On Rajpath,AIR commentary to rescue as visibility stays behind curtain initially

Many did feel the early morning would ruin the day. Ten-year-old Ankur Gupta,who had waited patiently for weeks to attend his first R-Day parade,was very disappointed. “Why did this have to happen today?” he asked.

Several visitors said they could make out the parade started after the loudspeakers announced the President’s arrival,but they only had a blurry sense of the movement in front of them for the first one and a half hours. Renu Bhasin from West Delhi said: “We could not even see people seated across the road from us. The fog lifted around 11 am.”

And,along with it,the mood.

Twelve-year-old Aakansha Sharma was buoyant as the tableaux,representing the breathtaking diversity of the country,roared into view. She even had her views on the merits of each. “Goa was the best. I hope it wins the competition,” she said.

Republic Day is also a salute to the armed forces. Near gate 23,defence officials looked forward to their annual celebration,as they queued up with their families. “It is a special day for us,” said Lieutenant Ashok Chadha,who attends the ceremony every year with his family. Chadha applauded throughout as the parade showcased the country’s military strength. “I love the horse-mounted lance naiks and the elegant march-past,” he said. “The conduct of our armed forces fills me with pride.”

The morning reached a crescendo with the culminating fly-past,as fighter planes whirled above in deft formations. A Delhi Police official looked helpless while ordering people to remain seated,as children jumped up on the seats. “This is always my favourite part of the parade,” said 15-year-old Karan Singh,who was attending it for the third time.

By late afternoon,Rajpath had shed its heavy security cover and people swarmed in large numbers to India Gate and walked along the long stretch of Rajpath. For 42-year-old Harpreet Singh,this was a family ritual. “Every January 26,I bring my family here. I’m proud of our country’s military power. I’m sure our children will be citizens of a world superpower,” he said.

Some distance away,ice-cream seller Dinesh Kumar had more modest hopes. “I saw on television that we have a lot of power and weapons. My hope is that my children’s school will become better by next year,” he said.

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