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National festivals are a proud moment for every citizen, and one such celebrated with pomp and circumstances is Republic Day.
Republic Day is celebrated with great enthusiasm and esteem throughout the country, with the words Jana Gana Mana echoing from every nook and corner. Paper flags and display pieces are sold at every turn of the road, and the colours of saffron, white and green dominate every shopfront.
Are you excited to welcome this historic day too? Read on to learn more about celebrating Republic Day in 2023.
Republic Day date and holiday
Republic Day is celebrated on January 26 every year. It’s a gazetted national holiday observed by schools, banks, and offices.
Significance of the day
On January 26, 1950, the Indian Constitution came into force across the country. The Constituent Assembly worked for almost three years and garnered inputs from over sixty other countries’ constitutions to prepare the draft. It was finally adopted on November 26, 1949, and two months later, it became effective in all the states and union territories.
The Constitution is the supreme law of the country, empowering its citizens with certain rights as well as assigning them some responsibilities. That’s why the signing is commemorated as Republic Day.
How is it usually celebrated?
Salute the flying flag
Flag hoisting is the most indivisible part of Republic Day. Schools, colleges, universities and all such social institutions hold ceremonies early morning, with teachers delivering inspiring speeches and students participating in cultural shows.
Prominent figures in society are often invited as chief guests and have the honour of hoisting the tricolour. Hundred of fellow Indians singing the national anthem in unison fills the air with a palpable sense of belongingness and unity, which is undoubtedly the pinnacle moment of the ceremony.
Watch the parade at Rajpath
The capital of the country sees the highlight of the countrywide celebrations- the grand Republic Day Parade. The event begins with the Prime Minister laying the wreath at Amar Jawan Jyoti and the President unfurling the flag.
The parade then proceeds from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate, wherein different regiments of the Indian National Army march in all their finery and official decorations, and troupes from several states give cultural performances depicting the heritage of the country. Gallantry awards like Paramvir Chakra, Ashok Chakra, Vir Chakra and the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar are also presented.
Image © Caleb Kung/Flickr
Towards the end of the ceremony, the Air Force puts on a grand flypast as the fighter jets whizz in and out of breathtaking formations at the highest speeds.
Whether you are witnessing the parade in person or watching it on your television screen from home, your chests are sure to puff with pride and patriotism.
Republic Day Parade 2023
The Republic Day parade for the year 2023 will be held at Kartavya Path (Rajpath) at 9:30 AM sharp, as usual. This year, the themes of the Republic Day Parade are [email protected], International Year of Millets, and Nari Shakti.
This year, 16 states and union territories have been selected to present their tableaus in the Republic Day Parade. They include the states of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, and the Union Territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
Notably, starting from 2023, all units of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) would be jointly putting up just one tableau, unlike the previous years when they would submit individual proposals and only one would get selected by the Committee. For Republic Day 2023, the CAPF has chosen the theme of Nari Shakti and will be sending its women soldiers to the forefront of the demonstration.
Image © The Times of India
The selection process for the tableaus is still ongoing, so it is expected that the final lineup will be declared in the third week of January 2023.
