Republic Day 2024: Tableaux to celebrate women's socio-economic roles

The front of the tableau will feature a woman collecting lotus stems from Manipur's Loktak lake. The women riding on boats and collecting lotus stems will be displayed on the sides of the tableau.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced that 17 states and Union Territories including West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, and Jammu & Kashmir, will display their tableaux at Kartavya Path for the Republic Day parade, depicting the geographical and rich cultural diversity of the country.

In a statement, the Ministry also said, 6 ministries and departments will also display their tableau, "23 tableaux — 17 from states and Union Territories and six from various ministries and departments — will be displayed, and will depict the nation’s rich cultural heritage, economic progress, and strong internal and external security."

Minister of Culture tableau on display during the full dress rehearsal for the Republic Day Parade 2024 at the Kartavya Path, in New Delhi.

Minister of Culture tableau on display during the full dress rehearsal for the Republic Day Parade 2024 at the Kartavya Path, in New Delhi.

Defence Ministry's official release said that the selection of States/UTs tableaux has been made on zonal basis, categorising into six zones; Northern Zone, Central Zone, Eastern Zone, Western Zone, Southern Zone and North Eastern Zone.

Usually the Ministry chooses approximately 15 tableaux for the Republic Day parade, based on zonal proportions.

Every year around September, the States, UTs, Central Government departments, and a few constitutional authorities send their tableau proposals to the Defence Ministry who is responsible for the Republic Day parade.

The selection process involves scrutiny of tableaux proposals by an expert committee and several rounds of interactions by the committee members with the states on the theme, presentation, aesthetics etc.

The theme for the tableaux this year is 'Viksit Bharat' and 'Bharat - The Mother of Democracy'.

Highlighting women's crucial role in socio-economic activities, Manipur tableau will feature women working with delicate fibres from lotus stems and making yarns using traditional 'charkhas'.

The front of the tableau will feature a woman collecting lotus stems from Manipur's Loktak lake. Meanwhile, women riding boats and collecting lotus stems will be displayed on the sides of the tableau.

Madhya Pradesh tableau, on the other hand, will showcase what the state has achieved by integrating women directly into the development process through its welfare schemes.

Rajasthan tableau on display during the full dress rehearsal for the Republic Day Parade 2024 at the Kartavya Path, in New Delhi.

Rajasthan's tableau will be a demonstration of the development of women's handicraft industries along with the festive culture of the state.

Haryana's tableau will display empowerment of women in their state through the government programme 'Mera Parivar Meri Pehchan'.

Gujarat tableau on display during full dress rehearsal for the Republic Day Parade 2024 at the Kartavya Path, in New Delhi.

While Odisha's tableau will display women's involvement in handicraft and handloom sectors, Chhattisgarh tableau will reflect female-dominance in tribal communities of Bastar.

Tamil Nadu tableau on display during the full dress rehearsal for the Republic Day Parade 2024 at the Kartavya Path, in New Delhi.

Ladakh tableau on display during the full dress rehearsal for the Republic Day Parade 2024 at the Kartavya Path, in New Delhi.

The Chhattisgarh tableau has been decorated with bell-metals and terracotta artefacts to display their traditions.

Gujarat tableau on display during full dress rehearsal for the Republic Day Parade 2024 at the Kartavya Path, in New Delhi.

The tableau of Andhra Pradesh this year is on the subject of transforming school education and making the students globally competitive, whereas Ladakh tableau will showcase Indian women's ice hockey team, that's comprised of local women.