On the campaign trail in Tamil Nadu, rhetoric is being whetted to a cutting edge, as always happens when the trail gets around the home stretch. Partisan flag-waving is taking on greater vigour. And parties are wooing citizens with the end-phase desperation of a hopeful suitor.
Amidst all of this intense activity, this 400-metre stretch of an arterial road in the outskirts of Chennai (technically in the Tambaram assembly constituency) presents a silent, but colourful reminder of the first principles underpinning India’s system of governance, where citizens have a say, at least before a government is securely ensconced in the seat of power, vis-a-vis their vote.
Essentially, it is a continuing gestute honouring the idea of res publica (a republic serving the collective citizens’ good) and the colours of the tricolour, instituted this Republic Day (January 26, 2026) in a rather offbeat manner in a local panchayat. The gesture shines bright after evenfall.
It is a 400-metre stetch of Mambakkam-Medavakkam Main Road running through Kovilancherry in Madurapakkam panchayat, part of the Tambaram assembly constituency. On January 26, the hallowed colours were unfurled with LED neon flexes on the lampposts in the median.
