Velu Nachiyar's Horse Was To Be Made Brown In Tamil Nadu
After participating in the parade for three consecutive year -- 2019, 2020 and 2021 -- the state government was gearing up to make it this time by presenting seven sketches (file photo)
Tamil Nadu will not participate in the Republic Day Parade on January 26 in New Delhi, but not before arguing its case three times, changing the tableau under the theme of Tamil Nadu in the Freedom Struggle, and unable to persuade the ministry of defence's expert committee. Twelve states/Union Territories and nine Union ministries/departments contributed to this year's parade's 21 tableaux. Tamil Nadu on the other hand, has missed the race.
The state administration was gearing ready to achieve it this time by offering seven sketches, after competing in the parade for three years in a row noting 2019, 2020, and 2021.
A representation of a ship stood in front of the design, with freedom warrior V O Chidambaram, also known as 'Kappalottiya Tamizhan,' standing behind it. The ship model was created to showcase the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company, one of the first indigenous firms to compete against the British, which was founded by VOC.
The panel decided that a bust of VOC would be preferable because the rear view would not be obstructed. A source stated that the committee member in the third round demanded to discover if VOC was a businessman. The importance of the great leader, whose 150th birthday is being commemorated across Tamil Nadu, was explained by government officials.
The sketch depicted Subramania Bharati, a fiery independence warrior and poet, as well as freedom fighters burning foreign products as a form of protest, queen Velu Nachiyar of Sivaganga riding a white horse and wielding a sword, and female troops wielding swords. Velu Nachiyar, also known as Veeramangai, was the first queen to fight the British, having been born in 1730.
The Vellore Mutiny and Vellore Fort, or the Maruthu Pandiyar brothers, the well-known lords of Sivaganga who were publicly hung to death by the British, were 'severe depictions.' While according to a member the Maruthu brothers were unknown to a national audience.
Meanwhile, the state government used a ship model and a bust of VOC in the third and final round, with Bharati raising a slogan and independence fighters burning foreign goods alongside.