of 32 tableaux, 17 of States and Union Territories like Gujarat, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Punjab, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Ladakh, and Delhi participated in the parade highlighting India's prosperous culture and heritage.
6 STATE TABLEAUX REPRESNTED ANCIENT INDIAN TEMPLES, ART AND ARCHITECTURE:
Interestingly, 6 of the state Tableaux were based on the Ancient Indian temples which narrate a rich tale of history and architectural marvels of our nation, including the Sun Temple (Gujarat), Ayodhya Ram Mandir (Uttar Pradesh), Kedarnath (Uttarakhand), Hampi( Karnataka), Lepakshi (Andhra Pradesh) and Shore temple( Tamil Nadu).
From the first-ever Buddhism inspired tableau of Ladakh to the Glory of Deepotsava in Ayodhya's Ram temple, to the advent of the Vijayanagara Empire, to the sacrifices led down by the 9th Sikh Guru Tej Bahadur Singh, marking his 400th birth anniversary. Witnessing the various tableaus marching ahead with their spirit, music and culture brings a wave of zeal and enthusiasm and senses the amalgam of souls and emotions, intertwined together in the name of a country.
LADAKH'S FIRST EVER TABLEAUX EXHIBITS THE IDEA OF COMMUNAL HARMONY:-
The leading tableau with its vivid golden glow, serene eyes and a sense of tranquility, featuring the Buddhist deity, with remote monasteries in the background and a display of their art & architecture, languages & dialects, customs & costumes, fairs & festivals, literature and music, marched down the Republic day event for the first time as an Independent Union Territory, which was carved out following the bifurcation of Jammy and Kashmir in 2019.
The newest added Union Territory highlighted its vision of being "carbon neutral and being an inspiration in front of this world", illustrating the message of Communal harmony in the minds of the spectators. Additionally, it featured the Indian Astronomical Observatory located in Hanle near the capital city of Leh.
PUNJAB: Remembering the 9th Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur on his 400th birth anniversary:
The heroic sacrifice of the much influential ninth Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur was the central theme of Punjab's tableau, marking the 400th Parkash Purab of the Sikh guru. He extensively fought for the rights of the Kashmiri Pandits facing religious persecution under the orthodox reign of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and was martyred on November 11, 1675, at Chandni Chowk in Delhi on the orders of the Mughal emperor for refusing to convert to Islam.
ASSAM: TEA: THE BACKBONE OF THE STATE ECONOMY:-
As a Tableaux, with a Cheerful smiling woman working on her lush green tea plantations, approaches the ground, the state of Assam strikes our mind instantly. Tea is a global brew that defines the essence of Assam. The Assamese tea itself has a rich history built by warm and vivid people. The tea garden community serves it's aromatic, premium and flavourful tea across the globe, and are renowned for it worldwide.
UTTARAKHAND: THE STATE OF KEDAR:
The central theme of the tableau was KEDAR NATH, the preferred destination for religious tourists from all across the nation.
UTTAR PRADESH: THE RAM NAGRI:
As the state tableaux arrived in the central stage with its intricate Ayodhya Temple design and Rishi Valmiki on the forefront, the entire ground was stunned to witness the details of the Ram temple edifice displayed in the model.
An official release by the State government says the tableau mirrors “Ayodhya’s ancient cultural heritage, values and beauty”. In the first section of the tableau, Maharishi Valmiki can be witnessed composing the Ramayana. The Rama Mandir has been depicted in the centre.
The mural depicts socio-religious episodes from the Ramayana: the embracing of Nishadraj and eating of Shabri’s berry by Lord Ram; the salvation of Ahilya; ‘Kewat Samvad’; Hanuman bringing the sanjivani buti; Jatayu-Ram Samvad; Ashok Vatika, and other scenes. “The forepart of the middle tableau shows Deepotsava of Ayodhya, in which millions of earthen lamps are lit,” the release affirmed. The grand Deepotsava of Ayodhya has been featured consistently since 2017 in the Guinness World Records.
DELHI: SHAHJAHANABAD- REWINDED:-
As the Tableau marched ahead unwinding the historical tales of
SHAHJAHANABAD, the once seating throne of the glorified Delhi Sultanate, it also embarked on the urban redevelopment of the Chandni Chowk area with inclusive streets and urban public plazas.
WEST BENGAL: The futuristic vision of Wheels of Change:-
The West Bengal tableaux did a tremendous job depicting the Wheels of Change, concerning the holistic goals of infrastructural development and futuristic approach. They defied the basic paradigm of display of ancient art, culture, history or folklores and instead tried to emphasize higher education. SABOOJ SAATHI or the green companion. A powerful tool for access to higher education.
TRIPURA: ECO-FRIENDLY AATMA-NIRBHAR:-
Some Tableaux are simply spectacular because they present an ethical cause in front of this entire world, and so did Tripura's Tableaux celebrated their eco-friendly tribal culture and the relevance of bamboo in their state, under the theme of ECO-FRIENDLY AATMA-NIRBHAR Bharat.
SIKKIM: PANG LHABSOL FESTIVAL:
Words can do no justice to describe the magnificent strength, enchanting aura and the vivid shades that were depicted in the state's tableau which marked the theme of "PANG LHABSOL FESTIVAL" of the state. The festival marks the celebration of their guardian deity Mt. Kanchenjunga, with a strong belief that the mountain has always protected the state from the hostilities of the north.
ARUNACHAL PRADESH: The eastern state embraced a Tableaux with the theme of "EAST MEETS WEST".
GUJARAT: THE SUN TEMPLE, MODHERA:
With the fascinating details carved impeccably on the replica model of the Sun Temple at Modhera, Gujarat, people couldn't stop but stare at its utter Perfection. A temple dedicated to the Surya Dev, situated on the bank of the river Pushpavati. It was built after 1026-27 CE during the reign of Bhima I of the Chalukyas dynasty.
The basic structure of the temple consists of three components: Gudhamandapa, the shrine hall; Sabhamandapa, the assembly hall and Kunda, the reservoir. The halls have intricately carved exterior and pillars. The reservoir has steps to reach the bottom and numerous small shrines.
Interestingly, the Sabhamandapa or the assembly hall of this magnificent temple has a series of recessed corners leaving an impression of a star-like figure of it. There are 52 intricately carved pillars, which are believed to depict the 52 weeks in a year.
CHHATTISGARH: THE TRIBAL TALES:-
The tableaux of Chhattisgarh exhibited its distinct folklore with the central theme of folk music produced by dhankul, Tori & Turahi combined with its rich tribal culture and a sense of togetherness.
MAHARASHTRA: THE SAINTS AND THE BHAKTI MOVEMENT:-
Maharashtra's tableaus was based on the central theme of the SAINTS OF MAHARASHTRA, which highlights the influence of the Bhakti Movement, which led to the promotion of a sense of equality and a culture of fraternity.
Andhra Pradesh: LEPAKSHI- MONOLITHIC MARVELS OF INDIAN ARCHITECTURE:-
The state showcased the monolithic architectural marvel of the famous Lepakshi temple with a Nandi presented in the front. Monolithic means carved out of a single stone.
TAMIL NADU: THE MIGHTY KINGDOM OF THE PALLAVA DYNASTY:-
The Pallava dynasty was a strong ruling force in Southern India.
The tableau resembled the power of their kingdom and was based on the theme of the shore temples and spectacular monuments and marvels dating back to the Pallava dynasty.
Karnataka: VIJAYANAGAR: THE CITY OF VICTORY:-
The tableau of Karnataka was a head Turner for the spectators present in the event, with its meticulous details and ambience, it depicted the City of Victory-VIJAYANAGAR, founded in 1336. Majority of spectators considered it to be the best of all, with the perfect sync of Indian history and it's glorious achievements, architecture and story narration.
KERALA: COIR OF KERALA:
With a unique Initiative driven by women empowerment, the state of Kerala exhibited its alignment with its roots by presenting the theme of the tableau as the 'Coir of Kerala', which presented the majestic elephant being the state animal, with its rich diversity of flora with precedence over coconut and palm.
*The Golden bird has not sailed so far:
The Koh-i-Noor lies in the spirit of this nation*.
The golden bird has not sailed so far, the Koh-i-Noor is not out of our hands till now, until we the people of India, become the real diamonds (Koh-i-Noor) of this nation and prosper it with the best of science, technological innovations, trade, development and a general civic sense where people understand their fundamental duties towards their nations. Instead of competing with others, let's compete with ourselves and serve this society with the best version of ourselves.