From Rajpath

A MOTHER'S SALUTE

Samiran, whose son is a Colonel with the Indian Army, had come to the Republic Day Parade from Chandigarh along with her husband. "There are some feelings attached with this celebration, special feelings I cannot describe. This is the third-time I am coming to the parade. News reports of skirmishes along LoC are disturbing because my son is posted in Siachen. But, I feel very proud and I came here because I wanted to express solidarity with my son. I cannot be with him in Kashmir. The least I could do was be here today."

A TRIBUTE TO VIVEKANANDA

The West Bengal tableau paid tribute to Swami Vivekananda on his 150th birth anniversary. Depicting the life of Vivekananda from his early days as a monk to his influence on thinkers such as Mahatma Gandhi, Vinoba Bhave and Subhash Chandra Bose, among others, the tabeleau also depicted the Belur Math and the books written by him.

RIOT OF COLOURS

Clouds of red, green, yellow and pink 'gulal' accompanied the UP tableau, depicting the 'Lathmar Holi" celebrations of Barsana, with the performers sporting traditional clothing and even throwing colours on the audience.

CHILDREN HAVE A BETTER VIEW

Many parents chose to join their children on the carpets, laid out on the ground in front of the seating enclosures, for a better view of the parade. Security personnel tried to direct the adults away from the children's area but finally bowed to the 'might of numbers'.

POP GOES 'DILLI'

A "live pop band" on the Delhi tableau added a 'modern' flair to the depiction of the Capital as a cultural hub. With a larger-than-life image of a Kathak dancer in front and Sufi musicians towards the end of the tableau, the long hair and gleaming guitars of the 'pop band' in the middle were a fitting contrast to showcase the blend of tradition and modernity in the Capital's cultural scene.

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