Republic Day 2020: J-K’s ‘Back to Village’, Goa’s ‘save the frog’ tableaux add colour to celebrations

The 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev in 2019 was the theme of Punjab’s tableau in the parade. The tableau carried messaged like ‘Kirat Karo’, ‘Naam Japo’ and ‘Vand Chhako’, which form the cornerstone of the Sikhism.

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Jaipur, which was accorded the UNESCO World Heritage tag in 2019, depicted Rajasthan’s vibrant culture and architectural grandeur. Goa, meanwhile, showcased the theme of ‘seashore’, while Odisha had the renowned Rukuna Rath Yatra of Lord Lingaraja, worshipped as both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu.

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Gujarat showcased Rani Ki Vav’ or Queen’s Stepwell built by Rani Udayamati in Patan as a memorial to her husband King Bhimdev I in the 11th century. The tableau was complemented with folk culture and dances performed by artists. In the front, the tableau displayed a statue of a village woman wearing Patola saree of Patan.

Out of the total 22 tableaux, 16 were of various states and UTs and six of ministries, departments and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

Other states which took part in the grand parade were Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka. The Defence Ministry had rejected the proposals of West Bengal, Maharashtra, Kerala, and Bihar.

Brazilian President Jair Messias Bolsonaro, who was the chief guest for the Republic Day celebrations, was accorded the ceremonial Guard of Honour at the Rashtrapati Bhawan by President Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

(With inputs from PTI)