NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi opted for a red and yellow striped “safa” complemented by a brown bandhgala jacket with a pocket square for the 76th Republic Day celebrations on Sunday.
The prime minister’s Republic Day and Independence Day appearances have consistently featured distinctive and vivid turbans.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended greetings to the nation on the occasion of the 76th Republic Day.
“Happy Republic Day. Today, we celebrate 75 glorious years of being a Republic. We bow to all the great women and men who made our Constitution and ensured that our journey is rooted in democracy, dignity and unity. May this occasion strengthen our efforts towards preserving the ideals of our Constitution and working towards a stronger and prosperous India,” PM Modi posted on X.
During the previous year’s Republic Day, he went for a multi-hued “bandhani” print safa.
Bandhani, a traditional tie-dye textile technique prevalent in Gujarat and Rajasthan, involves creating decorative patterns by pinching the fabric with fingernails to form numerous small bindings.
In 2023, PM Modi wore a multi-coloured Rajasthani turban with trousers and kurta. Later that year, at the 77th Independence Day, he donned a bright Rajasthani-style turban with multiple colours and an extended tail.
In 2019, following his re-election with a substantial majority, he delivered his sixth Independence Day address from the Red Fort wearing a multi-coloured turban.
His first Independence Day appearance as prime minister in 2014 featured a bright red Jodhpuri “bandhej” turban. The following year, he chose a yellow turban with multi-coloured intersecting lines, followed by a pink and yellow tie-and-dye turban in 2016.
For 2017, he selected a turban combining bright red and yellow with golden intersecting lines throughout. In 2018, he appeared at the Red Fort wearing a saffron turban.
His Republic Day appearances have been marked by striking turbans, ranging from bright red “bandhani” from Kutch to mustard Rajasthani “safa”.
For Republic Day 2022, he wore a distinctive traditional cap from Uttarakhand with a Brahma Kamal-inspired brooch. Brahma Kamal, Uttarakhand’s state flower, is consistently used during his Kedarnath visits.
In 2021, the Republic Day parade saw him wearing a “Halari Pagdi”, a bright red “bandhej” headgear with yellow dots, presented by Gujarat’s Jamnagar royal family.
