Republic Day Parade Tableaux – UPSC Prelims

What are tableaux? 
  • Tableaux refer to a group of models or motionless figures representing a scene from a story or from history.
  • On Republic Day, states and different departments and ministries showcase their achievements in form of cutting-edge technology and instruments or their history and culture in their respective tableaux.
  • Why in News? West Bengal’s tableaux was rejected by government.
Can participating states or departments depict anything through their tableaux?
  • The participants have to showcase elements relevant to their state/ UT/ department, within the overarching theme.
  • The theme given to participants this year was around 75 years of India’s Independence. The theme, the government told willing participants, is India@75 – Freedom struggle, Ideas @75, Achievements @75, Actions @75 and Resolve @75.
  • Tableaux of two different states/ UTs cannot be too similar as the tableaux should showcase the diversity of the country.
  • Tableaux cannot have any writing or use of logos, except for the name of the state/ UT/ department which should be written in Hindi on the front, English on the back and a regional language on the sides.
How are the tableaux selected?
  • The selection process is elaborate and time-consuming.
  • The Defence Ministry constitutes an expert committee of distinguished persons from fields like art, culture, painting, sculpture, music, architecture and choreography.
  • The Committee examines the proposals on the basis of theme, concept, design and visual impact before making its recommendations.
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