Celebrating the 150th anniversary of the national song 'Vande Mataram,' Gujarat’s tableau took center stage at the Republic Day Parade on Monday.

The presentation, themed "Mantra of Swadeshi, Self-Reliance, and Freedom: Vande Mataram," vividly captured the anthem’s role in sparking India's national consciousness.

At the front of the float, a sculpture of Madam Bhikhaji Cama from Navsari, Gujarat, stood holding the historic flag she designed and first unfurled in Paris in 1907.

This flag, which carried the message of Indian independence to the world, featured the "Vande Mataram" slogan—an inscription the tableau mirrored in multiple languages recognized by the Indian Constitution.

The central portion of the tableau chronicled the evolution of the Indian National Flag, tracing its journey from the 1906 Swadeshi movement in Kolkata through the designs of 1917 and 1921, until its final adoption by the Constituent Assembly in July 1947.

This historical narrative was harmoniously linked to Mahatma Gandhi’s vision, represented at the rear by a sculpture of the Father of the Nation alongside a charkha and a grand Dharma Chakra.

This imagery served as a bridge between the historical struggle for Swadeshi and the modern goal of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India).

Adding to the patriotic atmosphere, folk artists performed to the spirited rhythm of "Kasumbino Rang," a celebrated poem by Zaverchand Meghani.

The performance honored the revolutionaries like Shyamji Krishna Varma and Sardar Singh Rana who, alongside Cama, championed India’s cause on foreign soil.

Republic Day commemorates the date in 1950 when the Constitution came into effect, completing India's transition to a sovereign republic.

Gujarat’s contribution to the 77th Republic Day parade served as a reminder that the values of self-reliance and freedom continue to shape the nation's journey today.

Source: ANI