New Delhi, Jan 22 (PTI) The Department of Military Affairs’ Republic Day tableau will showcase India’s victory in Operation Sindoor last year and the jointness the three wings of the armed forces displayed during the decisive action.
The DMA tableau, which will roll down the Kartavya Path on January 26, will be divided into two parts.
“One side will feature lethal military weapons that proved crucial during the operation. The other side will depict the destruction of the infrastructure on the side of the adversary,” a military official said on Thursday.
In response to the Pahalgam terror attack, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, carrying out air strikes on terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan. The strikes triggered four days of intense clashes that ended with an understanding on stopping the military actions on May 10 evening.
“We want to convey the message of our victory achieved through joint efforts. It was an 88-hour operation,” the official told PTI.
Thirty tableaux — 17 from various states and Union Territories, and 13 from ministries and services — will roll down the Kartavya Path during the ceremonial event whose dominant theme this year is 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’.
A preview of the tableaux that would be part of the 77th Republic Day Parade here, was held by the defence ministry at the Rashtriya Rangshala Camp in Delhi Cantonment.
The broad theme of these tableaux are ‘Swatantrata ka Mantra: Vande Mataram’ and ‘Samriddhi ka Mantra: Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, showcasing a unique mix of 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’ and the nation’s rapid progress on the back of the growing self-reliance across sectors, dipped in its rich and vibrant cultural diversity, officials said.
West Bengal’s chosen subject, in line with the overarching theme, is ‘Bengal in the Freedom Movement of India’.
An artistic bust of ‘Vande Mataram’ composer Bankim Chandra Chatterjee graces the frontal portion of West Bengal’s Republic Day tableau that also features sculptures of Rabindranath Tagore, Subhas Chandra Bose and freedom fighter Khudiram Bose facing the gallows.
The tableau of Gujarat portrays the legacy of the Tricolour from the time when it was inscribed with ‘Vande Mataram’, prepared by freedom fighter Bhikaji Cama, that was adopted by the Constituent Assembly ahead of Independence.
Cama, who was born in Gujarat’s Navsari, is depicted on the front side of the state’s float, holding the flag she designed.
West Bengal’s striking tableau shows a bust of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, and its two side panels carry an image of an archival page, which says ‘Vande Mataram, Anandamath, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’ in Bengali.
The middle portion depicts an equestrian statue of Netaji and a symbolic representation of a group of Indians being beaten by police personnel during the colonial era. Behind it is a sculpture of freedom fighter Matangini Hazra.
The float’s lower side panels depict in relief a group of Indian personalities hailing from the undivided Bengal region who have contributed to the freedom struggle. These personalities include Chittaranjan Das, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Sri Aurobindo, Swami Vivekananda, Benoy, Badal, Dinesh, Bagha Jatin, Pritilata Waddedar, Kazi Nazrul Islam and Rash Behari Bose.
The middle portion of the lower panel depicts the facade of the historic Alipore Jail (now a museum) of Calcutta (now Kolkata).
“The tableau pays tribute to Bengal’s enduring legacy, sacrifice, and leadership in shaping India’s journey to Independence, featuring a musical performance based on the original score of ‘Vande Mataram’ first sung by Rabindranath Tagore in 1896,” according to an official note shared by the state government.
‘Vande Mataram’ was initially composed independently and later included in the novel ‘Anandamath’. It was first sung by Tagore at the 1896 Congress Session in Calcutta.
Assam’s tableau will showcase the theme ‘Ashirakandi: The craft village’; Gujarat’s ‘Swatantrata ka Mantra: Vande Mataram’, Jammu and Kashmir’s flot will depict its handicrafts and folk dances, Uttar Pradesh’s the culture of Bundelkhand, and Rajasthan’s Bikaner gold art.
Punjab’s tableau for the upcoming parade marks the 350th anniversary of the martyrdom of the Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur.
It showcases a replica of Gurudwara Sri Sis Ganj Sahib, the site where the ninth Sikh Guru was martyred, and the fountain in front of it at Chandni Chowk in Delhi.
A revolving ‘Ek Onkar’ (God is One) symbol is placed at the front, alongside a cloth embossed with the words ‘Hind di Chadar’, representing protection for those facing oppression, a senior official said.
The trailer section depicts ‘Shabad Kirtan’ performed by Raagi Singhs, with a ‘Khanda Sahib’ monument in the background, lending a transcendental colour to the surroundings. The rear section of the trailer features a model of Gurdwara Sri Sis Ganj Sahib, the place where the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib, was martyred.
India’s civilisation journey of storytelling has been showcased in the Information and Broadcasting ministry’s tableau, while the theme of the Ministry of Culture’s float is ‘Vande Mataram: The Soul-Cry of a Nation’. PTI KND NSD NSD
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