Rare natural abode of Asiatic lions in Gir, Madhya Pradesh’s white tiger safari, works of BR Ambedkar and initiatives like ‘Swachh Bharat’ and ‘Digital India’ are among the themes this year for the Republic Day tableaux.

A total of 23 tableaux were on display at the 67th Republic Day parade with 17 of them belonging to various states and Union Territories.

Six tableaux from Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, New and Renewable energy, Drinking Water and Sanitation, Communication and IT, Panchayati Raj and Election Commission also found their place at the ceremonial parade on the Rajpath.

States which registered their presence this year include Assam, Goa, Sikkim, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Tripura, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Gujarat.

However, there was no tableau from national capital Delhi for the third consecutive year.

While tableaux from Gujarat and Tamil Nadu focused on the rarely known tribes from the respective states, Goa and Assam showcased local people performing Jagor folk dance and Rangoli Bihu.

The tableau of Gujarat depicted rare and exotic varieties along with the Sidi community settled in the Gir forest, performing their traditional dance. Similarly, the Tamil Nadu presented the lifestyle, appearance, manners and customs of Toda tribe of Nilgiri district, one of the six primitive tribal groups of the state.

The float by Jammu and Kashmir depicted rural development through technology and economic activities, besides making the villages clean and green. The state’s theme was ‘Merao Gaon Mera Jahan’ (my village my world), which is a flagship of the government under the Clean and Green Mission 2015-16.

Madhya Pradesh took pride in depicting its rare breed of white tiger while Chhattisgarh displayed Khairagarh Music and Art University, one of the oldest in Asia dedicated to various forms of music, dance, fine arts and theater.

The tableau by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment showcased the Parliament building, a replica of a grand memorial at Babasaheb’s birthplace in Mhow in Madhya Pradesh, in commemoration of his 125th birth anniversary, handing over of the Constitution by Ambedkar to first President Rajendra Prasad, and also highlighted issues related to untouchability.

It also showcased a postal stamp and two commemorative coins of Rs 125 and Rs 10 denominations which the Prime Minister had released on December 6 last in the memory of Ambedkar.

The tableau of Ministry of New and Renewable energy had a theme of ‘Mega watt to Giga watt’ highlighted research and technology development in new areas such as ocean, tidal energy and hydrogen.

Drinking water and sanitation ministry’s tableau was based on the theme of ‘Swachh Bharat’ while ‘Digital India’ was showcased by Ministry of Communications and IT.

The front portion of the tableau was designed like a printer to highlight digital services of India post. The props accompanying the tableau represented various gadgets like mobile phone, tablet, USB drive, chips while the base was shaped as mouse in a computer.

The tableau of Election Commission projected the inclusive and ethical participation for a stronger democracy showing model polling stations, ramp for handicapped and special facilities for elderly and other awareness programmes.

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