I don’t remember if I ever watched the grand spectacle of Indian military might – the Republic Day parade - as a child.
So when I was asked to cover the 60th Republic Day Parade, I simply took the pass and went back to my seat. I was not excited. Scintillating parades have never been my thing.
Last time I covered a parade was when the Irish community marched down the Utica streets, dressed in green, throwing beads, distributing candies, and dancing and just drinking. The parade had thinned by the afternoon as everyone hit the bars. Of course the Republic Day parade was a much bigger affair. This was the Indian state showcasing its might to its people, to its guests, and to the nations.
The edited version of the articles appeared in the Indian Express on Jan. 27, 2009. I am copying what I originally wrote. Of course the desk made it completely different.
Colors of the parade – unity in diversity
Chinki Sinha
Delhi, Jan. 26
In 1984, Gurudev Singh of the Sikh Light Infantry Military Band, first
played at the Republic Day parade, a grand spectacle of Indian state
steeped in symbolism. And for 25 years, whenever he has performed at
the event, he has been uniquely conscious of his identity – of a Sikh
warrior, fierce and unrelenting.
In his flaming orange uniform and matching turban on Monday, he was
yet again conscious of his identity. But the identity was part of the
whole – their orange was reflected in the tricolor too.
"This is a pure Sikh regiment. And the color of our clothes is a sign
of sacrifice," Singh said. "It is the color of our Gurus. And this is
the color of our country."
For a month, the band members rehearsed for hours everyday. They had
to put their best foot forward. This was their moment. And they
shouted their war cry "Prosperity in peace, victory in war", a motto
that they hold sacred, with pride, Singh said.
For the men, the fusion of identities was the beauty of the parade, they said.
"This is such an honor," another member, Balbir Singh said. "We
believe in India."
Going back to Jan. 26, 1950 when Rajendra Prasad became the first
president of the republic, the event has evolved over the years adding
state tableaux to the event. But the event's overarching theme has
been national integration, at first showcased through the combined
display of military might from all three wings of the armed forces,
and followed by the floats from different states that exhibited the
diversity. Yet the message was clear – one state binds all, and all
identities are part of the whole. For Nayab Sardar Shashi Bhushan
Prasad Singh of Bihar Regiment Center, this was his moment.
"Yes, I belong here," he said.
At 18, when he first played while the president emerged from his car,
to this day, he has never felt more proud.
"This is emotional. I am standing in front of the president. What
could be more glorious than this," he said, a smile forming on his
lips.
And while the ground reverberated with the sound of the 21 Gun Salute
presented by the 299 Field Regiment, Kumar stood still, his hands on
his side, his face serene, his regional identity subsumed under the
national one.
It didn't matter who came from which part of the country. As the
President handed the Ashok Chakra, the gallantry award, to Major
Sandeep Unnikrishnan's mother, the pitch of the shouts and applause
was hard to miss. Unnikrishnan, who died fighting the terrorists at
Hotel Taj Mahal, Mumbai, belonged to the Bihar regiment.
As the various marching contingents marched down the Rajpath,
beginning with the Parachute Regiment in its distinctly marked
"trotting style" and continuing with Border Security Force Camel
Contingent where camels decked in colorful, mirror-studded gear
elicited cries from children present in the audience, to young men and
women of the National Cadet Corps band, the parade was a mix of
identities. Applause and cheer could be heard as the bands from all
these armed forces and paramilitary forces played martial tunes.
Vipashayana Tanwal, 10, came with her parents to watch the parade and
watched the paramilitary forces and clapped incessantly as the floats
made their appearance.
"They are all so colorful," she said. "This is the best parade."
In the audience, people identified with their regions as the floats
came by led by Andhra Pradesh, which paid tribute to legendary saint
Annamacharya. Followed by Assam which depicted the state's rich
wildlife in its splendour, other states too displayed their heritage
and unique traditions.
As against last year, the number of floats this year was only 18.
Many other themes marked the parade. From women empowerment in rural
arrears to electrification drive in the interiors of the country,
everything was at display. There were promises too. From loan waivers
and debt relief programs to farmers to National Rural Employment
Guarantee scheme promising social security to people, the government
yet reaffirmed its commitment to the marginalized sections.
Six floats reflecting India's advances in science and technology and
skills in disaster management followed the 12 state tableaux.
But the theme of unity in diversity superseded all.
"This is our rich culture and heritage. But we part of one nation,"
one spectator, who did not wish to be named, said.
The military might reinstates faith in the power of the state to fight terror
The grand show of India's military might at the 60th Republic Day
Parade with SU30 MKIs forming the Trishul in the skies and the tankers
chugging past the spectators restored Ramras Meena's faith in the
state's promise to protect its citizens from terror.
Two months after the Mumbai terror attacks where about 200 people
died, the display of India armed forces was at best a symbol of
resilience for many like Meena who thronged the stands Monday morning.
Given the threats to the capital, it was also a show of bravery on
part of the people to show up. The roads were choked and even though
many people stayed home watching the celebrations on television and
some stands remained people empty, thousands still came from all over
the country, dressed in their best, watching with awe as the armed
forces in all their battle regalia marched in their distinctive
styles.
Delhi resident sat with his seven-year-old son Priyanshu, who clapped and
jumped and gaped when the fighter jets flew above their heads.
"I wanted to show him India's strength," Meena said. "If this doesn't
happen, then we lose the link. We need all this to believe. This is to
remember the sacrifice."
The traditional parade, with no peer, celebrated the bravery of the soldiers who
died fighting the terrorists in Mumbai. President Pratibha Devisingh
Patil presented the highest peacetime gallantry award to half a dozen
security men killed fighting Pakistani militants in Mumbai last year.
The awards were collected by family members who were honored with loud
applauses from the people who had gathered to pay homage. And it was a
proud moment for Delhi residents when the widow of Mohan Chand Sharma
who died in an encounter at Batla House fighting the terrorists walked
up to the president.
For Ramesh Kumar, an army man who had traveled from Bihar to watch the
parade as it walked down the Rajpath from the Rashtrapati Bhawan to
India Gate. All through the years, the family watched the parade on
television. Being physically present, and watching from close
quarters, as the 48 president's bodyguards sat on their mounts, while
the president's Mercedes pulled over, gave them an adrenalin rush,
Kumar said.
At once, his life made so much more sense. Even if he died in a terror
strike, it would be a magnificent death, he said.
On the eve of Republic Day, police shot and killed two suspected
Pakistani militants near the capital. But threats of a terror attack
would not have deterred Kumar anyways.
"We will stand here and die," he said. "Look at the tanks, the
missiles … I know nothing will happen to us."
His wife Manju Kumari spent an hour sitting in front of the deities,
asking them to keep everyone safe before she came to the parade.
"I have no fear now," she said. "I am so proud of my country."
Even if there was recession, and poverty is a reality, for the people
present at the parade, millions that went in the function was money
well spent.
"Yes, there is poverty. But this is very important. It connects us to
the state," another bystander said.
In the morning, cars had to stop every couple of kilometers as police
searched through the trunk and checked identity cards. Around 20,000
troops were deployed in the city to prevent any extremist strikes.
But people didn't mind. After all, it was for their safety and the
inconvenience didn't matter.
"It took us 45 minutes to get though the security but it is OK. This
being the national event with all dignitaries, such measures are
required," SK Pandey, who was also a first timer at the parade, said.
"I am glad I came. This is fantastic."
No comments:
Post a Comment