Tableaux offer glimpse of country's diversity

Colourful tableaux from 16 states and some government departments at the 66th Republic Day parade today showcased the cultural diversity and unique programmes being implemented across the country.
From Channapatna toys of Karnataka to folk dances of Jammu and Kashmir, 16 states displayed their cultural heritage and biodiversity at the parade.
Karnataka's was the first float to roll out on the majestic Rajpath displaying the colourful Channapatna wooden toys, followed by Andhra Pradesh which showcased the Makara Sankranti festivities.
Incredible Majauli was the theme of the Assam float. The island is enriched by the vibrant and the multicoloured culture of its ethnic inhabitants belonging to Mising, Deori, and Sonowal Kachari communities.

Uttar Pradesh came up with a tableau on Wajid Ali Shah, the tenth and last Nawab of Awadh province that is the Uttar Pradesh of present time. UP displayed the theme of communal harmony.
Gujarat presented the tableau on the theme of Statue of Unity - Sardar Sarovar project. It relates to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's plan to build a giant statue of country's first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in the state.

Igu dance or dance of the priest, of the Idu Mishmi Tribe of Arunachal Pradesh is a unique ritual dance. The dance was the theme of the float from Arunachal Pradesh.

The Department of Industrial Production and Promotion had a tableau on 'Make in India'.The CPWD presented with the theme 'Maa Ganga' while Department of Financial Services focussed on the 'Jan Dhan Yojna'.
With the theme of 'Walk for Justice', the Ministry of Law and Justice showcased Lok Adalats --an informal forum where disputes or cases pending in the courts or at pre-litigation stage are settled or compromised amicably without further appeals. It is a quick and cost-free method of dispute resolution.
Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Assam, Jharkhand, Sikkim, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Gujarat were the states represented at the parade.

West Bengal had last year won the best tableaux award.