More style, less state

Why does India have so few fun parades? 

The sea of cheering cricket fans along Marine Drive, Mumbai tells us something about us: why are pure fun parades so few and far between in this country? 

In modern colours | The Republic Day parade is not as compelling as govts think it is. The reason is that it is a state-sponsored event. As are many other big public shows. Then there are marches and processions taken out by netas and yatras to espouse causes and register protest which, while important, can be grim and boring. What we need more of are parades that celebrate modern life and culture, filling our streets with colourful costumes, music, dance and pageantry. Think of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, or Samba parades in Rio’s Carnival. Closer to our borders, the Chinese New Year parades are a spectacle to watch and envy. Ditto for Esala Perahera, or the tooth festival, in Sri Lanka.

Women also invited | The annual carnival in Goa could well be the thing the rest of India emulates. By drawing people across communities, such parades would reinforce our secular culture. They would also foster a stronger sense of community. Religious festivals, of course, already bring a lot of enjoyment to our streets. Guddi Padwa, the spring-time festival, is a good example of this. The sight of women revelling on Mumbai’s roads, some even on motorbikes, is as heartening as it can get in a patriarchal society like ours. If there is a caveat at all, it is that we must make public spaces safe enough for women to join the party without reservations.