Republic Day tableaux: UP showcases Maha Kumbh; J&K its scenic beauty, rich heritage

New Delhi: With depictions of 'Samudra Manthan', 'Amrit Kalash' and holy men bathing on the banks of Sangam in Prayagraj, the Republic Day tableau of Uttar Pradesh showcases the ongoing Maha Kumbh, portraying a metaphorical confluence of 'virasat' and 'vikas'.

A sneek preview of the 31 tableaux that will roll down Kartavya Path during the 76th Republic Day celebrations here was given to the media at the Rashtriya Rangshala Camp at Delhi Cantonment.

While 75 years of enactment of the Constitution is the focus of Republic Day celebrations this year, the theme for the tableaux is 'Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas'.

Sixteen tableaux are from various states and Union territories and 15 from central government ministries, departments and organisations.

The tableau of Bihar will be part of the ceremonial parade after many years. It depicts the ancient Nalanda university and its revival as a new institution and Buddhist and cultural heritage of the region.

The overarching theme of 'Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas' has been celebrated by various states, Union Territories, and several ministries and departments through their tableaux.

The Ministry of Earth Sciences' tableau showcases 150 years of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), its transformative journey and the future roadmap, in what will be a first appearance for its tableau at the annual ceremonial parade.

Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences M Ravichandran and IMD's Director General Mrutyunjaya Mohapatra visited the Rashtriya Rangshala Camp on Wednesday and took stock the ministry's tableau.

"The front section depicts the ministry's cyclone awareness efforts, featuring a striking depiction of a cyclone. The middle segment portrays initiatives taken for farmers and the impact in the field of agriculture. The rear section portrays the ministry's impact on various other communities and the future roadmap," Ravichandran told PTI.

The tableau of Uttar Pradesh, showcases the grandeur of Maha Kumbh 2025, portraying a metaphorical 'Sangam' of 'virasat' and 'vikas', while Jammu and Kashmir's tableau is set against a stunning backdrop depicting its scenic beauty, rich cultural heritage.

Ram Manohar Tripathi, deputy director in the Department of Information & Public Relations of Uttar Pradesh government said, "It is a matter of honour and great pride that Maha Kumbh, our great heritage will be showcased on Kartavya Path while the religious gathering is currently underway in Prayagraj."

"With depictions of 'Samudra Manthan', 'Amrit Kalash' and holy men bathing on the banks of the confluence, people will get a feel of 'Sangam' during the Republic Day Parade. And, this tableau also depicts various development initiatives of the UP government, thus it is sort of a 'sangam' of 'virasat' and 'vikas'," Tripathi told PTI.

A troupe of artistes dressed in traditional attire performed for mediapersons while one of them blew a conch and a fee others played 'damru'.

The Maha Kumbh, held every 12 years at the confluence of the sacred Ganga, the Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati in Prayagraj, and is billed as one of the largest congregations of humanity on earth.

Highlighting the robust technological and digital preparations for Maha Kumbh, the tableau also showcases the state-of-the-art Integrated Command and Control Center (ICCC) for efficient security and crowd management at the Kumbh. The January 26 parade will begin in the morning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi laying a wreath at the National War Memorial.

After the national anthem, balloons with banners of the official logo of the 75th year of the Constitution will be released. The event will conclude with a flypast by 47 aircraft, the defence ministry earlier said.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will be the chief guest at this year's celebrations.

The ceremonial parade at Kartavya Path will be heralded by 300 cultural artistes playing 'Sare Jahan Se Achha' on musical instruments representing different parts of the country Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh on January 20 had said a "160-member marching contingent and 190-member band contingent from Indonesia" will take part in the parade along with the contingents of Indian armed forces.