Beating Retreat ceremony: Indian classical instruments and ‘popular’ music take centre stage

The ceremony which is an age-old tradition passed down to India from Britishers who used drums to call troops back from battle at sunset

New Delhi, January 30: The Beating Retreat ceremony at Vijay Chowk, organised three days after the Republic Day, marked the end of festivities with Indian classical instruments and ‘popular’ music.

The ceremony which is an age-old tradition passed down to India from Britishers who used drums to call troops back from battle at sunset.

President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the three defence chiefs attended the ceremony held on Friday.

Beating Retreat officially denotes the end of Republic Day festivities. It is conducted on the evening of January 29 – the third day after the Republic Day and is performed by the bands of the three wings of the military – the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force. Read Also: (Republic Day Parade 2016: Watch full video of the grand celebrations at Rajpath)

The venue is Raisina Hills and an adjacent square, Vijay Chowk, flanked by the North and South block of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The Chief Guest of the function is the President of India who arrives escorted by the ‘President’s Bodyguards’ a cavalry unit.

The ceremony was started in the early 1950’s, when Major Roberts of the Indian Army developed a display by the massed bands in which Military Bands – Pipes and Drum Bands, Buglers and Trumpeters – from various Army Regiments along with bands from the Navy and Air Force take part.

They play popular tunes like Abide With Me, Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite Hymn, and Saare Jahan Se Achcha. This year also saw the police and Central Armed Police Forces bands participating for the first time.

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