In a first, a tableau from Ladakh will take part in Republic Day parade

A tableau from Ladakh will participate in the Republic Day Parade on Rajpath for the first time this year, informed Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Sunday.

Ladakh's tableau will depict the iconic Thiksey Monastery located on top of a hill in Thikse in Leh district, and is one of the most-visited tourist sites in the region. It will also feature the Indian Astronomical Observatory, located in Hanle near Leh.

"Ladakh's tableau depicts the iconic Thiksey Monastery located on top of a hill in Thikse in Leh district and is one of the most-visited tourist sites in the region," Singh said.

The central government on August 5, 2019, scrapped the provision of article 370, bifurcating the state into two Union Territories -- Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

India is all set to display its military might during the annual parade on January 26. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) tableau and Rafale fighter aircraft will be among some key attractions in the 2021 R-Day parade.

Uttar Pradesh's tableau will feature a replica of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, which is currently under construction. It will also display the culture, tradition and art related to the temple town.

The tableau of Punjab will reflect the theme of the unparalleled and supreme sacrifice of Ninth Sikh Guru Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur.

Uttarakhand's tableau will represent 'Kedarkhand' in the Republic Day parade. The front portion of the tableau displays the state animal musk deer, state bird monal pheasant and state flower Brahmakamal whereas behind these a model of the Kedarnath temple compound has been displayed along with devotees.

However, the Republic Day parade of this year will be very different from previous years as it is for the first time that it will be held amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Jawans will be seen wearing masks. Only 25,000 spectators will witness the Republic Day parade this year.

This will be the first Republic Day parade without a chief guest in more than five decades. UK PM Boris Johnson, who had initially accepted India's invitation to be a chief guest, had cancelled his visit due to the rapid rise of Covid-19 cases in the United Kingdom. There was no chief guest during the Republic Day parade in 1952, 1953 and 1966 before this.