TN celebrates sans usual crowd, students on R-Day
The 72nd Republic Day celebrations on Tuesday lacked its usual fervour due to the COVID-19 restrictions imposed by the Tamil Nadu government as school, college students stayed away from the venue, along with the general public, which would usually throng Kamaraj Salai to participate in the parade.
The celebrations commenced with Governor Banwarilal Purohit unfurling the Tricolour following which he was introduced to the top officials of Armed forces and the Police Department by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami. The CM later presented various awards, including Anna Medal for Gallantry, Kottai Ameer award for communal harmony, Thiru C Narayanasamy Naidu Award for highest productivity in rice, among others.
An impressive acrobatic display of motorbikes was followed by traditional cultural programmes organised by South Zone Cultural Centre, Thanjavur, and Department of Information and Public Relations. Some of the other programmes included Dollu Kunitha Dance from Karnataka, Lambadi Dance from Telengana, Thiruvathirakali Dance from Kerala, Badhali Dance from Madhya Pradesh, Gussadi Dance from Telengana and Rathwa Dance from Gujarat, while Silambam and Karagam, the traditional folk dances of Tamil Nadu, were organised by Information and Public Relations Department.
Followed by the cultural programmes, there was a procession of floats in which decorated vehicles of 17 departments rallied with a specific theme.
From watching the parade on television to participating in virtual marathons, Chennaiites celebrated Republic Day this year while taking into consideration the safety guidelines for the pandemic. Many stayed at home, while a few visited malls for a moment of respite.
“Besides the usual performances and marches that we see every year, I was happy to note that everyone was wearing masks at the event. All the performers, except those who played wind instruments, and all military squadrons, were masked, and guests were also seated safely. It was a moment that reminded us of the bigger picture,” said Priya M from Alwarpet.
Many city residents visited the malls, with Express Avenue and VR Mall seeing good crowds. Visitors wore masks and practised safety precautions.
Every year on the eve of Republic Day, the winners of the Padma awards are announced, and this was an anticipated event for many. “SPB sir is my inspiration, and to see him being awarded the Padma Vibhushan was bittersweet. He deserves all the accolades that we can offer. I only wish he was alive to have witnessed such a high moment in his life,” said Rajagopal from Adyar.
For others, this was a chance to participate in a virtual marathon organised by Indian Runners. “We have held this virtual run every Republic Day for the last four years. Participants are free to run at any location and any distance; their progress is tracked by an app that we monitor and winners are given medals and prizes. This is a good way to avoid crowding while taking part in a marathon,” said Prashant Choudhary, founder of Indian Runners. The run in Chennai saw around 300400 participants, he said.