Gorakhnath Temple, Taj Mahal tableau on Republic Day

NEW DELHI: The Uttar Pradesh tableau in this year’s Republic Day parade in Delhi is likely to feature the Taj Mahal, an apparent attempt to settle the controversy over the state government’s attempts to belittle the Mughal monument, along with Gorakhnath Temple, of which Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is the mahant or chief priest, and Lucknow’s Rumi Darwaza.

Pictures of these three structures will be displayed to signify the Taj Mahotasav, Gorakhpur Mahotsav and Lucknow Mahotsav organised by the UP Tourism Department, officials said.

Chief Minister Adityanath had visited the Taj Mahal a couple of months ago and is expected to be there again this week to receive Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.


The tableau will also feature the lamp festival held in Ayodhya on Diwali last year, the upcoming Allahabad Kumbh in 2019 and the ghats along the Ganga in Varanasi. The CM had flown into Ayodhya on Diwali on a chopper with artists dressed up as Lord Ram and Sita and later 1.8 lakh lamps were lit on the Saryu river bank, creating a new world record.

A highlight of the tableau will also be live artists depicting the ‘Lathmaar Holi’ of Radha’s hometown of Barsana with women raining blows with a stick on their partners who have a shield to protect themselves. The state government plans a grand Holi celebration in Barsana this time in March, with the CM expected to land in a chopper with artists dressed up as Lord Krishna and Radha.

“Various facets of UP Tourism, which were perhaps ignored earlier, like Ayodhya and Barsana, will feature in UP’s tableau this year on Republic Day parade,” said a UP government official.

Heads of 10 ASEAN countries will be the chief guests at this year’s Republic Day celebrations in the capital.