It might seem odd that a State displaying its tableau in the Republic Day parade at Rajpath in New Delhi would do so by displaying men wearing a prominent cultural symbol of a neighbouring State.
The members performing as part of the tableau will be dressed in the Jaunsari tribal attire and the men of Jaunsar in Uttarakhand which borders Himachal Pradesh also wear the cap which is traditionally associated with Himachal Pradesh. Folk singers and cultural activists of the State have opposed this move stating that the theme should have been based completely on what is associated with Uttarakhand and not mainly with the neighbouring State.
Uttarakhand will be presenting a tableau based on its herbal wealth in the Republic Day parade in New Delhi. The men and women performing as part of the tableau will be dressed in traditional Jaunsari attire. Jaunsari men wear a cap which is similar to the Himachali cap worn in the neighbouring State, though tribal Jaunsari culture is considered unique.
According to popular folk singer Pritam Bhartwan, “People in Chakrata and Jaunsar wear the Himachali cap but Uttarakhand's identity is the pahari topi and not the Himachali cap. The people in the State's tableau should have been dressed in attire identifiable with Uttarakhand not with Himachal Pradesh,” he said.
Garhwal Mahasabha general secretary Roshan Dhasmana said that it is wrong to present people in the Himachali cap in Uttarakhand's tableau.
“The Congress leaders believe that the black pahari cap looks like the cap worn by RSS volunteers so they may have a problem with that but the pahari topi traditionally worn in Uttarakhand also comes in blue and other colours apart from black. They should have dressed people in the State's tableau in attire which can be associated with Uttarakhand,” he stressed.
Culture department director Beena Bhatt said that Himachali caps are worn by people in the Jaunsar region. “Wearing this cap might muddle the identity of the State presented in the tableau but the Information and Public Relations Department is in-charge so you should talk to the official concerned,” she said, while adding that the Culture department is only a part of the committee which approves the State tableau for the Republic Day parade. This correspondent tried to contact the Information and Public Relations department joint director on the phone, but did not receive any response.