Explained: How are Republic Day parade tableaux designed and selected?

At least three Opposition-ruled states are up in arms about the rejection of their tableaux for this year’s Republic Day celebrations in Delhi. The most incensed is Kerala whose tableau has been rejected for the third time in a row.

The fact is that the selection of a state tableau for the R-Day parade is an exhaustive (and exhausting, for those involved) exercise that begins in September of the previous year. A theme is selected by July and for 2022, the states were sent identical letters. Here is the anatomy of the process.

Tableaux guidelines

As the organisation and rollout of the Republic Day parade is the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence (MoD), all decisions related to the parade are taken by it. Letters went out to all states on September 16, 2021, informing them of the theme of Republic Day 2022. These were: India@75 — Freedom Struggle; Ideas@75; Achievements@75; Actions@75; and Resolve@75.

Some guidelines are always kept in mind: The tableaux of two states/Union Territories (UTs) cannot be too similar, as the tableaux, together, should showcase the diversity of the country. States are advised to make sketches of their tableaux.

It cannot have any writing or 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.

The ministry also asks the participants to use eco-friendly material. This year, there were additional guidelines for the states: Initiatives should include young qualified designers; use of electronic display walls for bright display of images and content; innovative use of LED lighting; moving elements using mechatronics or robots; 3D printing could be used to showcase certain elements; and use of technologies like artificial intelligence and virtual reality among others.

How are the tableaux selected?

The defence ministry constitutes an expert committee of distinguished persons from fields such as art, culture, painting, sculpture, music, architecture and choreography. States are advised not to lobby/petition members of this committee directly. The committee meets for hours over days and intensively discusses each proposal based on the sketches. If dances are included, a video clip of the dance is sought.

Then comes the most difficult part — 3D models of the tableau. The proposal can be rejected at any stage. Merely the move up from one stage to another doesn’t mean the tableau will be included in the parade.

The MoD says the states can engage designers of their choice. But designers are required to be present at every stage of engagement with the MoD tableaux committee. If they are absent, the tableau itself can be thrown out. Moreover, one designer should not be engaged to make more than two tableaux.

This year there was additional guidance on the number of artists who would perform on the tableaux, in view of Covid-19: there was a cap on numbers.

Selection process

In making the final selection the committee takes into account a combination of factors, looking at the visual appeal, impact on the masses, idea/theme of the tableaux, and degree of detail involved.

The defence ministry provides each participant with one tractor and one trailer, and the tableau should fit on that. The ministry prohibits the use of any additional tractor or trailer, or even any other vehicle, for the tableau.

The participant can replace their ministry-provided tractor or trailer with other vehicles, but the total number should not be more than two vehicles. The tractor has to be camouflaged in harmony with the tableau’s theme, and the ministry stipulates a distance of around six feet between the tractor and the trailer for turning and manoeuvring.

The dimensions of the trailer on which the tableau will be placed is 24 feet, 8 inches long, eight feet wide and four feet two inches high, with a load-bearing capacity of 10 tonnes. The tableau should not be more than 45 feet long, 14 feet wide and 16 feet high from the ground.

Coping with rejection

Obviously not all states and UTs can be accommodated. Tableaux of many states including Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled ones are routinely rejected and that was the case this year as well.

However, disappointment is never silent. This year, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said: “It is deeply disappointing to note that the tableau of Tamil Nadu depicting V.O.Chidambaranar, Mahakavi Bharathiyar, Rani Velu Nachiyar, and Maruthu Brothers — the renowned freedom fighters from Tamil Nadu — is excluded from the #RepublicDayParade, 2022.”

The Trinamool Congress tweeted, after the Bengal tableau depicting Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose (whose 125th birth centenary is being celebrated this year) was excluded: “Ridiculous how the @BJP4India led Central Government repeatedly & systematically INSULTS our history, culture and pride. By rejecting Netaji’s tableau, they have once again laid bare their hypocrisy. ABSOLUTELY UNPARDONABLE.”

The MoD is yet to release the list of selected tableaux.