Republic day honours the day when the Constitution of India came into effect. after gaining independence from the British Raj on August 15, 1947, it was January 26, 1950 when the Government of India Act was replaced as the governing document of India. After the Constitution of India came into effect, India became a federal, democratic republic within the commonwealth, abolishing monarchy. In 2019, India will be celebrating its 70th Republic Day.
Why was January 26 picked as the day of the constitution?
In 1929, during the Lahore Session of the INC (Indian National Congress), where Jawaharlal Nehru was elected as the president, a resolution was passed demanding complete independence. I was then that the day, 26 January in 1930 was declared as the “Purna Swaraj Diwas” or Independence Day. But the demand wasn’t met until 1947. Hence, to honour the significance of the first Independence Day, members of the constituent assembly decided to enforce the constitution on January 26, marking it as Republic Day.
How is it celebrated?
Republic Day is a national holiday for Indian citizens but the day is marked by extremely important events as the day begins. 2019 celebration will be special as this year will mark the 150th birth anniversary of ‘Father of the Nation’. Around 17 tableaux from states/Union Territories and 6 from various ministries will be displayed in the parade based on the theme ‘Gandhi’.
The parade at Rajpath, New Delhi will be special this time. A tableau will also showcase ‘Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth’ which is a historical educational institution situated in Varanasi. The tableau will also display the glory of Ghats, Buddhist Monks, rituals and ancient temples of Varanasi.
Where to watch January 26 celebrations?
Doordarshan channel has the exclusive rights to air the Republic Day celebrations live. You can tune in to the channel at 9 AM and watch the celebrations live. If you do not want to watch it on TV, you can also watch it on YouTube via the official channel of Doordarshan.
