New Delhi, January 22

There is a palpable excitement among members of the Ladakh contingent for the Republic Day Parade as the young Union territory is all set to make its debut in the extravaganza on Rajpath with a beautiful tableau depicting the iconic Thikse Monastery and its cultural heritage.

The Union territory of Ladakh was created in 2019 after the Central Government bifurcated the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two UTs.

Happy as an independent UT

Our tableau will be showcased for the first time on Rajpath in the grand parade. We had struggled to get a separate UT status and that aspiration was fulfilled in 2019 and we had celebrated it in Ladakh. And, now as an independent UT, with our own identity, we will be taking part in the ceremonial event. We feel very happy. — Diksit Palmo, tableau artiste from Leh

On Friday, during a media preview of the R-Day tableaux held here, members of the Ladakh contingent were feeling “on top of the world”.

The tableau prominently depicts the historic Thikse Monastery located on top of a hill at Thikse in Leh district, and is one of the most-visited tourist sites in the region.

Artistes dressed in colourful traditional Ladakhi ‘gunchas’ interacted with reporters on Friday during the media preview of the R-Day tableaux held at Delhi Cantonment.

“The Ladakh tableau highlights the vision for Ladakh to be carbon-neutral, and exemplary for the world. It also showcases the Indian Astronomical Observatory, located in Hanle, near Leh, one of the world’s highest sites for optical, infrared and gamma-ray telescopes,” according to the tableaux details shared by the officials. — PTI