India's 77th Republic Day: Kartavya Path Enclosures For R-Day Parade Named After Rivers Instead Of VVIP Labels

New Delhi: In a novel move, enclosures set up along the Kartavya Path for the 77th Republic Day Parade have been named after India's rivers, such as the Ganga, Yamuna, Krishna, Narmada and Periyar.

Layout maps and banners have been put up at regular intervals on streets near the parade venue to guide guests to their enclosures.

In a departure from traditional practice, 'VVIP' and other labels have not been used to demarcate the enclosures. Instead, these have been named after rivers flowing in India, senior officials of the defence ministry had said earlier this month.

These include the Beas, Brahmaputra, Chambal, Chenab, Gandak, Ganga, Ghagra, Godavari, Sindhu, Jhelum, Kaveri, Kosi, Krishna, Mahanadi, Narmada, Pennar, Periyar, Ravi, Sone, Sutlej, Teesta, Vaigai, and Yamuna.

Similarly, for the Beating Retreat Ceremony on January 29, enclosures will be named on Indian instruments -- bansuri, damaru, ektara, esraj, mridangam, nagada, pakhawaj, santoor, sarangi, sarinda, sarod, shehnai, sitar, surbahar, tabla and veena.

The sesquicentenary of 'Vande Mataram' is the dominant theme of this year's Republic Day celebrations, with enclosure backdrops along the Kartavya Path displaying old paintings, illustrating its opening stanzas.

'Vande Mataram' was composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in 1875.

Tunes of 'Sare Jehan Se Achha', 'Kadam Kadam Badhai Ja' and other such songs played over loudspeakers alongside 'Vande Mataram', adding to the patriotic fervour of the occasion.

President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, are chief guests at the parade.

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