New Delhi | January 21, 2026 | 9:59 PM (PIB):
The Ministry of Culture will present a tableau themed ‘150 Years of Vande Mataram’ at the Republic Day Parade 2026, showcasing the national song as a living expression of India’s civilisational memory, collective consciousness, and cultural continuity.
Sharing details of the theme, Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Shri Vivek Aggarwal, said that Republic Day tableaux are not merely ceremonial displays, but moving archives of the nation’s civilisational memory. Every year, these tableaux translate ideas, values, and historical experiences into a shared visual language, reaffirming that culture is not merely an ornament of the Republic but its living soul. In this continuing tradition, Vande Mataram occupies a unique and timeless place.
He noted that Vande Mataram, once sung by revolutionaries in prisons, public meetings, and processions, is far more than a song. Sri Aurobindo perceived in it a spiritual force capable of awakening collective consciousness—a vision that history has validated. Composed in 1875 by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, the song envisioned the nation as a ‘Mother’—sujalam, suphalam—abundant in nature, nurturing, and inner strength. During the colonial period, it restored self-respect and confidence, transformed devotion into courage, poetry into resolve, and united Indians across regions, languages, and religions in a shared aspiration for freedom.
The Ministry of Culture’s Republic Day tableau for 2026 presents this long and multi-layered journey through a powerful visual narrative. The tableau features the original manuscript of Vande Mataram displayed on a moving tractor, followed by folk artists from all four corners of India, symbolising the country’s rich cultural diversity. At the centre of the tableau, the present generation—depicted as Gen Z—is shown singing Vande Mataram, inspired by the historic rendition of Vishnupant Pagnis. His version, recorded in Raga Sarang, altered the sequence of verses to bypass colonial censorship and became a significant example of artistic resistance during the freedom movement.
Since 2021, the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) has been entrusted with the conceptualisation and execution of the Ministry of Culture’s Republic Day tableaux. Over the years, IGNCA has developed themes rooted in India’s philosophical, historical, and cultural foundations and presented them through visual formats that resonate across generations and foster dialogue. The 2026 tableau continues this vision, positioning Vande Mataram not merely as a historical composition, but as an enduring source of moral, cultural, and emotional inspiration.
