Jammu Kashmir Tableau Secures Second Position at Republic Day Parade 2026 | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Republic Day tableau secured second position at the national level during the Republic Day Parade 2026, marking a significant achievement for the Union Territory.

The recognition highlights Jammu and Kashmir’s cultural heritage and artistic traditions, showcased on one of the country’s most prominent national platforms.

According to officials, the tableau was themed as a “living canvas”, presenting a cultural narrative depicting the region’s traditional arts, crafts and folk heritage. The presentation combined visual elements, live performances and symbolic storytelling to reflect the creative legacy of the Union Territory.

The tableau featured several iconic handicrafts associated with Jammu and Kashmir, including Pashmina weaving, walnut wood carving, carpet weaving, papier-mâché, copperware and Basohli miniature paintings, representing long-established artisanal practices.

The visual sequence opened with an engraved Samovar, symbolising hospitality, followed by depictions of traditional wooden architecture and houseboats. A central segment showcased a Dogra Chhajja performance staged on a village Thadda, illustrating community life and cultural continuity.

Folk dance forms including Rouf, Kud, Jagarna, Pahari, Gojri and Dumhal were also presented, reflecting the ethnic and cultural diversity of the region. The tableau concluded with a display of papier-mâché artefacts arranged in a willow basket, portraying Jammu and Kashmir as a living canvas of art and tradition.

Officials said the achievement marks a notable return of the Jammu and Kashmir tableau to the Republic Day Parade, reaffirming the Union Territory’s cultural presence at the national level.

The idea and conceptual design of the tableau were led by Padma Shri awardee Balwant Thakur, a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and former Secretary of the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages. He has also served as Regional Director of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and headed Indian Cultural Centres in South Africa and Mauritius.

The national recognition is being viewed as an endorsement of Jammu and Kashmir’s cultural vitality and its continued efforts to preserve and promote its artistic heritage.