Every year on January 26, Indian Republic Day is observed to honor the 1950 adoption of the Indian Constitution. Beautiful parades, cultural displays, and vibrant tableaux from different states have come together to create a meaningful event that represents the history, diversity, and progress of the country each tableaux represents. A lot of attention is paid to the state tableaux’s participation in the celebration of India’s 76th Republic Day in 2025.
What are Republic Day Tableaux?
A tableau is a set of models or posed figures depicting incidents from history, culture, or society. These cultural events are also opportunities for states, union territories (UTs), and ministries to express their individuality in their culture, cultural heritage, and achievements. The Republic Day parade moves down the Kartavya Path, formerly known as Rajpath in New Delhi, from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate.
Theme for Republic Day 2025: ‘Swarnim Bharat: Virasat Aur Vikas’
Every year, the Ministry of Defence (MoD), which hosts the parade, chooses a theme for the tableaux. For Republic Day 2025, the theme is ‘Swarnim Bharat: Virasat Aur Vikas’ (Golden India: Heritage and Development). The theme would reflect the glorious heritage of India as well as the developments made in various sectors, such as technology, governance, and infrastructure.
Who can participate in the tableaux?
Proposals from states, UTs, and central government ministries are invited for tableaux. In the 2025 parade, 15 states and UTs will be there, which include Bihar, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Goa, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Haryana. Additionally, 15 ministries and government departments will also showcase their creations that have contributed to India’s growth.
How Is the Tableaux Selected?
Selecting tableaux for Republic Day is a multistage and very stringent process. The ministry of Defence cooperates with the ministry of culture in the proposal evaluation process. Here is the process:
Stage 1: Pre-Selection
- Parties interested in submitting a proposal send a concept note along with sketches or a blueprint of the design for the tableau.
- The expert committee consists of notable personalities from various fields, such as art, culture, music, dance, sculpture, and architecture, to evaluate these proposals.
- The committee gives suggestions for changes or rejects the proposal if it does not meet the required standards.
3D Model Evaluation
- After initial approval, participants create 3D models of their tableaux, which are then assessed for visual appeal, design coherence, and alignment with the theme.
- Only those tableaux that meet the standards are selected to proceed to the fabrication stage.
Final Selection
The expert panel will make the final decision on which tableaux to include in the parade. A tableau may be rejected if it does not fit into the general theme or lacks artistic value or visual impact.
What is the basis for selection?
The selection of tableaux is not random but rooted in both artistic and thematic considerations. The theme chosen for the 2025 Republic Day, ‘Swarnim Bharat: Virasat Aur Vikas’, shall guide the submissions. Only if tableaux happen to reflect the theme of heritage and development would they be able to showcase India’s progress while drawing inspiration from its cultural roots.
- Diversity of Ideas: The committee ensures that the tableaux represent a broad spectrum of cultural, historical, and technological achievements, without overlap between the submissions of different states or ministries.
- Visual Impact: The design must be striking, colorful, and visually compelling.
- Eco-friendly Materials: The MoD has mandated the use of eco-friendly materials for constructing the tableaux to ensure environmental sustainability.
- Relevance to the Theme: The tableaux must conform to the theme of the year and must not reflect any statistics or complex graphical presentations.
The Expert Committee’s Role
The expert committee is supposed to evaluate all the submissions and suggest which tableaux should be chosen. The committee consists of professionals from different fields, including painting, sculpture, music, architecture, and choreography. Experts from institutions like the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) are involved in this process to ensure that the selected tableaux are of the highest artistic and cultural value.
Politics and Criticism Over Rejection of Tableaux
Though the process is fair and merit-based, there have been criticisms over the years that a few states or UTs are being excluded from the list, especially those that are ruled by opposition parties. In 2024, proposals from Punjab, Delhi, and West Bengal – all non-BJP ruled states – were rejected, which raised the political bias bar. But the Ministry of Defence justified its choices, saying the rejected tableaux did not match the overall theme for that year.
MoU between the MoD and the state governments assures that each one of the states and UT gets an equal chance to showcase their tableau in a three-year rolling plan. Thus, it brings fairness and also gives an opportunity to all kinds of states to participate in national celebrations.
Significance of Republic Day Tableaux
The Republic Day tableaux are more than mere decorative displays. They are reflections of India’s evolution from a colonial past to a modern, democratic republic. Each tableau tells a story—be it the preservation of ancient traditions, honoring national heroes, or the technological innovations of the country.
The Republic Day celebrations, with the tableau displays, depict the progress and unity in diversity of the country. The tableaux vividly remind the nation of the rich cultural heritage it possesses while highlighting its strides in various domains such as science, education, and governance.
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