Ambedkar, 'Swachh Bharat' among themes for 67th R-Day tableaux

A giant statue of Dalit icon B R Ambedkar, rare natural abode of Asiatic lions in Gir, white tiger safari and initiatives like 'Swachh Bharat' and 'Digital India' are among the themes this year for the Republic Day tableaux.
A total of 23 tableaux would be on display at the ceremonial parade, with 17 of them belonging to various states and Union Territories.
Six tableaux from Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, New and Renewable energy, Drinking Water and Sanitation, Communication and IT, Panchayati Raj and Election Commission will also find their place at the 67th Republic Day on the Rajpath.

States registering their presence this year include Assam, Goa, Sikkim, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Tripura, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Gujarat.
There will be no tableau from national capital Delhi for the third consecutive year.
Senior officials of the Defence Ministry said among the vibrant and majestic culture and "smart ideas" of the country on display, two of them would particularly show rarely known tribes in the country - Todas in Tamil Nadu and Sidi community in Gujarat.

"The tableau of Gujarat will depict rare and exotic varieties along with the Sidi community settled in the Gir forest, performing their traditional dance.

"Similarly, the Tamil Nadu presentation will depict the lifestyle, appearance, manners and customs of Toda tribe of Nilgiri district, one of the six primitive tribal groups of the state," a senior official said.
It will also showcase a postal stamp and two commemorative coins of Rs 125 and Rs 10 denominations which the Prime Minister had released on December 6 last in the memory of Ambedkar.
The states which have their customary dances as the theme include Goa and Assam. While Goa will showcase local people performing Jagor folk dance, Assam will showcase performances of Rangoli Bihu.
The tableau of Jammu and Kashmir will depict rural development through technology and economic activities, besides making the villages clean and green. The state's theme is 'Merao Gaon Mera Jahan' (my village my world), which is a flagship of the government under the Clean and Green Mission 2015-16.

Madhya Pradesh will take pride in depicting its rare breed of white tiger while Chhatisgarh will display Khairagarh Music and Art University, one of the oldest in Asia dedicated to various forms of music, dance, fine arts and theater.
The tableau of Ministry of New and Renewable energy will have a theme of 'Mega watt to Giga watt' showcasing research and technology development in new areas such as ocean, tidal energy, hydrogen.
Drinking water and sanitation ministry will have its tableau based on the theme of 'Swach Bharat' while 'Digital India' will be showcased by Ministry of Communications and IT.

"The front portion of the tableau has been designed like a printer to highlight digital services of India post. The props accompanying the tableau will represent various gadgets like mobile phone, tablet, USB drive, chips while the base has been shaped as mouse in a computer," the official said.
The tableau of Election Commission shows the inclusive and ethical participation for a stronger democracy showing model polling stations, ramp for handicapped and special facilities for elderly and other awareness programmes.