The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Dancers steal the show at parade

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 16, 2006

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Dancers steal the show at parade

Special Correspondent

State Department of Culture's tableau adjudged best

COLOURFUL FARE: A tableau of the Cultural Department at the Independence Day celebrations at Secunderabad Parade Grounds in the State capital on Tuesday. — Photo: Mohd. Yousuf

HYDERABAD: Girls in multi-colour costumes sit on a mammoth drum flanked by "Guraka" dancers of Adilabad whistling their way, sporting headgears of horns and peacock plumes. On another side, a different group of girls perform Banjara dance. Yet a third batch offers Bharatanatyam from behind the drum.

This was a scene presented on the tableau displayed by the Department of Culture at the ceremonial parade of the 60th Independence Day celebrations here on Tuesday, representing the richness of different dance forms and other arts. As the float passed by, even Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy could not resist but cheer the dancers joining the public and his family members sitting in a VIP box a distance away.

Adjudged best

The float was adjudged the best out of the 17 tableaux on show. The one put up by the Forest Department was given the second prize. It carried two life-size stuffed tigers on the front-top while Green Corp volunteers held aloft banners filled with slogans advising protection of trees. Children cheered on seeing the fake tigers.

The float of the Rural Development Department, which depicted the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, bagged the third prize. To make it realistic, organisers shifted an entire "field landscape" onto the massive vehicle, with coolies doing earthen work. The Civil Supplies Department set up a virtual kitchen on a different vehicle to show how mid-day meal is being served to schools kids all over the State.

Entry restricted

As entry was restricted to invitees, common people had to remain on their feet outside the barricades. An impressive parade, with as many 23 contingents participating in it preceded the display of the floats led by mounted police and with brass and pipe bands at the tail. The Chief Minister distributed medals and awards. R Aliveni drew wide attention as she received a Presidential medal on behalf of her deceased husband, Srinivas Rao, of the Greyhounds.

Some 1,000 schoolchildren brought the show to a close by offering a mass cultural show named "Bharatiyam" highlighting India's unity in diversity.

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