It's IT all the way

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JAN. 26. With information technology becoming the buzzword in the new millennium and heritage serving as a unifying factor, the tableaux which rolled down the Rajpath on the occasion of the Republic Day today, presented a culturally- diverse India ready to take on the challenges of the 21st century.

The gist was the theme of the advent of the computer era. If in the last year, Andhra Pradesh and Delhi projected themselves as the future cyber cities, there were some more additions this time.

A reflection of how the medium of computer dominates modern living - right from designing of clothes in urban areas to registration in rural sectors - it was IT all the way. However, the three newly-formed States of Uttaranchal, Jharkhand and Chhatisgarh were missing.

The first tableau was that of ``God's own country'' Kerala. Based on the Thrissur Pooram festival, the tableau depicted a ``Panchavadyam'' performance with five percussion and wind instruments. Making it a treat to watch were colorfully- decorated elephants standing next to a miniature form of the Vadakkunathan temple with bright umbrellas.

This was followed by Gujarat, which displayed the Modehra sun temple and its Uttarardh festival. Then came Karnataka, first of the IT-based tableaux. Exhibiting a revolving cyber cafe and other uses of the computer, the State seemed to reassert its position as the country's Silicon Valley.

Marking its entry with the ring of a mobile and the now familiar `dial up' connection tone of the Internet was the tableau of the Ministry of Communications. Presenting the reach of its network in rural areas through ``Sanchar Dhabas'', the float had the model of a mobile and other electronic gadgets.

Another State to join the cyber brigade was Madhya Pradesh, which has been marketing itself as yet another IT destination. The float was supported by a traditional Bhagoria dance performance.

And an indication of how important a part IT has become of all industries was evident from the Ministry of Textiles tableau, which displayed the craftsmanship and richness of Indian textiles, and the IT-enabled designing techniques.

Technology was not the only thing that stood out. Winning applause was the tableau of the Central Public Works Department based on the theme ``Shanti Sandesh''. The float was a colourful presentation in flowers that included a statue of Mahatma Gandhi. Goa was its usual self, with music, colour and dance being the highlight, while Delhi settled for a poetic ambience, presenting Mirza Ghalib and the Delhi of his times.

Whistling down the hills of Darjeeling was a Ministry of Railways tableau. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway chugged along amid applause by children.

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