-

 Watching the Republic day parade on television again.


26 January 2021, the country celebrated its 72nd republic day, and I celebrated it by watching the republic day parade on the national channel, after ages. Unlike Delhi, 26th January morning in Bangalore was warm, and its streets were not playing any Bollywood patriotic songs.  But the background score of Shehnai and an aerial view of India Gate on the television screen made me nostalgic.

It was almost a ritual to wrap ourselves in a quilt and sit in front of the television to watch the entire Republic day parade. It was fun to watch the program by hugging your bolster and sitting next to your parents. My parents were keen on watching the entire show, so we used to turn on the television when the signature music with its yin and yang looking logo used to rotate on the screen. The score still lingers in my ears and gives a sense of joy.

 There used to be a sudden commotion in the family with the baritone voice of the programme commentator. My father used to drop the newspaper, mother hurriedly brought the tray with hot cups of tea and Bournvita, and I closed my homework copy instantly to glued to the television screen. When Rashtrapati Bhavan (Presidential Palace), North and South Block- Secretarial Buildings, Rajpath- the ceremonial boulevard of New Delhi appeared on the screen; suddenly those familiar landscapes used to look so glamorous.

We had our own game of identifying the VIPs when the dignitaries appeared on the screen. My mom used to admire the sarees, shades, and hairdo of the wives of the dignitaries. When President bodyguards, a horse-mounted cavalry regiment used to arrive at the venue, there used to be a sudden commotion inside me. We had our poignant moments when the soldiers received the gallantry awards posthumously.   

After those touching moments, the site of the tanks, radars, missiles enlivened our spirits. Tableaux were the show stoppers. But the tableau from my parent's native state used to catch their attention. For me, all the gorgeous ones were my favourite but the tableau from Goa, showcasing the carnival used to fancy me.

My next high point of the parade was my school team's performance. The site used to fill my heart with joy and pride. I used to stand in front of the television screen to view my seniors. When brave children - Geeta and Sanjay Chopra bravery awardees, arrived on elephants, it used to the climax. The evocative narration of their escapades roused my heart with admiration and jealousy. 

This time again, the republic day parade on television left me with a myriad of emotions. I relived my childhood days again because nothing much has changed neither in the itinerary nor at the location. Only a new war memorial has replaced the old one; open jeeps have replaced the mighty elephants. When the world is changing fast, we still holding a few old traditions and making us feel proud of our country.      

Comments

Post a Comment

Followers

Popular posts from this blog

Aix-En-Provence Diary

-
Image
  Where Impressionism exits, Cubism enters. Blue Mediterranean Sea, sandstone Buildings, hilly terrains, and Pinewood forests complete the description of the Provence region of South France. The city Aix-En-Provence offers a lot to artists and painting enthusiasts. Paul Cezanne, the world-renowned impressionist painter, belongs to Aix-En-Provence. He was born and matured as a painter here, worked extensively till his last breath. The landscape and the particular light of province guided his creative journey to the threshold of abstraction. His paintings paved the path for Cubism. The life-size bronze statue of Cezanne facing the well-known La Rotonde fountain at the city centre welcomes every visitor. A quick bus ride takes you to his sunny and quaint studio. Atlelier de Cezanne is on the hill Les Lauves, north of Aix-en Provance. The studio building is in good condition. The first floor has Cezanne's still life objects, furniture, and other personal belongings have been the palace...
Read more

French Onion Soup

-
  East or West. Where lies the acquired taste?   Soups are always exotic, and their fumes emit a nostalgic colonial English aura for people living in small towns in India. Even though, in recent years, ready-to-slurp soup sachets have flooded the markets, middle-class homemakers have placed them along with their spice boxes without any hesitation. Yet, a hot cup of soup still transports Indians to the cloudy, hilly terrains of the far-off European countryside.    In traditional English cuisine, carrots, peas, mushrooms, leeks, chicken, or beef broths seasoned with condiments are cooked in low flames for hours under the strict supervision of the chef. The broth gets cooked till it thickens to get the perfect consistency of soup and served with dollops of heavy cream. It is an ideal appetizer and cosy delicacy to make the chilly evenings comfortable. Soups have always been part and parcel of English supper, and people instinctively like the dish. When elderly...
Read more

Ordinary Museum. Extraordinary Experience.

-
Image
Croydon then Museums are one of the entertaining ways to know a new city or a neighbourhood and especially for those who are a newcomer. Well-known museums have varied and rare attractions to put their visitors in awe. But at times, even tiny ones instore surprises for their viewers. Croydon, one of the boroughs of outer London has its museum, conspicuously located in the arts facilities of the clocktower building in Central Croydon. Even though it is small, its collections date back to the Roman era. As you enter its display room, it is hard to miss out on two illustrations made by the first Noble Laureate from India. For a moment, I felt those paintings were surreal; Rabindranath Tagore would not have visited Croydon, of all places, in his visits to England. Soon, the note on the wall from the museum authority settled the whirlwind of queries in my head. The message says a gentleman, Ronald Newson, of Norbury, worked with Rabindranath Tagore in Shantiniketan, a university he founded....
Read more