Since Union Territory of Ladakh was carved out from the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, it is the first time when Ladakh will be representing its culture in the Republic Day Parade. Members of the Ladakh contingent are brimming with excitement and nervousness as the D-day is closing in on. Ladakh will present a beautiful tableau depicting the iconic Thikse Monastery and its cultural heritage.
Diksit Palmo, a resident of Leh, said that their tableau will be presented on Rajpath for the first time in the grand parade. Ladakhis have struggled a lot to get a separate UT status. And as an independent UT, they will be participating in this ceremonial event. We feel very happy displaying their unique identity. Ladakh team will have 11 members and she is one of the five women who are part of this team.
In 2015, Palmo was also a part of the Jammu & Kashmir contingent, but this time she says “our identity is our own”. The tableau will feature the historic Thikse Monastery located on top of a hill in Thikse in Leh district. Thikse Monastery is one of the most-visited tourist sites in the region.
In this year’s parade, total of 17 states and UTs will be represented on the Rajpath along with various ministries and the three armed forces. According to the details shared by the officials, the Ladakh tableau highlights the Ladakh’s vision to be carbon-neutral and set an example for rest of the world to reduce their dependence on pollutant resources. Ladakh’s tableau will also feature the Indian Astronomical Observatory which is located in Hanle near Leh. It is one of the world’s highest sites for optical, infrared and gamma-ray telescopes.
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Ladkah is well-known for its unique cultural and beautiful architectural heritage, vibrant costumes, festivals, monasteries, delicious food and beautiful locations.
However, Jammu and Kashmir is not included in the list of the tableaux released by the government. Sarabjeet Kaur, a Jammuite expressed her disappointment upon J&K’s absence from the parade. She is a part of the Ministry of Culture’s tableau. She is unhappy as her UT will be missing from the parade.
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