Republic Day 2024 Parade: ‘Nari Shakti’ to be Showcased by Tableaux

As the nation prepares for the 75th Republic Day celebrations, a colorful and women-centric parade at Kartavya Path is set to mark this historic occasion. The exciting details about the events unfolding during Republic Day were announced by Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane in a press conference held on the 19th of January 2024. The festivities of Republic Day 2024 are taking on a unique and inclusive flavor. The upcoming parade will be a tribute to women’s empowerment with themes centering around ‘Viksit Bharat’ and ‘Bharat- Loktantra Ki Matruka.’ As a first, women will take center stage, both in marching squadron and artistic performances.

The Republic Day parade will be led by 100 women artists playing Indian musical instruments. The commencement of the parade will take off with the music of Sankh, Nadaswaram, Nagada, etc. to be played by women artists. 

There will be 25 tableaux including 16 states and Union Territories along with nine Ministries and Departments, will take the stage marching the path down Kartavya Path during the parade. The states and Union Territories that will participate in the Tableaux of the Republic Day are Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana, Manipur, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Ladakh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Meghalaya, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Telangana.

Similarly, the nine ministries and departments participating in the tableaux of the Republic Day parade are the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of External Affairs, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, the Ministry of Culture, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Centre For Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Election Commission of India, and Central Public Works Department (CPWD).

A brief on the Tableaux showcased by some of the states is as follows. 

Manipur’s Tableau

Manipur state is set to showcase a tableau on women’s significant roles in socio-economic activities. This will feature women working with delicate fibers from lotus stems and making yarns out of them using charkhas. In front of the tableau, a woman is spotted collecting lotus stems from Manipur’s Loktak lake while on either side there will be women collecting lotus stems and riding boats will be showcased. In addition to this, the tableau will also feature a replica of ‘Ima Keithel,’ an all-women’s market of Manipur that is centuries old. On top of that, the tableau also displays popular fabrics innovated by Manipuri women and the process of making lotus silk by Biyayshanti Tongbram, India’s first lotus silk maker. 

Madhya Pradesh’s Tableau

On the other hand, Tableau of Madhya Pradesh depicts the progress of the state in uniting women through various welfare schemes. The highlight of this tableau is the active participation of women in several fields, including the modern service sector, small-scale industries, and traditional domains. Moreover, this tableau features Avani Chaturvedi alongside a model of a fighter plane, IAF’s woman fighter pilot, and also the first woman from Madhya Pradesh to do so. The tableau will also depict women artists painting on pots, the Badal Mahal gate of Chanderi, and the weavers of globally renowned Chanderi, Maheshwar, and Bagh print sarees.

Rajasthan’s Tableau

Whereas, Rajasthan’s tableau for Republic Day will display the progress of women’s handicraft industries and the festive culture of the state. Rajasthan’s famous Ghoomar dance represented with a mannequin of a dancer alongside a statue of Meera Bai, a symbol of devotion and power, will also be depicted in the tableau. The rich handicraft, including bandhej, bagru print, and applique work is going to be highlighted as well. 

Haryana’s Tableau

Tableau of Haryana state for Republic Day will represent women empowerment in the state through the government program ‘Mera Parivar – Mera Pehchan.’ In the tableau the Haryanvi women will be holding digital devices, symbolizing the digital impact of the Digital India initiative, enabling them to access government schemes with just a click. 

Odisha’s Tableau

Coming to Odisha, the tableau of this state will highlight women’s participation in the handloom and handicrafts sectors, signifying their role in preserving and promoting traditional arts. 

Chhattisgarh’s Tableau

Chhattisgarh’s tableau for Republic Day will showcase Bastar’s ‘Muria Darbar,’ a 600-year-old tribal tradition of community decision-making at Kartavya Path in the national capital. ‘Muria Darbar’ is a unique form of people’s parliament that carries a history of about 600 years which never fails to bring all tribals each year at Bastar Dussehra which lasts for 75 days. The tableau carries a theme, ‘Bastar Ki Aadim Jan Sansad: Muria Darbar,’ which aligns with this year’s national theme, ‘India is the mother of democracy.’ This tableau underscores the equal participation of women and men in decision-making, reflecting the women-dominant aspect of the Bastar tribal community. This tableau features traditional bell metals and terracotta artifacts as a representation of their cultural heritage. 

Andhra Pradesh’s Tableau

Coming down to South India, Andhra Pradesh’s Republic Day tableau depicts the theme of educational revolution/reform and prepares students to be globally competitive. 

Ladakh’s Tableau

Lastly, Ladakh’s tableau for Republic Day showcases the Indian women’s ice hockey team, consisting of accomplished Ladadkhi women, showcasing their achievements and contributions to the sports field. 

Adding to all these, this year French President Mr Emmanuel Macron will be the Chief Guest for the Republic Day Parade. A 95-member marching group and a 33-member band squadron hailing from France will join their Indian counterparts. The Defence Secretary also highlighted the inclusion of around 13,000 special guests, representing the pride of the nation. These guests are selected based on their outstanding contributions and achievements and will be seated prominently at Kartavya Path assuring a widespread jan Bhagidari.