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Selfie, sitar, cricket: Google celebrates R-Day with Mumbai artist's doodle
Today's Goggle doodle, illustrated by Mumbai's Onkar Fondekar, sums up India, its unity in diversity and vibrant culture.
On the occasion on India's 72nd Republic Day, search engine Goggle is celebrating the country's unity in diversity and the tryst of tradition with development in its doodle, which has been illustrated by Onkar Fondekar, a Mumbai-based artist.
The doodle with saffron and green being its predominant colour comprises figures representing different cultures, professions. An elephant with a mahout on him, a cricketer, a film director with his eyes on the camera, a sitar player, a Bharatnatyam dancer, a dholak player, a man dressed in Rajasthani attire clicking selfie are the several elements of the doodle, while buildings displaying India's traditional architecture styles are in the background.
Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, India will be celebrating its 72nd Republic Day commemorating the day when its constitution came into effect.
Onkar Fondekar said his inspiration behind the doodle was the people of India, its culture, traditions, history and architecture.
"I felt fortunate and happy that I got the opportunity to portray India—my country—on a global platform like Google Doodle. At the same time, I knew there were so many things, so much diversity and such a wide canvas I could illustrate," he said.
"While Republic Day only dates back to 1949, many elements of the subcontinent’s culture have been evolving for centuries. With origins that stretch back hundreds of years, musical instruments such as the dholak (a two-headed hand drum) and the sitar (a long-necked stringed instrument), both featured in the Doodle artwork, are just a few examples of India’s rich heritage," Google wrote.
"From its distinctive architectural styles to the Bollywood film industry, India’s cultural impact is felt across the world, and today, there is much to celebrate," it said.
