Maharashtra showcases Ganeshotsav celebrations in Republic Day tableau

New Delhi: Maharashtra on Monday presented a blend of modernity and tradition as it showcased the Ganesh festival as a symbol of self-reliance at the Republic Day parade.

Dressed in traditional attire, a troupe of women dancers performed 'Lezim', a folk dance, on either side of the tableau depicting Ganeshotsav celebrations during the parade on the Kartavya Path.

The community celebration of the Ganesh festival was started by Bal Gangadhar Tilak in 1893 to send a message of unity and self-reliance by mobilising the people against British rule.

The self-reliance expressed through this tableau encompasses economic, environmental and cultural themes.

At the front of the tableau, a grand scene depicts a traditional dhol associated with Ganeshotsav, being played by a woman.

The rear section of the tableau features a sculptor creating an idol of Lord Ganesh.

The central section shows a Ganesh devotee carrying the idol of the deity on his head, proceeding for Ganesh Visarjan.

The last section of the tableau depicts a temple representing the Ashtavinayak (eight temples of the deity) of Maharashtra.