New Delhi: Congress President Sonia Gandhi was conspicuous by her absence at the Republic Day parade and at the 'At Home' hosted by President Pratibha Patil at the Rashtrapati Bhavan today.
There was no comment from either the party or her office about the reasons for her absence.
Her son and party general secretary Rahul Gandhi was present at the parade and was seen clicking pictures of a floral tableau on 'Save the Tigers' theme.
India's 62nd Republic Day turned out to be a smartly done affair with contingents of security personnel getting maximum applause.
"It's worth a lifetime....it seems that the culture of entire nation is in front of you. It is mini-India in itself," said Seema Rastogi, a 35-year-old housewife from Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, marvelling at the colourful tableaux on display at the Rajpath boulevard in Delhi.
It was also a surreal moment for 17-year-old Shrawan, who came to witness the parade along with his 65-year-old grandfather Ram Kumar, as the Mi-17 helicopters showered petals to mark the beginning of the 100-minute parade that showcased India's military prowess and cultural heritage.
The enthusiastic crowds got to their feet, eager to catch a glimpse, as the parade commander, the General Officer Commanding Delhi Area Major General Manvinder Singh saluted President Pratibha Patil.
The military and paramilitary personnel marching down the Rajpath evoked awe and admiration from the assembled crowd.