In this day and age, do we need an annual Republic Day parade to flex our military muscles? Military parades on May Day were an annual feature of the former Communist countries, but most of them have long since discontinued the practice. Even the charm of the parade as a source of inspiration and pride in the early years of our Republic has given way to horror stories of barriers, security checks, frisking and myriad safety precautions.

An embarrassing number of seats in the stands now go empty, as invitees are daunted by the stringent security regulations. For the aam janata, a trip to watch the parade ends up as an almost day-long expedition. Buses and taxis are off the road and one has to leave the house by dawn to reach the venue on time.

Besides, the familiar formula of the parade is getting stale. An endless procession of regiments, bands, cavalry, antiquated artillery tanks and modern missiles, interspersed with schoolchildren and tableaux. Still, when Doordarshan was our only source of entertainment, our Republic Day mornings were spent watching the parade on TV. But with 60 odd channels to chose from, seeing the parade is no longer the ritual that it once was.

For Delhi residents, the fortnight leading up to Republic Day is a nightmare of traffic jams and hold-ups. Thanks to partial rehearsals, full dress rehearsals or simply tanks moving down Lutyens main arteries, life in the Capital is thrown out of gear. The security measures over the last few years have only increased the problem.

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