Jaipur residents brave cold, fog to watch Army Day parade rehearsals at Mahal Road

Jaipur: Residents have been queuing daily along Mahal Road in Jagatpura, the venue for the 78th Army Day Parade, to watch rehearsal drills despite biting cold and dense fog.With visibility reported at around 50 metres and temperatures dipping to 6.8°C, hundreds of people—ranging from children to the elderly—have been gathering to see marching contingents and military equipment. Some visitors are travelling 40–50 km after videos of the rehearsals circulated on social media.
Rajendra Vyas, who travelled from Goner, said the stretch of road has taken on the feel of Delhi's Rajpath, offering locals a rare chance to see the Army's ceremonial display up close. "Until now, we only saw such defence equipment and tanks on television in the news or in the Republic Day Parade. It is unreal to see this right in front of me," he said.Vyas said he arrived at 8:30 am Tuesday to secure a clear view and was also trying to find information on how to attend the main parade on January 15. He added that relatives from villages about 100 km away have been calling to ask how they can watch the event.Children in the crowd were seen saluting soldiers as they marched during the practice.Even as winter break was extended for students up to Class 5, a group of seven teachers from a nearby primary school visited the rehearsal for about an hour before returning to work. "This is something so rare that all teachers took some time out of work and came to see the parade. We are witnessing the discipline of defence in person. The cold weather is nothing compared to this experience," said teacher Gulab Kourani.- Exhibition will also include equipment which showcased the Indian Army's capability during Operation Sindoor